Honest

BSNL to install WiMax BTS in 1,000 blocks by this fiscal 14 Aug, 2008, 1823 hrs IST, PTI NEW DELHI : To an effort to boost its rural broadband plan, state-run telco BSNL on Thursday said it is planning to install WiMax base stations in 1,000 blocks across the country by the end of this fiscal that will provide high-speed internet access to 25,000 villages. "We will be installing WiMax BTS in 1000 blocks out of country's 6000 blocks by the end of current fiscal," said BSNL CMD Kuldeep Goyal. Rural India is divided into 6000 blocks of population. BSNL has rights to 1000 blocks and has invited tenders for installing a WiMAX base station in each of those blocks to provide connectivity to villages. By the end of this year, the company expects to provide high speed internet access to 25,000 villages through Common Service Centres (CSCs). At present, BSNL is actively holding discussions with few vendors for BTS (Base Transceiver Station) equipment and the pilot project is on. "The proof-of-concept is being installed and will be completed in few months," added Goyal. At present, BSNL's WiMAX equipment is being supplied by US vendor SOMA Networks. The CSCs are telecom kiosks to be set up in the villages and are equipped with infrastructures like PCs, printers, software and staff for delivery of e-governance services related to health, education and agricultural information. As a government run company, BSNL has two distinct programmes in terms of rolling out WiMAX, one to provide commercial broadband services, another to connect rural India to government services online.

DoT turns down Amar Singh's demand on spectrum charge 14 Aug, 2008, 0305 hrs IST, ET KOLKATA/NEW DELHI: The department of telecommunications (DoT) has shot down Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh’s demand to the Prime Minister’s Office that GSM players be charged a one-time spectrum charge for all radio frequencies they hold beyond 6.2 MHz. ET has learnt that DoT, in its reply, has told the PMO that it cannot adopt Mr Singh’s suggested methodology of computing the one-time spectrum levy payable by GSM players and also the quantum of additional levy on recurring spectrum usage charges. The move comes as a major relief to GSM operators as any move to impose a one-time fee would instantly hurt the commercial interests of established GSM heavyweights like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar, Idea and Aircel. As per Mr Singh’s formula, several leading GSM players will have to cough up an additional Rs 3,000 crore as some telcos hold up to 10 MHz of radio frequencies. Significantly, DoT believes any decision to compute such a one-time spectrum charge using Mr Singh’s formula could land the government in court. Incidentally, Mr Singh demand’s closely resembled an identical request last year by Reliance Communications chairman Anil Ambani who too had written to the PMO. In his July communique to the PMO, Mr Singh had proposed an additional fee of Rs 1,312 crore should be applied for all spectrum GSM players held above the 6.2 MHz mark. His logic: Indian telecom licence entitles GSM players to only 6.2 MHz of spectrum. Mr Singh had adopted the model that was worked out by the finance ministry to arrive at the Rs 1,312 crore. The DoT’s decision to turn down the SP’s proposals will be a major blow for CDMA-based operators. This is because, CDMA operators share the view that GSM players have been given radio frequencies beyond their licence limits. So far, despite approaching several courts, CDMA players have failed to reverse the DoT’s policies which gives up to 15 MHz of spectrum to GSM operators in a circle.

