Honest

Raja pulls up BSNL on slow growth of value added service biz 8 Aug, 2008, 1239 hrs IST, ET NEW DELHI: Concerned over the slow growth of BSNL, Telecom Minister A Raja has asked Department of Telecom to work out a mechanism where important decisions could be expedited fast to drive more revenue for the PSU. "I am deeply concerned over the slow growth in business of BSNL in spite of regular review meetings with the officials of BSNL. It is a serious matter and it has to be monitored and reviewed by the Secretary (Telecom) on regular basis," Raja said in a letter to Telecom Secretary Siddhartha Behura. DoT being the nodal ministry can ask the PSU to speed up decisions and the minister has asked the Secretary to structure a device of regular monitoring of such proposals in DoT itself through the Government's nominee on BSNL board. Raja's ire has emanated from BSNL's slow pick-up on the Value Added Service front in spite of financial incentives and business leverages. The Minister feels in the competitive environment there is scope for increasing revenue from Value Added Services and BSNL can get much more revenue from VAS if it is able to take quick decisions. "A large number of proposals for VAS on revenue sharing basis in which no investments is required from BSNL are pending with the PSU for long for decision making. BSNL may be directed to look into such proposals on priority and in time-bound manner," Raja said. Raja's concern comes on the backdrop of private telecom operators drawing significant revenues from VAS and in a cheap tariff scenario, revenues from other services like VAS holds potential for a robust growth.

India world's second-largest wireless market: Study 8 Aug, 2008, 0932 hrs IST, ET BANGALORE: Mobile telephony has grown rapidly in India, especially during the last three years, with India becoming the second-largest wireless market in the world, says a World Bank study. The number of wireless subscribers in the country has reached 250 million, making India the second-largest wireless market in the world, says the study, The Role of Mobile Phones in Sustainable Rural Poverty Reduction. Authored by Asheeta Bhavnani, Rowena Won-Wai Chiu, Subramaniam Janakiram and Peter Silarszky, the study says India is now second only to China, with tele-density already surpassing the 25 percent mark. Currently, China is adding about 6-7 million new subscribers per month, India about 8-9 million and the US about 2-3 million, it notes. "The private sector is also active in India and there are a number of telecommunication companies providing mobile telephone services who have to compete for market share and meet consumer expectations," according to the study released recently. It argues that mobile telephony has a positive impact on economic welfare by generating GDP; job generation (both in the mobile industry and the wider economy); productivity increases; and taxation revenue with mobile operators usually being a sizeable contributor. Telecom, IT services and software researcher firm Ovum, based in North America, had already pointed out the economic benefit of mobile services in India, in another study in January 2006. Ovum had also reported that the mobile telephony sector contributed Rs.145 billion ($3.6 billion) per year in import duties, licence fees, spectrum fees, and taxation revenues in India. The World Bank study said mobile phones also cause an impact at the micro level in reducing poverty. "For example, reducing market inefficiencies in Bangladesh or information asymmetries in India." Other studies have shown that fishermen in Kerala use mobile phones to arbitrage over price information from potential buyers and coordinate sales, helping them to increase incomes and reduce wastage. Since the use of mobile phones in 1997 there, the technology has had an impact in ensuring "price stability for the consumer and a nearly perfect spatial arbitrage replaced a collection of autarkic fishing markets", notes the study. A 2001 survey of 300 sardine fishing units found that phones were bought by the largest boats first as they could get the largest possible arbitrage gains and could afford the $100 phones. This earlier study concluded that the use of mobile phones increased consumer surplus (by an average of six percent); increased the fishermen's profits (by an average of eight percent); reduced price dispersion (by four percent) and reduced waste (which was averaging 5-8 percent of daily catch, before the use of mobile phones). It said that, like the fishermen finding out where to land their catch, other Indian rural communities could possibly find innovative ways to apply technology not previously available to them. Yet, it noted, "none of this would be possible without a new pricing model that has re-valued SMS from a mere 10 percent side player in revenue streams to a main staple". Similarly, it said that if multimedia functions could also be price-dropped from an elitist, overpriced niche product for tech geeks to a commoditized mass market necessity, these functions could drive rural economic and social transformation.

^^^ @Amrita My dear friend, if you are using a postpaid connection of Reliance, then you can surely use the Call Conference feature. And about the handset with Camera, Bluetooth etc., if you increase your budget a little more, then Nokia 6275 could be the best choice for you. Regards.

