Honest

The BlackBerry Curve 8330 Now in India The BlackBerry Curve 8330 smart phone has been launched in the country by Reliance Communications (RCom). BlackBerry Curve 8330 is a sleek CDMA smart phone; it claims to be the smallest and lightest full QWERTY BlackBerry handset. It packs a 2-mega pixels camera with flash and 5x zoom, trackball navigation system, advanced media player, and enhanced desktop media manager software for managing music, pictures, and videos between the PC and the handset. For business users, the Curve 8330 offers support on the BlackBerry Internet Service, which allow them access up to 10 supported email accounts including most ISP email accounts -- from one device. The smart phone also offers support on the BlackBerry Enterprise Server that allows users integrate IBM Lotus Domino, Microsoft Excahnge, and Novell groupwise, and work with existing enterprise systems to enable push-based wireless access to email and other corporate data together with advanced security and IT administration. In addition, the Curve 8330 offers communication features such as instant messaging with BlackBerry Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, and Google Talk; voice-activated dialing; speakerphone; noise and echo cancellation technology for clearer calls; and Bluetooth 2.0. The BlackBerry Curve 8330 smart phone is available in silver color and is priced at Rs 25,990. Courtesy : Techtree

Virgin Mobile Offers Calls at 10 paise/minute Virgin Mobile, the youth-focused mobile services brand from Tata Teleservices, has introduced an offer that allows Virgin Mobile to Virgin Mobile calling at 10 paise per minute for a monthly commitment of Rs. 28. This tariff package is available through a vPower recharge voucher. M. A. Madhusudan, Chief Executive Officer, Virgin Mobile India said "Our research shows that youth have a high propensity to consume mobile services and are looking for a solution that gives them the flexibility to talk to their peers at rates that are pocket friendly. At 10 paise per minute for just Rs. 28, Virgin Mobile to Virgin Mobile has lowered the bar for mobility yet again." With Virgin Mobile to Virgin Mobile outgoing calls being priced at 10 paise per minute, customers can call their peers within the Virgin Mobile network virtually for free because of the Get Paid to Receive (GPRC) proposition that allows all Virgin Mobile customers to earn 10 paise credit for every minute of an incoming call.

Value added service providers oppose regulation 11 Jul, 2008, 2121 hrs IST, PTI NEW DELHI: Mobile value added service providers on Friday opposed any move by the government to regulate the booming industry, which constitutes 10 per cent of the revenues of cellular operators. In the TRAI open house today on 'Growth of Value Added Services and Regulatory issues' VAS providers were unianimous on their stand of 'No licence regime and no regulatory intervention'. Meanwhile, telecom regulator TRAI has started the process of consultation in this regard. The regulator had invited industry stakeholders to an open-house discussion on various issues pertaining to value aded services (VAS) and what can be done to make the industry more organised and sustainable. "AUSPI strongly feel that there should be no or very minimal regulatory intervention on this issue," said SC Khanna, Secretary General, AUSPI, CDMA Operators Association. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) and other telecom operators also held similar views. The main issues that discussed were whether there should be any licensing structure besides the revenue sharing model between telecom operators and the VAS players. "We do not want any licence obligation on the VAS players," said TV Ramachandran, Director General, COAI. VAS include facilities such as ringtones, wall paper downloads, information services, music downloads. On deciding a feasible revenue sharing model, however, access providers and the VAS players have different opinions. The operators' representatives are of the opinion that the existing model is working fine and there should be no defined revenue sharing model.