DoT rebuts FinMin's charges; says spectrum Cabinet compliant 14 Aug, 2008, 1940 hrs IST, PTI NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Communication on Thursday lambasted the Finance Ministry for questioning the procedure for 3G guidelines, saying the policy announcement was made after due consultations and there was no departure from the Cabinet decision. "Since the spectrum pricing formula is auctioned, to which the Ministry of Finance is fully agreed, and the process, in which the Ministry of Finance is fully involved, we are consistent with the decision of the Cabinet," DoT said in a strong rebuttal to the issues raised by the Finance Ministry. Responding to a communication from Finance Secretary D Subbarao yesterday, Telecom Secretary Siddartha Behura shot off a strongly worded letter today, saying: "It is therefore surprising that the Ministry of Finance has now decided to express its reservations on procedural aspects." Asked about the issues raised by the Finance Ministry, Telecom Minister A Raja today dismissed any possibility of delay in 3G auction, saying: "As we promised, 3G auction will take place within the scheduled time... There will not be any deviation from the announced guidelines." Charging that the Ministry of Finance had not been consulted on DoT guidelines on auction and allotment of spectrum for 3G and WiMax telecom services, Subbarao had said: "The issue of guidelines without any consultations with the Ministry of Finance, either within the forum of Telecom Commission or outside, is inappropriate and contrary to the Cabinet decision." Telecom Minister Raja also said that if necessary Secretary (Telecom) will be directed to consult with the Ministry of Finance on the relevant issues. Behura said in his letter that as announced an inter- ministerial committee has already been set up to oversee the spectrum auctioning process in which Finance Ministry has nominated its representative also. "In addition, the Chairman of the Committee is Member (Finance), Telecom Commission. Any concern of Ministry of Finance can be considered by this Committee and action taken thereof," Behura said in the letter. Unveiling the 3G policy earlier this month, Raja had said up to 10 players would be allowed in a service area, including foreign players, and the government would garner up to Rs 40,000 crore from the auctioning of spectrum for 3G services. Government has set a base price of Rs 2,020 crore for each bid for a pan-India licence. "The reserve price recommended by telecom regulator TRAI has been doubled and TRAI's concurrence also obtained. It is needless to say that there is no method of fixing reserve price for spectrum and the doubling of reserve price as indicated by TRAI is only the beginning of price discovery through auction," Behura said in his letter to Subbarao. Asked whether the process of implementing the 3G policy could be delayed, Raja asserted that "as far as time-frame is concerned, there will be no deviation from what we announced on August 1, 2008".

D-link develops first 'Made in India' videophone 12 Aug, 2008, 0122 hrs IST, ET MUMBAI : ALL those long calls without being able to watch the person at the other end of the line may soon be a thing of the past. D-link (India) has developed a broadband videophone which requires only 128Kbps speed. This phone has entirely been designed, developed and manufactured in India, making it the first of its kind. Developed at the company’s R&D centre in Bangalore and manufactured in Goa, the phone is priced at Rs 30,000 holding a mass appeal not just for corporates, but households too. Other players in this space are more expensive as they are not manufactured in India, say analysts. However, this product has failed to take off in India, due to high broadband requirements. Analysts say D-Link’s USP could be the low-speed requirement. After 18 months of research involving 90,000 man hours, the company will be roll out this product in September. “This product is part of our overall strategy to strengthen our R&D in the field of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) in India. We are proud the video phone has been entirely developed in India, which also brings down the cost,” D-Link (India) CEO & managing director Jangoo Dalal told ET. The phone, a GVC 3000 model, is auto-adjustable to any broadband speed – be it 128 Kbps or 2Mbps. This will appeal to both corporates who have high bandwidths and also households using low-speed internet. The model is compatible with other video phone brands. Even if the receiver does not have one of their own, the GVC 3000 would work as any other voice phone. The video phone has a small 6 inch screen for the video, but this can also be connected to a LCD monitor or TV to get a larger picture. The image does not get pixelated and has the same resolution as the phone screen.Apart from India, Mr Dalal said they would be taking this phone to the US and south Asia too. “We have tested it extensively with service providers in the US and the response has been good. We have an edge over others as we are reasonably priced. Some deals have been virtually closed in US and South Asia,” he said. In India too, they are looking at tie-ups with leading internet service providers like Bharti Airtel, Sify amongst others. Dealers refused to comment on what the market will be for this phone as it is yet to be launched. However, analysts say that the increasing ticket prices may drive the sales with corporate houses for their conferences as it is more cost-effective. As broadband penetration continues to increase in India, companies are looking at innovative gadgets to meet consumer demands. “There is a market for indigenous R&D in India and this is robust enough to work with all bandwidths and rugged conditions.” said Mr Dalal.