TRAI nod for mobile virtual network operators 7 Aug, 2008, 1430 hrs IST, ET Bureau NEW DELHI: In a move expected to increase competition in the world’s fastest growing mobile market, telecom regulator TRAI on Wednesday asked the government to allow Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), whose business model involves buying air time from existing operators and then selling it under their own brand, to launch services in India. This will enable firms to allow to offer mobile services without owning cellular networks (radio frequencies). Companies such as the UK’s Virgin and BT Mobile and Japan’s KDDI have based their telecom strategy on the MVNO model. At present, there are 360 MVNOs operating globally. TRAI has recommended that entry fee for MVNOs be fixed at a maximum of Rs 5 crore for Metro/Category A, Rs 3 crore for Category B and Rs 1 crore for Category C service areas. This implies that an MVNO will have to pay a maximum of Rs 75 crore for launching nationwide MVNO services in comparison to the Rs 1,651-crore entry fee paid by an operator who sets up its own physical network throughout the country. TRAI’s recommendations, which stand a good chance of being accepted by the government, will have major implications. First, global telecom majors who missed the India growth story can get a second chance to enter the country via the MVNO route. An entry into the country as a virtual operator will help save the time it takes to set up physical networks across the country. Besides, it will enable them to roll out services in specific zones, like say only in the metros and large cities, and focus on particular segments of the population. Second, with the government unveiling the roadmap for the introduction of high-end services on mobile (also called 3G), MVNOs can selectively offer high-end services in this space. Globally, the MVNO model has experienced phenomenal growth in the 3G space, as such players are able to connect with end users through highly specialised value-added services and superior branding. Analysts also say that this model could help accommodate several new operators in the country without aggravating the severe spectrum crunch in the country. Also, some of the new entrants have been granted licences only for a few circles and can now expand to the rest of India using this model. For the time being, however, existing telcos are confident that MVNOs will not pose a threat to them. “MVNOs are successful in markets where there are few players and high tariffs. But in a country like ours where there are so many operators, rock-bottom tariffs, and a wide range of services, MVNOs may not have a USP. It will not be easy to undercut large operators such as Bharti, Vodafone and RCOM on the price front as they have large economies of scale,” says TV Ramachandran, the director general of COAI, the industry body of GSM operators. TRAI feels that MVNO will enhance free market principles and contribute to the efficient use of existing telecommunication infrastructure. “The introduction of MVNO should help the MNO (mobile network operator) to widen and deepen its market besides promoting competition in the market. The challenge is to optimally utilise available resources while ensuring competition and availability of services at affordable price,” TRAI said while announcing its recommendations on the issue. TRAI, in its recommendations said that MVNOs should be issued separate licences and the foreign holding for players in this should be at 74%, on par with existing telecom operators in India. “Any Indian company having a net worth of Rs 10 crore for Metro/Category A, Rs 5 crore for Category B and Rs 3 crore for Category C service area, paid-up capital of 10% of prescribed networth and satisfying licence conditions such as FDI, substantial equity should be eligible to apply for MVNO licence,” TRAI added. The regulator has also proposed that existing players be allowed to enter into tie-ups with any number of MVNOs, adding that virtual operators should not be given any rollout obligations. TRAI wants MVNOs to be subject to the same revenue share licence fee as that of the existing players. At the same time, MVNOs will have to pay spectrum charges to the operator whose network they use. The regulator said that MVNOs should be free to choose any business model, full, intermediate or thin. Typically, a ‘thin’ MVNO would offer services in its own brand without any infrastructure while a ‘full’ MVNO sets up its own HLR, VLR, IN switches, MSC etc., but not the radio access network (RAN). TRAI also does not want the government to intervene in the agreement between the MVNO and the operators whose network it is riding on. All issues such as the allocation of numbers, number portability, interconnection with other service providers and roaming must be provided by parent operator whose network the MVNO uses, TRAI added. Interestingly, in a bid to protect subscribers’ interest, TRAI said that the MVNO and the parent operator should have an agreement in place to safeguard the customers if either of stakeholders were to pull out of the deal. All current merger and acquisition norms will apply to MVNOs. Industry watchers say this may act as a deterrent to MVNOs entering India as the regulations are structured against virtual operators. This is because, globally, MVNOs often pick up small equity stakes in the networks of operators they use. If an MVNO were to use the networks of multiple players here and intends to pick have an equity stake, it is a difficult proposition as current Indian regulations do not allow a company to hold more than 10% stake in different telcos. Similarly, if many existing Indian operators or even one of them want to pick up stake in an MVNO, the same regulation applies. According to Indian Cellular Association national president Pankaj Mahendroo, the entry of MVNOs could promote bundling of handsets with cellular connections as operators would look into tapping into niche markets. He also added that MVNOs could lead to improved sales volumes for high-end product categories like music phones and internet-enabled phones. For India’s regional operators, MVNOs may enable them to gain additional revenues additional revenues and contribute towards the creation of sizable capital value. This will be a boon for the smaller players especially since margins in India are razor-thin and tariffs are the lowest in the world.