Telemarketers take SMS route to hook cell users 11 Jul, 2008, 1520 hrs IST, ET Cellphone users have noticed a marked rise in pesky promotional messages, peddling everything from astrology, quizzes and “free gifts’’ . These irritants, albeit less personalised, beep in at odd hours and jam the inbox. A Mumbai resident, for instance, recently woke up to such an early morning SMS. S K Virmani of Delhi-based National Consumer Helpline says telemarketers may be relying on SMSes because they are “the cheapest mode of communication’’ . Also, most consumers don’t complain about SMSes. They remain unaware that the National Do Not Call (NDNC) registry applies to SMSes as well. The NDNC registry website clearly defines unsolicited commercial communication as “any message, through telecommunications service, which is transmitted for the purpose of informing about, or soliciting or promoting any commercial transaction in relation to goods, investments or services which a subscriber opts not to receive... ’’ Like many cellphone users, Pritee Shah of Ahmedabad’s Consumer Education and Research Centre too has received “absurd’ ’ SMSes promising her a candlelight dinner and rock band tickets. “When I verbally complained to my service provider, I was informed, via an SMS, that my complaint had been registered and the SMSes would stop. But they continue to clutter my inbox.’’ An official at the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) says such SMSes and calls must come from unregistered telemarketing companies. “Registered marketing companies are mostly quite big. They won’t take the risk because they could get penalised. Their licences could be revoked and their telephones disconnected.’’ On whether there are plans to regulate unregistered telemarketers, the official says, “We have written to DoT. But till date, there is no legislation.’’ Shah recently traced the number of a telemarketer and stumbled upon some interesting information. Her number—which is on the NDNC registry—was sourced from a CD containing a database of 10,000 cellphone users. Such CDs, says Shah, can be bought for as little as Rs 200. (Virmani warns consumers against sharing their mobile numbers at public places like exhibition grounds and restaurants because their particulars could be used for marketing purposes). The TRAI official, however, emphasises that where a marketer sources the calling list is immaterial so long as he “scrubs’ ’ the list with the NDNC directory. “Scrubbing means if you have a data of 10,000 subscribers, say, 2,000 numbers which are registered for NDNC should be removed from that list,’’ illustrates Consumer Helpline’s Virmani. Evidently , this does not always happen.

NSA supervising talks for Blackberry solution: Raja 11 Jul, 2008, 1617 hrs IST, PTI NEW DELHI: The National Security Adviser is now supervising the discussion to find a solution to the controversial Blackberry services, over which agencies have raised serious security concerns. NSA is overseeing the discussion National Test Research Organisation (NTRO), under the Home Ministry, along with DoT is holding with smartphone maker Blackberry to find a solution where the data traffic passing through the Canadian firm's network could be intercepted by security agencies. "NTRO, under the supervision of NSA, is interacting with Blackberry... Department of Telecom is also engaged in the talks as any solution that will be given by NTRO or Blackberry, have to be implemented by DoT," Raja said. So far the government has been insisting to have a local server to host emails in India, but Research-In- Motion, the makers of Blackberry, has cited problems in setting up country-specific servers. The government is now also evaluating the impact of such a server on the company, which has a central server in Canada. "We are insisting for a (Blackberry) server in India to take care of security agencies concern. But technically and commercially what will be the impact on the Blackberry also has to be taken into consideration and it is being taken," he said. At present, India has over one lakh BlackBerry customers between five operators Bharti Airtel, BPL, Vodafone Essar, Reliance Communications and Idea Cellular.

Vodafone could face tax bill over Hutchison Essar row 11 Jul, 2008, 1651 hrs IST, ET LONDON: British mobile phone giant Vodafone could face a tax bill of more than $4.0 billion (2.5 billion euros) if it loses a court battle with the Indian government over its investment in Hutchison Essar, the Financial Times reported on Friday. Indian authorities are seeking to tax Vodafone's 11.1-billion-dollar purchase of a majority stake in Hutchison Essar, the country's fourth-biggest wireless operator. A spokesman for Vodafone declined to comment about the ongoing legal action at Mumbai's High Court. India's tax department claims that the company should have withheld around 2.0 billion dollars of capital gains on the government's behalf, the FT reported. The daily business newspaper, which did not cite its source, said Vodafone could face a penalty of 100 percent of the tax owed, plus 12 percent interest a year if it loses the case. A verdict was expected in the coming weeks after hearings on the case ended this week, according to the paper. Vodafone had agreed to buy a 67-percent stake in Hutchison Essar from Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecommunications International in April 2007. The transaction, India's biggest foreign direct investment, was part of the group's strategy to expand its footprint in emerging markets amid shrinking demand in mature Western countries for mobile phone services.