A small Pic of the above D-link Videophone. Courtesy : Techtree

‘3G iPhone has engineering defect’ 14 Aug, 2008, 0942 hrs IST, Indiatimes SEATTLE: Spotty wireless broadband connectivity for some of Apple Inc's new iPhone most likely results from a hardware problem introduced during mass production, a Swedish technical magazine reported. Ny Teknik, Sweden's foremost engineering weekly, obtained a report on tests conducted by unnamed experts that showed some handsets' sensitivity to third-generation network signals is well below the level specified in the 3G standard. So-called 3G networks offer the promise of faster Web surfing on cell phone browsers, and make bandwidth-hogging applications like video calling feasible. Phones that access 3G networks must meet certain engineering and technical specifications, which are set and maintained by the International Telecommunication Union, a Geneva-based organisation. The report said the most likely cause of the 3G problems is defective adjustments between the antenna and an amplifier that captures very weak signals from the antenna. This could lead to poor 3G connectivity and slower data speeds. The iPhone 3G, which went on sale on July 11 in the United States and 21 other countries, was meant to offer faster Web browsing than the year-old original model. Since the launch of the next-generation iPhone, Apple's message boards have been flooded with complaints of dropped calls and poor 3G connectivity indicated by few or no "bars" on the phone's display. Some users said they performed side-by-side tests and found that the iPhone had connectivity problems in locations where 3G phones from other manufacturers did not. The reports were made by users who said they lived the United States, Canada, Japan, Britain and other countries. Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris declined to comment on whether the problem lies in the iPhone's hardware or software, or with the various carriers' 3G networks. In the United States, AT&T Inc is the only wireless provider to sell the iPhone. Mark Siegel, a spokesman for AT&T's wireless unit, said AT&T has not received a significant number of complaints and that, "overall, the new iPhone is performing just great on our 3G network." In an interview, Siegel recommended that iPhone 3G users sync the devices with Apple's iTunes programme frequently to take advantage of improvements that may come via updated software. Connectivity is just the latest of Apple's problems with the iPhone 3G. Just hours before the new phones were set to go on sale, users of the Cupertino, California-based company's old data-synching service were locked out of their accounts when it took Apple longer than expected to get the new version, MobileMe, up and running. On launch day, Apple's servers buckled as buyers tried to activate new iPhones in stores, while owners of older iPhones and the iPod Touch were updating and reactivating their devices at home. Francis Sideco, a senior analyst for El Segundo, California-based research group iSuppli Corp, said the connectivity problems described by users -- dropped calls and the low number of bars in particular -- could be caused by any of a number of parts, from the phone's antenna and amplifier and the radio frequency transceiver to the baseband that processes the digital signal and sends it to the speaker or screen. A faulty part could cause the phone to think there isn't enough signal strength to keep a call connected, he said, and could prompt the phone to display too few bars. Different parts from different manufacturers also vary in their ability to draw the 3G signal from the air, the analyst said, which would support users' claims that different phones held side by side show different numbers of bars. Ny Teknik's report suggested the error was introduced during mass production. Sideco noted that cell phone chips, or the phones themselves, go through a testing and certification process before reaching consumers, but only a fraction of the chips or handsets are tested. "We've seen this in the past before, in Motorola's Razr line. It was a very big seller, but the first version of that phone had RF (radio frequency) problems. They had to recall it, fix it, (and) put it back out there," he said. Sideco said such a problem could explain another oft-heard iPhone 3G complaint, the shorter-than-expected battery life. "It could end up drawing more power because now the phone thinks it's (getting a) worse signal than it actually is. When it goes to talk to the network, it speaks louder than it needs to," he said. The analyst said similar complaints from people in more than one geographic location indicate that the problem is with the phone, not the network. Without knowing exactly what is going wrong, Sideco could not say whether software or firmware updates could fix the glitch, or whether Apple could be facing the possibility of a recall.

^^^ Very true my dear Kumaar. Well, in my honest opinion, in India 3G will only be used by OUR THIRD GENERATION. Yes we can surely expect 3G when we will be in our late 70's. Ha Ha Ha.

^^^ My dear friend, we didn't seen any Chinese handset which is CDMA only. All you get in Chinese handsets are either GSM or Dual Sim i.e. GSM + CDMA. Regards.

MTNL cuts broadband charges, launches TV on mobile Press Trust Of India / New Delhi August 13, 2008, 15:46 IST Public sector telecom services provider MTNL today slashed broadband charges by up to 50 per cent to increase user base in the national capital. The PSU announced a plan that will offer customers high speed (2 mbps) Internet access at a monthly rental of Rs 99 and 150 mb free download. Alternately, users can opt for a monthly rental scheme of Rs 149 with free download of 400 mb. These plans will be available from August 15. It has also reduced the monthly rental of another tariff plan by 34 per cent from Rs 899 to 599 that would be available to customers from September 1. MTNL, which has 2.6 lakhs broadband customers in Delhi, plans to attract more customers with this reduction, company's Executive Director-Delhi A K Arora said. The state-run telecom operator, which was the first to launch IPTV in the country, also added another first to its credit by launching Mobile TV. "The TV service on mobile handsets 'MTNL-TV' is available in Delhi and the NCR for MTNL customers both on Dolphin and Trump. It will provide 20 channels, and the charges are Rs 99 per month," Arora said here. Fashion TV and religious channels will be not be available on the service.