BSNL to launch 3G services by next June 7 Aug, 2008, 1634 hrs IST, ET NEW DELHI: State-run telecom major Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) hopes to roll out its third generation (3G) mobile services by June next year, using the technology of Sweden's Ericsson, a top company official has said. "We hope to receive the equipment from Ericsson from December. It will take some six months to roll out the services. We will earmark around 10 million lines for the initial launch," the official, who did not wish to be identified, said. He was referring to the tender for 45 million lines worth $1.75 billion floated two years ago, where Ericsson was given 60 per cent of the order - and out of that, 10 million have now been earmarked for the 3G service. The 3G service not only allows much faster communications but also a wide range of applications such as high-speed net access, video calls, fast music and video downloads, interactive gaming and global positioning over internet. The official said BSNL also proposed to open another mega tender for 90 million lines worth some $9 billion by the end of this month. Of this, 50 per cent of the lines would be set aside for 3G telephony, he said. "But we will have a mid-term assessment of the roll-out since we are still not sure about the potential of 3G in the country. It is an expensive service and we have to understand how much demand there will be." Communications Minister A Raja had August 1 announced the much-awaited guidelines for the auction of spectrum, or airwaves, to launch third-generation (3G) mobile phone services in the country. State-run Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) that provides telecom services in Delhi and Mumbai, and BSNL, which caters to the rest of the country, need not bid for spectrum allocation, but have to pay the highest price, he said. BSNL officials, however, said that the perception that the state-run companies will get a head start of three-four months over private players due to the government norms was misplaced. "The procedures we have to follow for buying technology or equipment are time-consuming because we are a state-run company. So whatever time we have in hand will be taken away by that," a BSNL official said. "Besides, we have to pay the same amount for spectrum which the private player will be required to. So, it is not as though we have been given the licence and the airwaves on a platter," he added. As in June this year, BSNL had 41.96 million wireless subscribers and 30.866 million wireline subscribers all across the country, excluding the two major metros of Mumbai and Delhi. The state-run company has set aside a capital expenditure of Rs 16,000 crore for the current fiscal.

^^^ @Amrita You seems to be lucky my dear friend. Regards.

Motorola Unveils Three New ROKRS Motorola has decided to expand its ROKR portfolio with the introduction of three new music-optimized devices. The lineup includes MOTOROKR EM30 - a candybar phone using Motorola’s ModeShift technology; ROKR EM28 - a clamshell device with sonic features and touch-sensitive keys and ROKR EM25 - a slider with FM radio sharing capabilities. ROKR EM30 The ROKR EM30 uses Motorola’s ModeShift technology to illuminate the keyboard - red keys illuminate in music mode and a blue keypad appears in phone mode. The integrated FM radio also comes with RDS. It also has a 3.5mm stereo headset jack provides and the player is with Windows Media Player 11 for music downloads and other features. Essentially the handset is a newer and more colorful version of the ROKR E8 Other features included in the EM30 are Stereo Bluetooth support as well as support for GPRS/EDGE, Motorola’s CrystalTalk technology, microSD memory support and a 2MP camera. ROKR EM28 The ROKR EM28 is a clamshell phone. Its design allows users to control their music using touch-sensitive keys that appear only when they’re needed. The front of the phone shows the name of the artist and song so users won’t have to open the handset just like the RAZR2 V8. The music player also features 3D sound effects and an audio equalizer that provides 11 pre-set music genres, including rock, reggae and pop for optimal listening. Consumers also can boost the bass up to nine decibels. The handset also comes with a 3.5mm earphone socket, FM with RDS and broadcast recording as well as an innovative FMShare feature that allows users to share FM stations by sending a text message with the details. The EM28 ROKR also supports GPRS/EDGE, CrystalTalk, comes equipped with a 1.3 megapixel camera and a 1.8-inch 65K color TFT display with a resolution of 128 x 160 pixels. ROKR EM25 The ROKR EM25 is a slider phone. It features an FM radio with RDS and FMShare and SongID technology to identify a song, much like MusicID or Sony Ericsson's TrackID feature. Like the other handsets this one too has a 3.5mm earphone socket, Bluetooth with an A2DP profile, microSD card support and CrystalTalk technology. The EM25 comes with a 1.3MP camera. The ROKR EM30 is expected to launch first in Taiwan then in other markets throughout the quarter, while the ROKR EM28 and EM25 will be available later this quarter around the globe. Courtesy : Tech2