Big Apple consumers jostle for iPhone 3G 11 Jul, 2008, 1951 hrs IST, ET NEW YORK : About 1,000 tech fans -- and at least one confessed "gadget freak" -- jostled for a chance to snap up the first iPhone 3Gs in the US on Fifth Avenue on Friday. Apple employees in orange T-shirts cheered on the crowd as sales kicked off at 8:00 am. First out of the shop with the latest was David Yoo, 24, of New York. "I am very happy, I am going to call my mother" he told reporters. Yoo said he bought the new one because he thinks it is "faster with the Internet, and for the GPS." "I like it also for the applications as much as for the phone," he said. He said he would sell his older model iPhone. Yoo arrived at midnight and he bought a 16G iPhone for 299 US. Jason Rappaport, a 27-year-old New Yorker, arrived at 5:00 am and was out at 8:45 with his new phone. "Most important for me is the faster Internet because in the old model it was much slower," he said. "Also the GPS is important, whenever you come up through the subway and you don't know where you are, you push the button and there you are!," Rappaport said, who admitted "I am probably going to give my old IP to a family member ... but I am a gadget freak so I needed the new one!" In the crowd watching the buyers coming out from the store were two French young men. They were wearing signs reading "I could trade my red pants for your old I-Phone (really)," but told AFP so far, they had yet to make a deal.

TRAI agrees to DoT proposal to raise base price for 3G auction 11 Jul, 2008, 1902 hrs IST, PTI NEW DELHI: TRAI today said it has agreed to the proposal of Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for hiking the base price for the third generation spectrum (3G) auction. "We have agreed to the DoT's recommendations that the reserve price should be raised," TRAI Chairman Nripendra Mishra told reporters here, adding that the all successful 3G bidders will have to match the highest bid. DoT had proposed to raise the base price for auction to about Rs 2,200 crore for a pan-India licence. Earlier, the regulator was not in favour of raising the reserve price. But DoT asked the regulator to reconsider its earlier recommendations that the reserve price of spectrum should not be raised and that new players should not be allowed in the bidding process of 3G spectrum auction. The minimum bid price for a pan-India licence is Rs 1,400 crore for 3G. However, the regulator has with held its earlier stand that no new players be allowed in the bidding process. "I strongly believe that only the existing licensees be permitted to participate in the auction, but DoT is competent enough to take a final call," Misra added. But it is believed that the government has already decided to allow new players including foreign ones to take part in the auction and raised the reserve price for pan-India auction. The regulator added that it has accepted DoT's suggestion of raising the reserve price of Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) spectrum auction. "We have recommended separate price structures for separate circles," he added.

Global rollout of 3G-ready iPhone kicks off 11 Jul, 2008, 1502 hrs IST, ET TOKYO: The global rollout of Apple Inc.'s revamped iPhone kicked off on Friday in Asia with countdown celebrations and quick sellouts as crowds of gadget fans streamed into stores after long waits. The target of desire was Apple's much-hyped new product that uses 3G, or third-generation, cell phone technology _ an upgrade of the model that went on sale last year in the United States and several other nations. Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Japan were the Asia-Pacific locations getting the new phone, with festivities shifting to Europe as the global day and 22-nation launch progresses. In the United States, phones will be available at 8 am in each time zone. ``Just look at this obviously innovative design,'' said Yuki Kurita, emerging from a Tokyo store with the brand new 3G-capable iPhone he barely knew how to use. The 23-year-old system engineer, among about 1,500 people who had camped out on the street by one downtown store, said he was too excited to feel tired and called his mother to boast about his new buy. ``I am so thrilled just thinking about how I get to touch this,'' he said, carrying bags of clothing and a skateboard he had used as a chair during his wait. Kurita acknowledged, though, that the iPhone would replace only one of his two phones. He and other Japanese buyers said they wanted to check out how services such as e-mail worked before they decide to forsake their old phones. The iPhone's capabilities are less revolutionary in Japan, where people have for years used tech-heavy phones from domestic makers such as Sharp Corp. and Matsu****a Electric Industrial Co. to exchange e-mail, search for restaurants, download video and play games. But networks prevalent up to now offer only limited access to the Web, and the iPhone is designed to browse the Web in much the same way computers do. Its arrival marks a significant foreign entry in a market dominated by local brands. Japanese media, including The Nikkei, the nation's top business daily, are talking about ``iPhone shock,'' alluding to Commodore Matthew Perry's black ships that forced an isolationist feudal Japan to open to Western influence in the mid-1800s. The frenzy over the iPhone was visible elsewhere in Asia as well. In Hong Kong, designer Ho Kak-yin, 31, wearing a T-shirt that said, ``Jealous?'' was the first in line in a queue of about 100 inside a Hong Kong shopping mall. ``I'm very excited. It's very amazing,'' Ho said, after lining up two hours ahead of the kickoff. Hundreds queued outside stores in New Zealand's main cities got their iPhones earlier at midnight Thursday. ``Steve Jobs knows what people want,'' Web developer Lucinda McCullough told the Christchurch Press newspaper, referring to Apple's head. ``And I need a new phone.'' Exactly how many iPhones will be available has been uncertain, fueling the hype about the Apple gadget with a cool-factor reputation. ``This is the year that the cell phone becomes an Internet-connecting machine,'' Masayoshi Son, president of Softbank Corp., the only carrier selling the iPhone in Japan, said at the countdown ceremony. ``Today is that day that will make it real, and it's a historic day.'' Softbank said it sold out of iPhones at three major Tokyo stores before they opened. It has refused to say how many iPhones are being sold and said it didn't have a nationwide store tally. Tomohiko Katsu, a 38-year-old Japanese banker, said he has rarely lined up for any product in his life but wanted to make sure he got the iPhone and got in line Thursday afternoon. ``All the features come packed in a compact machine,'' he said. ``It's really small for a mobile PC device.'' A report this week by Mizuho Securities Co. said the iPhone's had potential to change lifestyles and bring new business opportunities. Japanese tend to spend an hour or more on daily train commutes, and the iPhone could get them Netsurfing more than reading or listening to music, it said. The iPhone's arrival could also change the relationship between manufacturers and carriers because of Apple's clout. Up to now, carriers have had considerable leverage over manufacturers, the report said. In Hong Kong, Apple and its local service provider Hutchison Telecom, have limited initial sales to 1,500 people who have been longtime customers or were preselected by an online lottery. Still, those picking up the gizmo were welcomed with a rollout event at a mall. Simon Evans, a 39-year-old chef in Hong Kong, was convinced his new iPhone would simplify his life. "I can use e-mail, the calendar. It will help plan my day,'' he said. ``A lot of my friends are very jealous. They want an iPhone, but I have one now.''