^^^ Very true my dear Kalpak. Hope they should not succeed at all because all these tactics are not in favour of subscribers. Regards.

TRAI, DoT lock horns on 3G policy 14 Aug, 2008, 0810 hrs IST, ET NEW DELHI: TRAI’s recent letter to DoT, highlighting shortcomings in the government 3G policy, has kicked up differences between the telecom regulator and DoT. TRAI, in its letter, has highlighted six shortcomings in the 3G auction guidelines that were announced recently. The most significant one that can impact exchequer revenue relates to the need for an “amended’ ’ unified access service licence (UASL), which needs to be acquired by every successful new entrant in the 3G space. TRAI, in its letter to DoT, concludes that a reading of the 3G guidelines “implies that in case a non-licencee becomes successful bidder, he will be given a new (modified) UASL without the provision of 2G spectrum (spectrum in the 800, 900 & 1800mhz) at an entry fee equal to the entry fee of UAS licence’’ . While announcing the 3G guidelines, telecom minister A Raja had confirmed that universal licences for new 3G entrants—costing Rs 1,651 crore— will come without 2G spectrum. Potential bidders have also complained that this is “unjustifiable and discriminatory’’ . Now, in contrast to TRAI and Raja’s conclusions, a senior DoT official told TOI that “new 3G entrants will, by virtue of their universal licence , be eligible for 4.4 MHz of spectrum as per the law of the land and can also join the 2G queue’’ . This fresh twist is set to spark more confusion among potential bidders. TRAI has thrown another spanner by informing DoT that it needs to receive recommendations from the regulator if any amendment of the licence agreement is proposed. “As this would require the terms and conditions of this new licence , including the annual licence fee, the authority would like to draw the attention of DoT to section 11 of the TRAI Act wherein recommendations of TRAI are necessary,’’ the regulator wrote. DoT will find this letter tough to ignore, considering TRAI’s principled and legally valid stance on the matter. Equally, TRAI is obliged to engage in a public consultation process. All this could take months. Meanwhile, all this confusion could help new entrants make a killing. A shareholder in a pan-India 2G firm that received a letter of intent (LoI) on January 10 for 2G spectrum told TOI that 3G entrants will be better off while striking deals with new entrants before participating in auctions. The firm, which paid Rs 1,651 crore for 4.4mhz spectrum, has term sheets doing the rounds boasting of an enterprise value of Rs 6,000 crore, without even spectrum in hand. “Even if new 3G entrants join the 2G spectrum queue, everyone knows there is no spectrum to give, so why should they pay the government Rs 1,651 crore for just a licence. They would be wiser to buy into a company like us which has assured spectrum,’’ he told TOI.

iPhone has a Kill Switch: Steve Jobs Indiatimes CALIFORNIA: It’s official! Apple does have the capability to remotely manage applications on your iPhone. In an interview to Walls Street Journal, Apple CEO, Steve Jobs admitted to iPhones having a mechanism that allows the device to contact Apple website and delete the software that the company deems harmful. Jobs told the newspaper, "Hopefully we never have to pull that lever, but we would be irresponsible not to have a lever like that to pull." Popularly branded `kill switch', it can disable potentially malicious applications that have been downloaded to any iPhone. The interview confirms the recent claim of independent researcher Jonathan Zdziarski, who discovered a file in the iPhone's firmware that links to an Apple XML page containing a blank "black list" for malicious applications. However, it is not clear that the Core Location blacklist found by Zdziarski is the "lever" that Jobs refered to. According to analysts, there could also be a separate mechanism elsewhere in the iPhone's software. It is also yet not clear that what is Apple's exact definition of "malicious" software.