^^^ @Fevin Price details are yet to be known my dear friend. As soon as I get the information regarding the price, I will update the same here. Regards.

Sir Ji, What a bogus IDEA Sir Ji. My dear friends, I think that IDEA is digging whole for themselves. These kinds of tactics will never be appreciated by subscribers. Regards.

GSM operators refuse links to RCom Business Line, New Delhi, August 06. New Delhi, Aug. 6 Reliance Communication’s plans to launch its GSM services has a hit bump with the existing operators refusing to accept the telecom regulator’s orders to offer interconnection links to the new player. The Cellular Operators Association of India has told the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India that the order to offer link within 7 days was misplaced and needs a review. Without interconnection, Reliance Communications will not be able to start commercial services as it means that a Reliance GSM subscriber would not be able to call any of the 200 million GSM subscribers belonging to the existing operators across the country. Rcom on Sunday announced a soft launch of its GSM services in Delhi for some of its employees. The TRAI had directed the GSM players on Tuesday to offer interconnection within 7 days or face action. Response to TRAI order In response to the TRAI order, the GSM operators said that as per the current interconnect norms RCOM will have to renegotiate the terms with the existing players. “The Authority in its draft Reference Interconnect Order has also provided for a review of the Interconnect Agreement every time there is a material change in the licence conditions. Clearly, the permission to a CDMA licensee to set up a new GSM network is a material change in licensing conditions and necessitates a re-negotiation of the Interconnection agreements.” TRAI had observed earlier that Rcom would be offering its GSM services as part of its existing unified access licence and therefore there was no need to renegotiate the interconnection agreement. Taking on the TRAI order, the COAI said that interconnect agreements entered into by existing GSM operators and RCom are for the latter’s CDMA network. “The establishment of a new network by one party will therefore necessarily require a review of the interconnect agreements to allow for the introduction of this facility,” COAI said.

3G movies still some time away 7 Aug, 2008, 0007 hrs IST, ET MUMBAI: 3G is around the corner. But, all those dreams of downloading movies on mobile, making video calls or watching cricket using 3G or third generation devices may not come true anytime soon. And that’s because in a country with over 285 million wireless users, 3G is primarily going to improve voice services by reducing network congestion and not immediately offer you the goodies you have been dreaming of all this while. Even though the Department of Telecom (DoT) has announced the guidelines for 3G and operators are gearing up for spectrum auction, it will be a long time before the masses get to experience the kind of services that actually qualify as 3G applications. “3G will be used for adding voice subscribers in India. 3G has the capability to offer high-speed data services but doesn’t have the scalability. It will reduce congestion to begin with and will be used for deploying more voice in dense urban and sub-urban areas,” an official at a telco told ET. Definitely, more subscribers can be accomodated in a 5 Mhz 3G spectrum band as it is more efficient. “But if the same spectrum were to be used for data subscribers, it will be able to accomodate far less number of users and if most of them start using 3G applications at the same time, the system may not be able to take the load,” he said. According to PwC associate director and telecom analyst Arpita Pal, “Primarily, it seems there will be more voice because 3G is spectrally efficient. Quality of voice services is poor right now. 3G is expected to address this and it will not be a mass market model initially,” she said. Network congestion is very high in India. Insufficient and non-provisioning of circuit resource as per traffic requirements causes inter-network congestion and loss of calls. Allocation of 3G spectrum is expected to improve quality of services. According to Ernst & Young India’s telecommunications leader Prashant Singhal, “Initially, operators will take time to fill capacity and 3G will enhance voice services. But in about three years, products will be fully in place and there will be returns on margins. It will take a couple of years to get to the dream services stage.” Further, handsets have to become affordable. “It’ll take time to develop the market. But by using 3G only for voice, operators will not be able to recover costs,” he added. Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) director general T V Ramachandran agreed that voice will be the main stay for some time. “But it doesn’t mean operators won’t provide 3G services. Initially, the offtake will be small, but it will grow exponentially,” he said, adding that this has been the experience in most countries. He said 3G services will eventually catch on as rates will be very affordable in India, driven by large volumes. “It will be much more affordable here than other countries,” he added.