MTN sweeps Africa's business awards 11 Jul, 2008, 1552 hrs IST, PTI JOHANNERSBURG: South African telecom giant MTN, which is currently negotiating a potential amalgamation with Indian billionaire Anil Ambani-led RCOM, on Friday said it has been named as the top business as well as brand of the year in Africa by Commonwealth Business Council. In a statement issued here, MTN Group said that it has won the inaugural 'African Business of the Year' and 'Brand of the Year' awards presented in London by the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) African Business Awards. MTN has bagged the African Business of the Year award on the basis of its "outstanding returns and growth rates coupled with innovative working techniques, and the development of staff and the community it operates in". Besides, the Brand of the Year award recognises companies that have achieved outstanding brand recognition in the past 12 months, with wide appeal and wider recognition both in Africa and worldwide. This award is applicable to branding and re-branding exercises, the statement said. Earlier on July 9, MTN said that it was extending the exclusive negotiations with RCOM for a potential business amalgamation till July 21, after its earlier 45-day exclusivity agreement expired on July 8. MTN and RCOM had first announced start of exclusive talks on May 26 after the South African firm's talks fell apart with another Indian telecom major Bharti Airtel. However, the talks between MTN and RCOM have been hit by uncertainties after Reliance Industries, led by Anil's elder brother Mukesh Ambani, threatened legal action if a deal breaches its right of first refusal in RCOM. However, RIL's claims are being contested by RCOM, which has said that these claims were legally and factually untenable. If successful, a deal between RCOM and MTN could create a combined entity worth about 70-80 billion dollars.