Finance ministry wants 3G policy put on hold 14 Aug, 2008, 0238 hrs IST, ET NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: In a move that may delay the rollout of 3G services in the country, the finance ministry has asked the Department of Telecom (DoT) to put the 3G policy on hold as it was not consulted on the financial implications of the guidelines. The finance ministry has said DoT has contravened an earlier Cabinet decision, which had stipulated that spectrum pricing would be mutually finalised between both the ministries. Earlier this month, communications minister A Raja lifted the curtain on the 3G policy, which would enable telecom operators to offer high-end services such as video conferencing, faster downloads of music and movies, interactive gaming and high-speed internet. Mr Raja had announced a reserve price of Rs 2,020 crore for auction of pan-India 3G spectrum for GSM operators and about Rs 505 crore for pan-India WiMAX radio frequencies. As per the current schedule, the auction for 3G spectrum will be held within the next three months, spectrum allotted by the year-end and services launched by mid-2009. The finance ministry has taken the line that DoT has breached protocol as it arrived at these figures (the reserve prices) without consulting it. Finance secretary D Subbarao, in a strongly-worded letter to the communications ministry on Wednesday, said: “The guidelines issued on August 1, 2008 by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on auction and allotment of spectrum of 3G and broadband wireless access (BWA, also known as WiMAX) telecom services, contain clauses with financial implications such as determination of the spectrum acquisition price and reserve price for auction, fixation of spectrum usage charges and penalties for hoarding of spectrum. However, the ministry of finance (MoF) has not been consulted in the matter.” In a bid to drive home the seriousness of the issue, the finance secretary has told DoT that as per the Transaction of Business (TOB) Rules, it is mandatory to have consultations with the finance ministry “as a pre-condition to all issues which have financial implications”. Mr Subbarao also added that the Union Cabinet, in its meeting on October 31, 2007 had decided that spectrum would be decided mutually between the DoT and the finance ministry. “The issuance of (3G) guidelines without any consultation with the finance ministry, either within the forum of Telecom Commission or outside, is inappropriate and contrary to the Cabinet decision,” the finance secretary’s communication read. This marks the second instance of differences having cropped up between different government wings over the recently-announced 3G spectrum policy. As reported first by ET, telecom regulator Trai has asked the DoT to review the 3G policy while adding that the government’s decision to allot 3G spectrum to CDMA players without an auction was against the principles of equality. This is because the policy gives CDMA operators one slot in the 800 MHz band — the most efficient and cost-effective frequency for CDMA players — to offer high-end services, with the rider that the largest operator in a circle would walk away with it.

Finance Ministry wants a say in 3G policy Business Line, Thursday, Aug 14, 2008 New Delhi, Aug. 13 In what could muddle the third generation mobile roll out in the country, the Ministry of Finance is understood to have told the Department of Telecom that it should go ahead with implementing the recently announced guidelines only after consulting with the Ministry since the policy had financial implications. Officials in the Finance Ministry said since the 3G policy contained clauses with financial implications such as determination of the spectrum acquisition price and reserve price for auction, fixation of spectrum usage charges and penalties for hoarding of spectrum, it is mandatory for DoT to consult with the Ministry. They said the Transaction of Business Rules 1981 prescribed mandatory consultation with the Ministry of Finance as a pre-condition in respect of all issues which have issues which have financial implications. They added that the Union cabinet, in its meeting on October 2003 had decided that spectrum pricing would need to be decided mutually between DoT and MoF to ensure efficient usage of spectrum. DoT stand However, DoT officials said the Communications Ministry had several rounds of meeting with the Ministry of Finance before announcing the 3G policy guidelines. They said that it was at the insistence of the Finance Ministry that the base price and the spectrum charges were revised upwards. DoT officials said that stiff penalties for not fulfilling the roll-out obligations have also been imposed to ensure that no operator hoards spectrum. Earlier the telecom regulator had also raised concerns with some aspects of the policy. TRAI had said DoT should conduct auction for CDMA players also to ensure level playing field. TRAI has also sought to have a say in fixing the terms and conditions for allowing new players in the 3G space.

^^^ @Ankit My dear friend, you can try BSNL data card in your city. The speed of BSNL data card is really good and the unlimited tariffs too are less. I think its Rs.550/- per month for unlimited usage. Regards.

^^^ Yes my dear friend, the above is very much possible. But here at Rimweb we do not encourage discussions related to Hacking. Regards.

^^^ Till now no news from BSNL my dear friend. But I think that BSNL too will reduce the Broadband tariffs soon. Regards.