DoT clears proposal to allot 3G spectrum to BSNL, MTNL 7 Aug, 2008, 0003 hrs IST, ET NEW DELHI: Within days of 3G policy, the Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) wing of DoT has cleared the proposal to allot 3G spectrum to state-owned telcos — BSNL and MTNL. The WPC is responsible for allocation of radio frequencies to telcos. Last week, telecom minister A Raja has said that both the state-owned telcos would be awarded 3G spectrum with immediate effect and would not have to wait for the auctions of radio frequencies, which are scheduled to be held later this year. This implies, BSNL and MTNL will be able to launch 3G services by the year-end, while private telcos are likely to come out with similar offerings only by mid-09. Third generation radio frequencies will enable telcos to offer high-end services on mobiles, such as interactive gaming, movies and video conferencing. “The assessment of spectrum allotment and utilization records available with the WPC Wing reveals that some spectrum in 1920 - 1980 MHz band is not allotted to defence services and thus appears to be available, which could be considered for earmarking on a trial basis to MTNL for 3G services. MTNL will get these frequency bands paired with 2110 - 2170 MHz bands. It shall pay spectrum charges equal to the highest bid to be determined by the auction for each service area from the date of earmarking of frequencies. After completion of the auction, a demand note will be raised to MTNL for making the payment within 30 days,” the WPC said in its communication to the Department of Telecom. The WPC has sent a similar recommendation for BSNL too. Justifying the move for immediate allotment to BSNL, the WPC said that BSNL has been given a target of providing 10 million broadband connections by 2010, but it had only 1.7 million customers at present who availed high-speed internet on optic fibre. “BSNL is planning to achieve this target of broadband using 3G and WiMAX as these wireless technologies are easier to install and rollout,” the WPC said. Further, the WPC has also added that if BSNL were to rollout 3G services, it will increase broadband penetration in rural India and customers here would benefit by services such as e-education, e-health and entertainment. It has also added that BSNL’s rollout of 3G services would be in the ‘larger public interest’ as the PSU catered to the needs of ‘people in far flung areas by adopting the policy of uniform coverage through their networks at affordable prices’.

^^^ @Bhushan Enjoy with your new handset my dear friend. We are here to help each other and you are always welcome to this forum for sharing views. Regards.

Airtel launches Kannada handsets, plans to grow rural market 3 Jun, 2008, 1656 hrs IST, PTI BANGALORE: Cellular service provider, Bharti Airtel Limited, today announced the launch of Kannada handsets and a strategic tie up with Indian Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO). This is as part of its marketing strategy to cover 90 percent of Karnataka's population by 2009 and to achieve deeper rural penetration, Venkatesh V, CEO, Mobile Services, Bharti Airtel, Karnataka, said. Announcing its `Grameena Mobile Kranthi' campaign, he said that the next wave of explosive cellular growth in the state is expected to ensue in rural Karnataka. Even though Karnataka has 17 million mobile users in general, the number of rural mobile users in the state was just five million, accounting for just 13 percent of penetration in rural market. As part of the campaign to expand subsrciber base and focus on developing the rural market, Airtel has partnered with Nokia to come up with two handsets that would have the menu and sms facilities in Kannada. The Nokia monochrome 1200 model would be available at Rs 1272 while the Nokia 1208 colour handset would be available at Rs 1560. The handsets would come along with a free Airtel mobile connection and recharge of Rs 295, lifetime validity and local calling rates at Re one per minute and STD charges at Rs 1.50 per minute, he said. Airtel has also tiedup with IFFCO, one of the largest organisation of cooperatives to help farmers make the most use of mobile telephone. Through the tie up farmers would receive five voice messages free daily giving information on market rates, weather and other agricultural inputs, said Govindrajan, Head, South India, IFFCO.