Reliance-MTN talks' extension seen as sign of progress, investor confidence 11 Jul, 2008, 0815 hrs IST, ET JOHANNESBURG: South African mobile giant MTN is still maintaining a firm silence on a possible deal with Reliance Communications, but analysts here said the fact that it had extended exclusivity talks with Reliance indicated that there was progress. Investor confidence in the continued talks were reflected in the slight rise of 0.21 percent in the MTN share price, while the stock exchange sector under which it is listed shed just over 3 percent MTN made a terse statement via the Johannesburg Securities Exchange Wednesday after anxiously making stakeholders and the media wait for more than a day when its 45-day exclusivity talks agreement with Reliance Communications ended Tuesday. "MTN has agreed to continue its negotiations with Reliance in relation to such potential business combination, and has extended the period of exclusivity until 21 July 2008," the statement read. "There is no certainty that these discussions will result in a transaction. Accordingly, shareholders are advised to continue to exercise caution when dealing in MTN securities," the statement continued, but analysts here were confident that the extension indicated that there was progress in the talks that could see a $70b mobile company emerge in the Africa/Middle East/Asia region. There were also concerns that the talks may have been delayed by an intervention from Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries, the older sibling of Anil Ambani, the majority shareholder in Reliance Communications. Mukesh had contacted MTN to indicate that he had first right of refusal for any sale of a stake in Reliance Communications in terms of an agreement when their father's company was split into two following a rift between the brothers. Although MTN has still refused to comment on the Ambani feud, sources close to the company said MTN believed that it was a matter for the brothers to resolve themselves. Confidence was high that the talks were going well and that a conclusion was in sight: "My point is, why bother to extend the discussion if it's not going to materialise?" portfolio manager Sisa Rafuza of Metropolitan Asset Managers here told the daily Business Report Thursday. Rafuza said the likelihood of the deal happening in some shape or form was relatively high. Lindsey McDonald, an analyst at research company Frost and Sullivan, told Business Report that the complicated nature of the deal was certainly a factor in the extension as both companies tried to secure the best possible outcome. McDonald said the potential value of the deal was "too great to try to conclude negotiations quickly," adding that it would be unfortunate if the deal did not go ahead.

Amid 3G talks, DoT debates 2G auction too 11 Jul, 2008, 0045 hrs IST, ET KOLKATA/NEW DELHI: The Manmohan Singh government’s recent decision to auction 3G spectrum appears to have revived the debate within DoT on whether 2G spectrum—valued at Rs 20,000 crore—should also be auctioned. The matter, it is learnt, is being examined at the highest levels in the communications ministry, especially since both the finance ministry and Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) are favourably inclined to auctioning 2G spectrum. “There is a view that revenues from sale of a scarce resource like 2G spectrum would be invaluable to the UPA government, especially amid recent inflationary pressures, rising oil prices and current account deficit,” a top official in DoT told ET on condition of anonymity. The latest overtures from the communications ministry come at a time when the CVC is investigating the process of 2G spectrum allotment and has questioned the first-come-first-served policy and subscriber-based allocation criteria. “At present, allotment of 2G spectrum is under challenge in the courts for a variety of reasons. There is a view within the industry and sections of government that to bring about an end to the litigation and also instil confidence among investors, it may be advisable to adopt the time-tested public auction process to maximise government revenues and create a level-playing field for all stakeholders. A possible switch in the 2G spectrum allocation policy towards an auction mechanism may also provide investors a viable exit route, especially those investors who’ve locked in sizeable sums and are stuck in the spectrum policy tangle,” said a senior government official close to the discussions. While DoT is yet to agree on auctioning 2G spectrum, several models—including trading of spectrum—are doing the rounds in the Union communications ministry. Indications are that the actual adoption of any auction-based 2G spectrum allocation methodology will be undertaken through the consultation process.

Apple opens online 'extras' shop on eve of iPhone 3G launch 11 Jul, 2008, 0151 hrs IST, ET SAN FRANCISCO: Apple on Thursday threw open the virtual doors of an "App Store" brimming with independently created mini-programs promising to make iPhones even more coveted. The online shop's opening comes a day before iPhone 3G makes its international debut in a launch expected to boost Apple's fortunes along with its share of the booming "smart phone" market. When Apple chief executive Steve Jobs in March announced plans for an App Store stocked with programs crafted by third-party developers he expected 100 programs available by opening day. The shop, accessible through Apple's online iTunes store, opened with five times that many mini-programs. More than 125 of the applications are free. Mini-applications include games and photo-sharing to mobile versions of Twitter, MySpace and eBay. Software creators are allowed to set their own prices, as long as figures end with 99 cents. Apple senior vice president of worldwide product marketing Philip Schiller said the iPhone "represents a new software platform for developers, combining the most advanced mobile operating system, sophisticated developer tools and a breakthrough way for developers to wirelessly sell and distribute their applications." Apple stores will open early Friday to begin selling iPhone 3G models in more than 20 countries and analysts say sales could pass the billion-dollar mark within days.