India adds 6.42 mn GSM mobile users in July 13 Aug, 2008, 2033 hrs IST, ET NEW DELHI: India added 6.42 million mobile users in July in its GSM-based telecom networks, an industry body said on Wednesday, accelerating the pace of user growth from the previous month. Handsets costing as low as $15 and call rates as low as 1 US cent a minute have helped India to become the world's fastest-growing market for wireless services and the second-largest market for such services after China. In June, 6.32 million users had signed up. India had 218.9 million GSM users at the end of July, data from the Cellular Operators' Association of India showed. The data includes Reliance Communications' GSM network as of June. Reliance Communications, the No 2 telecoms firm, a majority of whose subscribers are its CDMA network, announces subscriber numbers separately. It had added a total of 1.74 million mobile users in June to 50.8 million. Top operator Bharti Airtel added 2.69 million users in July, taking its total to 72.1 million, the data showed. Vodafone Plc controlled Vodafone Essar, the third largest firm, had 50.95 million users at the end of July, having added 1.76 million users in the month. No. 4 mobile firm Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd, which is gearing up for a $10 billion public offer, added 553,219 GSM mobile users in the month to end with 37.92 million. It also had 30.9 million fixed-line users as of June. No 5 Idea Cellular, which is buying smaller Spice Communications, got 1.05 million new users in July, taking its total subscribers to 28.2 million. Spice had 4.2 million mobile users as of July.

20 Percent Of Global WiMAX Subscribers By 2012 Will Be Indians The WiMAX Forum projects that more than 27.5 million Indians will be WiMAX users by 2012. Additional data from this recent WiMAX Forum study estimates that approximately 70 percent of the forecasted WiMAX subscribers by 2012 will utilise mobile and portable WiMAX devices to access broadband Internet services. "WiMAX devices and networks are available now for deployment worldwide delivering best in class broadband services at a cost to consumers significantly lower than any other technology. India is clearly making the commitment and taking the steps to ensure wireless broadband services are a reality that enables operators to meet the needs of India's diverse and growing population," said Ron Resnick, president of the WiMAX Forum. "In addition, an operator's investment to afford the build out of infrastructure and deployment of the service is at the lowest capex and the best ROI models plus the economies of scale created by this demand will help drive down the cost of the wide range of diverse WiMAX devices. All of the leading telecom equipment manufacturers are having their WiMAX Base station and other infrastructure equipment WiMAX Forum Certified™ and are ready to showcase their equipment in India." Last week, the WiMAX Forum commended the Department of Telecommunications of India for the allocation of and upcoming auction relating to the 2.3 and 2.5 GHz frequency bands. The auction will enable two 20 MHz blocks in both the 2.3 and 2.5 GHz bands. The WiMAX Forum is pleased that the Indian government plans to auction blocks in the 700 MHz and 3.3-3.6 GHz bands, as they become available. The WiMAX Forum expects to certify the first 3.5 GHz WiMAX products by the end of 2008 and views 700 MHz as a strong contender for Mobile Internet services, especially in India's low-density rural areas. The availability of these key bands for WiMAX technology in India will provide its consumers with much needed broadband connectivity across the diverse economic and social needs of the entire population. WiMAX technology has the potential to bridge India's digital divide, offering broadband services in dense urban and suburban areas, rural broadband connectivity to enable high speed wireless applications and services, and enterprise broadband access across the country. The WiMAX Forum plans to add an Indian certification lab to its existing network by the end of 2008 to stay ahead of the demand for products in this region. Courtesy : BizTech2

^^^ @Abhi My dear friend, Iphone is a GSM phone and not CDMA. So forget about Iphone with Reliance. Although in the future we can expect Gsm Iphone with Reliance GSM service. Regards.

Nokia Phones to Have OLED Displays? Everyone in the industry is gunning to launch phones with advanced features, OLED displays and slim form factor. While OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) is the future of flat-panel technology, Nokia has already started the groundwork and is especially focusing on AMOLED (Active Matrix). According to Digitimes, "Nokia has expressed hope that its panel suppliers should have development and volume production plans for AMOLED panels." Two panel suppliers for Nokia, AU Optronics (AUO) and TPO Display, are gearing up to develop AMOLED applications. It's even reported that AUO has now already reorganized its AMOLED team and is expected to unveil new products in the second half of this year. Here are some of the advantages of OLED over both LCDs and LEDs: * Thinner, lighter and more flexible * Do not require backlighting * Easier to produce and can be made to larger sizes * Have large fields of view, about 170 degrees * Low power consumption * Fast "response time" Courtesy : Techtree

^^^ My dear friend, this has been already posted here.