Bharti Airtel launches campaign for rural market 6 Aug, 2008, 2300 hrs IST, PTI CHENNAI: Mobile service provider Bharti Airtel Ltd on Wednesday unveiled the "Grameen Mobile Puratchi" campaign for the rural market. "After doing a pilot study in January this year, we are formally inaugurating the campaign in Tamil Nadu" Bharti Airtel Ltd Chief Executive Officer (Mobile Services) Tamil Nadu region Rajiv Rajagopal said. At a press conference here, he said "the campaign, which is being launched at the National level in 14 states, will target the rural areas for wider penetration". Some states that will come under the campaign are Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Chandigarh, Rajagopal said. The telecom company has tied up with Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO) and formally inaugurated the campaign under the IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Ltd (IKSL),he said. Bharti Airtel Ltd Chief Operating Officer (Mobile Services) Tamil Nadu, Anirban Ghosh said that there are 27 million mobile users in the state out of which seven million hail from rural market. This scheme would benefit more than 45 lakh society members of IKSL, he said and added that farmers would have five free Value Added Services under this scheme. "The farmers will have five free voice messages on mandi prices, farming techniques, weather forecasts, dairy farming, animal husbandry, rural health initiatives on a daily basis",he said Apart from this they would also be able to call a helpline, 534351 for any queries. The pack for farmers ranges between Rs 1,299 and Rs 4,000 along with the mobile phone, he said.

^^^ @Dr. Sudhir Yes my dear friend, I think that it does not support images above the size of 500kb. And for the message from Yahoo, it is now cleared that sending messages from Yahoo Mail or Messenger does not supported by Reliance. As when I too try to send a text message from messenger it says that "The operator you have selected to send the message to, is not supported". Regards.

Yes my dear Setu, Fly mobile will be the best bet for you. And don't go with Chinese mobiles. Although they have some good features but they will not support Reliance Netconnect. So, you will not be able to use netconnect with chinese mobiles. Other features in chinese mobiles are good. Regards.

^^^ Actually this is very bad of some operators that they display ads their. This way we have to forcibly read and view their advertisements. Regards.

TRAI seeks separate license, 74% FDI for MVNOs 6 Aug, 2008, 1626 hrs IST, PTI NEW DELHI: Telecom regulator TRAI today opened the door for 'Mobile Virtual Network Operator,' under which a separate licence is to be issued to operators who do not have their own spectrum for offering mobile service but have a tie- up with an existing player to do so. A telecom analyst said if these recommendations are accepted by DoT, this could well solve the acute spectrum crunch problem in the country and at the same time mobile services could be offered without disruptions. The move is well-timed, the analyst said. TRAI has sought to introduce MVNO as a distinct service provider with its own licensing and regulatory framework. Accordingly, MVNOs are to be issued a license under the Indian Telegraph Act. There is no roll-out obligation for MVNOs and the FDI limit is 74 per cent, which is same as a Mobile Network Operator (MNO). The Arrangement/agreement between MNO and MVNO would be driven by market forces and therefore no regulatory diktat is required and there is no limit on number of MVNOs attached to an MNO. But the agreement with MNO has to be submitted before issuance of license to MVNO by DoT. Also, it is the MNO who would pay charges for utilisation of spectrum by the MVNO. The entry fees for MVNOs are 10 per cent of MNOs subject to a maximum of Rs 5 crore for Metro/Category A, Rs 3 crore for Category B and Rs 1 crore for Category C service areas. The annual licence fees are same as that of MNO of the service area. Allocation of Numbers, Number portability, Interconnection with other service providers and Roaming are to provided by parent MNO and subscribers to be protected for failure of agreement between MNO and MVNO or MVNO quitting service, TRAI said.

^^^ My dear friends, actually it seems maximum operators now a days use the location space for their own advertising. Like in the time of cricket, it shows a message to send a sms to particular number to know the latest scores whereas it is supposed to be particularly reserved place for displaying location only. These tactics of different operators must be stoped. Regards.

^^^ @Dr. Sudhir My dear friend, did you send the message using Yahoo Messenger ? If yes, then its possible that you could not send messages from Yahoo Messenger on your wife's Reliance phone. Regards.

^^^ @Anupe The headset seems to be good my dear friend. For how much did you got it ? Regards.

^^^ Thats a good piece of information my dear Kumaar. Regards.

Aircel rolls out new offers Courtesy : Business Standard Telecom service provider Aircel has introduced STD calls at 50 paisa on Aircel-to-Aircel across eastern India covering states of Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Kolkata, North East and Orissa. The product is also available via e-recharge.

^^^ My dear friend, it seems now Aircel wants to be number 1 in Eastern region also. As the above offer is available only for Eastern India by Aircel. Regards.