New iPhone lures black market buyers across Asia 10 Jul, 2008, 2329 hrs IST, ET BANGKOK/SHANGHAI: The new iPhone looks set to be a huge hit in Asia countries where it goes on sale on Friday, but the sleek smartphone is already in high demand in black markets from Shanghai to Bangkok. In Thailand, a Southeast Asian hub for pirated goods where Apple Inc's iPhone is not officially for sale, dealers boast they only need a few weeks to smuggle in the trendy phones and "unlock" them for use on local mobile networks. "I'm taking orders this weekend and you'll get it by the end of July. We can sign a contract guaranteeing you will get it," Toew, a phone dealer who is offering 8 gigabyte 3G iPhones for 29,000 baht ($860) on the Internet, told reporters. At Bangkok's MBK centre -- a treasure trove of pirated DVDs, clothing and luxury goods -- many shops are advertising hacked iPhones with signs that read: "Good price, we unlock very fast". Trading iPhones via the Internet has become more popular in recent months, with prices for the current iPhone soaring 25-30 percent due to tight supply and rumours that the 3G iPhone cannot be hacked despite the claims of online shops. An old iPhone with 8-gigabytes of memory now costs 22,000-24,500 baht, up from 16,500-18,500. A model with twice the memory fetches 25,000-28,000 baht, up around 5,000 baht from a few months ago. "I'm an iPhone addict now. I'm going to sell the old one and buy the 3G phone. No matter what the price is, I'll get one," said Tana Tanaraugsachock, a 41-year old financial executive, who bought her first iPhone during a trip to the United States. A poll by a local website showed more than 77 percent of 2,000 respondents want to buy the new phone, which Apple says has faster Web links faster than the old version and supports third-party software like games. "It's fashion and technology that attract mobile users to the iPhone. They are using more data services to surf the Internet," said Prattana Leelapanang, an executive at Thailand's leading mobile operator, Advanced Info Service. AIS estimates there are 140,000 users of the old iPhone in Thailand, where a 3G network is only in the testing stage for now. Apple is rolling out the new iPhone in more than 20 countries -- including New Zealand, Japan and Hong Kong -- but AIS has not yet reached a deal for Thailand, Prattana said. "WE HACKED IT" In Hong Kong, Hutchison Telecommunications has been flooded with online applications from eager buyers, but retailers in the rest of China -- where the iPhone is not officially offered -- are also gearing up to sell hacked phones. On Shanghai's posh Huaihai Road, a merchant at Cybermart mall said an unlocked iPhone is priced at 3,000 yuan ($437), while a Chinese copy would cost 1,000 yuan. "As soon as we get it from Hong Kong and bring it over and unlock it, you should be able to buy it here by the end of July at the latest," said Zhang, whose shop is at two floor above an authorised Apple reseller. Asked about claims that the new iPhones could not be hacked, he replied: "The Chinese are very quick at unlocking iPhones." "They used to say that the PSP couldn't be hacked as well, but we hacked it." Inside the bustling Cybermart are rows of stalls bearing neon signs with local and global brands. No iPhones were actually exhibited in displays, but when asked repeatedly, merchants would sometimes offer to bring out hacked handsets from the back. Another shopkeeper said most customers prefer the unlocked versions, rather than Chinese copies, which she added were sometimes not of very good quality. "If you look at where a lot of those unlocked phones were going a lot were going to Hong Kong and China...that's a sign of a very big demand," Chris Whitmore of Deutsche Bank said.

July, NDTV Convergence to Launch Mi SMS July, the company (not the month) that delivers Mi-branded live mobile Internet channels has partnered with NDTV Convergence to launch Mi SMS, touted as a revolutionary mobile Internet information service specifically created for the Indian market. The Mi SMS service will deliver Mobile 2.0 -- live, personalized, interactive, and multi-media experiences on the phone to fulfill this demand. Users with mobile Internet connections will be able to access this service to get news with images and video, cricket scores with auto refresh ball-by-ball commentary, stock quotes with symbols, graphs, company news, and so on. To access the Mi SMS service, users need to send an SMS -- "MiNEWS", "MiCRI", or "MiSTO" to the NDTV short code 56388. After which a link that connects to the mobile Internet for detailed multimedia content will be sent to the user through an SMS. The content is hosted on NDTV Active. According to Sanjay Trehan, chief executive officer of NDTV Convergence, Mi SMS will help mobile users to get a taste of accessing Internet on the go with a technology that they are most comfortable with, i.e. SMS. For using this service, a mobile Internet (also known as WAP, GPRS, Data, etc) connection is a must. The content on mobile Internet is offered for free, however data charges may apply. Courtesy : Techtree