'Do-call-registry isn't a solution' 13 Aug, 2008, 0411 hrs IST, ET NEW DELHI: It’s been a year since the telecom regulator, Trai, put in place a national do-not-call (NDNC) registry to protect consumers from unsolicited calls from telemarketers. But most users say that the registry has made little difference. In fact, there have been demands for a ‘do-call-registry’ instead of a DNC. Defying claims about NDNC’s failure, Trai chairman Nripendra Misra told ET that the registry, which today has far more subscribers than anywhere else in the world, must be given time before being declared unsuccessful. Excerpts: A year after you issued regulation on unsolicited commercial calls, how would you evaluate its impact on curbing the menace? Regulation on unsolicited commercial calls (UCC) has achieved what was envisaged when Trai initiated the process in November, 2006. There has been a significant reduction in the number of telemarketing calls to registered subscribers. Trai was always conscious of the fact that a long-term solution will require legislation with coercive powers. What’s the experience of other countries in curbing pesky calls? Countries such as the US, the UK, Ireland and Australia have implemented NDNC registry. However, no country has opted for the ‘do-call’ approach. Before comparing the experience of other countries, I would like to emphasise a few points. Firstly, in most of these countries, this issue was handled through legislation. Secondly, unlike India, NDNC has existed for years in other countries. Thirdly, in these countries, the telemarketing industry is organised and more disciplined. Lastly, as per the data we have, the violations (in %) in India are comparable to ones in these countries. A survey done in the US last year found that 59% of NDNC users still got pesky calls, even after four years of DNC implementation. Did Trai consider the option of ‘do-call registry’ before framing regulation? Yes, this option, along with other options such as telemarketers calling from easily-identified numbers, were considered. One of the key concerns while framing regulation was to ensure that it does not, in any way, infringe on the fundamental rights of freedom of speech and profession, occupation, trade or business. Therefore, Trai was in agreement with RBI’s working group on regulatory mechanism that it might not be advisable to ban all marketing calls, since they are an important marketing tool and a number of people are in favour of receiving calls. In addition, telemarketing industry also generates employment. Further, some customers might voluntarily seek information about different products and services. So, halting telemarketing completely might unfairly end this process. What’s the problem with allotting identifiable numbers to telemarketers? This would have led to a huge blockage of numbers. It would also have been difficult for the consumer to remember so many different numbers specific to telemarketers, considering we have 277 licensees in 23 circles. In fact, a technical committee headed by Trai secretary examined various possible solutions and ruled out the feasibility of this scheme in the Indian environment. How many subscribers and telemarketers are registered with NDNC? Till July 31, around 13.5 million subscribers had registered with the NDNC, and about 17,512 telemarketers were registered with DoT. So, the progress made by NDNC is significant. Registrations have nearly doubled from seven million subscribers in January ‘08. Similarly, telephone numbers submitted by telemarketers daily for scrubbing have tripled to 35 million. As per recent reports, till June 30, 2008, over 5,700 telemarketers have been fined Rs 500 and just over 1,800 telemarketers, Rs 1,000 each, for violating NDNC guidelines. During this period, the number of registered and unregistered telemarketers, whose telecom resources were disconnected, were 1,041 and 4,437, respectively. But, pesky calls still persist. Why? Local telemarketing industry consists of a few large and a number of small telemarketers who may be doing this either as a side business or on need basis. Trai has noted that though a large number of telemarketing calls have stopped on registered numbers , a sizable number of mainly small telemarketers, who have not registered themselves with DoT, continue to make commercial calls . These unregistered telemarketers don’t come under the ambit of our regulations. Moreover, disconnecting their telecom resources also does not seem to be a major disincentive for them. Then, is ‘do-call-registry’ the answer? ‘Do-call-registry’ will not address the problem of unregistered telemarketers. The ones violating the regulation would still violate. On the other hand, this would result in increase in the number of complaints as everyone not registered with ‘do-call-registry’ would become eligible to file a complaint in case s/he receives UCC.

@The King Thanks for the very useful file my dear friend. Regards.

^^^ So, that means still all these are rumours my dear friends. Lets wait till 22nd August and see whats in the booty. Regards.