Virgin Mobile eyes youth market in Andhra Press Trust of India / Hyderabad July 10, 2008, 18:34 IST Virgin Mobile, country's youth-focused mobile services brand from Tata Teleservices Ltd (TTL), has announced aggressive plans to capture the burgeoning youth market in Andhra Pradesh. "With Virgin Mobile ARPU, that is 30 per cent healthier than the industry average, and with the youth accounting for 50 per cent of the subscribers in Andhra Pradesh, I am confident that with the right product and services mix, we can capture a sizeable chunk in the next three years", Chief Executive Officer M A Madhusudan told reporters here. As part of the strategy, the company is increasing its presence to cover 100 per cent of the urban youth population and plans to quadruple its retail presence from 1,624 to 6,160 outlets over the next six months. TTL has also introduced another youth-focused proposition that charges customers only 10 paise per minute for an intra network call, for a nominal monthly commitment of just Rs 28. This tariff package, available through a vPower recharge voucher is the most attractive on net pack in the market today, Madhusudan said. The company also highlighted a monthly SMS pack that gives Virgin Mobile customers 750 local SMSes at a monthly package of Rs 39.

iPhone Will Take 15 Minutes to Unlock at Apple Stores One more day to go before Apple opens its doors to eager mobile users standing in queue to get their hands on the iPhone 3G. It’s been a long run for the iPhone and it’s come a long way. I still believe it has a long way to go though. Of course, anyone who’s been following the hype will know that Apple has designed the iPhone 3G to be unlocked only from an Apple or AT&T store. This unlocking procedure, according to an Apple spokesperson, should take 10-15 minutes. Apart from the information that US customers will need to undergo a credit check by providing their Social Security Number and/or credit card and now this, you’ll have to have an immense amount of patience, especially after waiting in never-ending lines. Good luck, guys. Let's hope it’s worth it. Stay tuned for more updates. Courtesy : Tech2

^^^ My dear Sadik Bhai it seems these people gone to SLEEP after AWAKING all of us. Regards.

^^^ @Viresh My dear friend, kindly lodge the FIR at your nearest Police Station and also ask your service provider to stop the service to your mobile number and block the IMEI number too. Regards.

^^^ But my dear friend, it is not statged above in the specifications that the capacity of the battery is 720 Mah. It should be much more than that. In specifications it shows TBC as battery capacity. But I'm not sure for what TBC stands for. Regards.

^^^ Thats a really great news my dear friend. Increased talktime is really good. But they reduced the validity period. Like in Rs.100/- VCC earlier the validity was 45 days, but now it is only 30 days. Not an issue at all. Still the offer is really nice. What about MTNL Mumbai my dear Himanshu ? Does they increased TT for Mumbai also ? Actually I think, they should have done it for Mumbai too. But still waiting for the confirmation. Regards.

DoT bats for BlackBerry, to ask home min to update tech 10 Jul, 2008, 0311 hrs IST, ET NEW DELHI: In what may spell good news for Canada’s RIM, maker of the BlackBerry smartphones, the department of telecom (DoT) is of the view that the country must upgrade its interception and deciphering facilities rather than oppose new technologies because of its own poor infrastructure. In an internal note, the DoT has said that it plans to put the ball in the home ministry’s (MHA) court and wants the latter to find out encryption solutions for BlackBerry services to address security issues. The home ministry is opposed to telcos offering BlackBerry services in India on security grounds. This also marks a softening of the DoT’s earlier stance where it had said that RIM would have to provide encryption solutions and set up servers in India or shut shop. Currently, India has over 115,000 BlackBerry customers between five operators – Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications, BPL, Vodafone Essar and Idea Cellular. The DoT had earlier looked at alternate solutions such as asking RIM to set up servers in India and also reduce its encryption standards to 40-bits from the current 256 bits. It had also explored the possibility of asking RIM and operators such as Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Reliance Communications, which provide this service, to create a mirror image of all e-mails and data sent on these devices in India and save it for a minimum period of six months in a bid to address the concerns of India’s security agencies. However, in its latest note, the DoT has climbed down on each of these issues. It has pointed out that while Indian regulations said that traffic originating and terminating in India should not be routed outside the country, this condition was not followed with regard to internet services since most servers were housed outside India. “So, keeping this in mind, it may be difficult for the Department to insist upon housing RIM server in India to fulfil the above requirement,” the note said. The Department has also said that if RIM were to move a server to India from London, that server would also be transiting traffic of BlackBerry users in other countries, thus defeating the very purpose of the move. The note also points out that telecom service providers cannot be held responsible for the high encryption standards of BlackBerry: “Since the encryption is not deployed by the service provider, it is difficult to hold the service provider responsible for decryption of the message. On the contrary, as per license conditions, a service provider has to ensure privacy of data and therefore it is not supposed to know the level of encryption of messages being transmitted through its networks,” the DoT note added. The change of stance by the DoT implies that the MHA must now find solutions from third parties to monitor BlackBerry services. Last week, communications minister A Raja had said that the government was looking at ‘solutions offered by third parties to address security concerns associated with BlackBerry services’. Some international firms such as Cain Technologies, Cleartrail and SS8 Networks have offered to provide solutions to monitor BlackBerry services. However, a recent demonstration by Cain Technologies was not accepted by India’s Intelligence Bureau which said that the solutions provided by the company fell short on various counts. The IB in a communication to the DoT had even listed out nine limitations of the solutions proposed by Cain.

Global expert may head spectrum managing body 10 Jul, 2008, 0321 hrs IST, ET MUMBAI: The Department of Telecom (DoT) is in favour of bringing in an international expert on spectrum management to head the Centre of Excellence for Spectrum Related Studies (CERSEM), an autonomous body being set up to look after planning and management of scarce radiowaves. “The group should be headed by a senior expert, preferably internationally acclaimed expert, having wide-ranging experience in the field of spectrum management, as to have in-depth knowledge of related aspects,” the Wireless Planning Commission, DoT wing for spectrum management, said in an internal note. An in-principle decision has already been taken to set up CERSEM in public-private partnership to support the WPC. CERSEM will conduct studies for greater sharing and reuse of spectrum among different services and applications without causing interference among different users. It will also study economic and other related aspects of spectrum sharing. In January, the Planning Commission had suggested the setting up of a spectrum management group to identify radio frequency and allocate them. Telecom regulator Trai had also said that WPC was not able to “perform its role as as spectrum planner to the desired level” and the task should be handed over to CERSEM. “The nucleus group for CERSEM and the expert need to be based in Delhi for continuous interaction with the WPC wing. The detailed project report, registration of the society and process of establishment of the CERSEM would also be undertaken by the officer identified to head the group,” said WPC. While radio frequency (RF) spectrum extends from 9khz to 3000 Ghz, the usability of a part of spectrum depends on the availability of appropriate equipment as well as suitability of propogation conditions of the relevant part of RF spectrum for the required application. This is the main limitation on the availability of spectrum. Communications as well as broadcasting services require spectrum and their rapid growth has made it essential that it be allocated in the most efficient manner. The Government has been emphasising public-private partnership in the telecom sector. Seven telecom centres of excellence (TCOEs) have already been set up at selected IITs, IIM Ahmedabad and IISc Banaglore in association with telecom operators including Bharti Airtel and Tata Teleservices. These centres provide platforms for think tank activities. Also, each of the TCOE focuses on a niche area of activity in the telecom domain to build world-class excellence. They create an environment of innovation in the top academic institutions of the country to enable absorption of the current technology and develop future ready indigenous capability. Continuing this association with the private sector and institutions, “CERSEM can assign various topics of study to appropriate institutions, organisations and centres,” WPC added.

RCOM gets lifeline for MTN 10 Jul, 2008, 0303 hrs IST, ET MUMBAI: Anil Ambani’s Reliance Communications (RCOM) on Wednesday extended its 45-day exclusive merger talks with South African telco MTN till July 21, which seems to indicate that it is trying to arrive at a deal that would remain insulated from the rivalry between the Ambani brothers. Both the companies failed to update the stock exchanges on Tuesday when the exclusivity period expired, leading to speculation that the exclusivity period might not be extended. The two sides began negotiations on May 26 after Bharti Airtel walked out of talks with MTN. “RCOM and MTN have agreed to continue their negotiations in relation to such potential business combination, and have extended the period of exclusivity until July 21, 2008,” RCOM said in a statement. “A further announcement will be made when appropriate. It is to be noted that there is no certainty either on completion, or the timing of the said proposal. In the meantime, shareholders are advised to exercise caution in their dealings in the companies’ securities dealings until a further announcement is made,” it added. MTN also issued a similar statement simultaneously to the Johannesburg stock exchange.

^^^ Biggest looters will be the perfect word my dear friend. Regards.