Honest

Bombay HC dismisses Vodafone's petition against I-T Dept Press Trust of India l 3 Dec l Mumbai The Bombay High Court, in a very significant ruling, on Wednesday dismissed telecom major Vodafone International's petition challenging the Income Tax Department's show-cause notice for payment of capital gains tax of around USD two billion. The division bench of Justices S Radhakrishnan and Anand Nirgude, however, continued the earlier stay on the I-T Department's show-cause notice for further eight weeks to enable Vodafone file an appeal. Vodafone's representative said that the company would be filing an appeal in the Supreme Court very soon. Vodafone Holdings International, a Netherland-based company, picked up the stake of Hutchisson in Hutchisson-Essar to form the new entity Vodafone-Essar in a USD 11.2 billion deal in 2006. I-T authorities issued a notice to Vodafone Essar last year for capital gains tax to the tune of around USD two billion. Though seller of assets has to pay this tax, I-T expected Vodafone to deduct the tax before making payment to Hutch. Vodafone's lawyer Iqbal Chhagla had argued that Vodafone is a Dutch company, Hutchisson is incorporated in Cayman Islands and Income Tax Act does not apply in such a situation. Secondly, he had argued, a share-purchase did not amount to tranfer of capital assets which could be taxed. The I-T Department held Vodafone liable because it expected the company to deduct capital gains tax while making payment to Hutchisson.

HTC Launches Touch 3G in India Eyes first-to-market advantage With 3G services launch in India round the corner (at least by the state-owned telcos), HTC Corporation has introduced the HTC Touch's successor with 3G capabilities for its Indian customers the HTC Touch 3G. It's the same old HTC Touch, with TouchFLO technology that enables finger-touch navigation, a 3.2 megapixel camera, and a 2.8-inch QVGA screen; but this latest version is mightier HTC Touch 3G is 3G capable, obviously, plus it offers the goodness of GPS. Here are the key features of HTC Touch 3G: - Chipset: Qualcomm MSM7225 528MHz - HTC TouchFLO with Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional - Touch Screen: 2.8 inch QVGA screen - Camera: 3.2 MP - Memory: 256 MB flash; 192 MB RAM - Weight: 96g - GSM/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz - HSDPA: 7.2 MBPS - Memory card type: microSD - Wireless Connectivity: 802.11 b/g - Bluetooth Connectivity: 2.0 with EDR - Integrated GPS - Battery Capacity: 1100 mAh The HTC Touch 3G will be available for Rs. 28,450. Incidentally, the network-locked iPhone 3G, a direct competitor of this HTC handset, costs Rs. 31,000 and Rs. 36,100 for its 8GB and 16GB variants, respectively. Courtesy : Techtree and HTC

This handset seems to be a damn good handset my dear friends. 3G and Integrated GPS is added advantage.

Motorola Gets Cute A smart phone sans color screen! If Motorola decides to mass produce its concept phone labeled 'Cute Phone', you'll be able to purchase a 'Hello Kitty' look-alike smart phone. The latest concept phone from Motorola can stand, hide, and click pictures. Interestingly, it has a few buttons and does not have a color screen! Here are a few pictures of the Cute Phone for your viewing pleasure: By 'cute', we think Motorola is hinting towards the concept phone's chubby factor. The phone will most definitely not fit in your stretch-jeans' pocket; perhaps a key ring loop will be appropriate. Does the 'Cute Phone' really seem cute to you? Would you like it to be called 'RoboMoto' instead? Courtesy : Techtree

3G spectrum e-auction to garner Rs 30-35K cr CNBC-TV18 l 3 Dec The 3G mobile licence auction is likely to garner Rs 30,000-35,000 crore for the government. Here is a verbatim transcript of Siddharth Zarabi’s comments on CNBC-TV18. Independent agency, NM Rothschild had scheduled a presentation on e-auction document of 3G spectrum and broadband wireless services to inter-ministerial committee. It is said to be a crucial step in way forward for 3G auction, as the auction is expected to raise at least Rs 30,000 to 35,000 crore. The officials were apprised of the two step key e-auction, which will be conducted over the internet and will close very fast, which will again be an unique thing in selling of sovereign assets in the country. In two weeks time, there will be a list of potential bidders coming in, once all the key steps happen.

Security concerns return to haunt Blackberry Press Trust of India l 3 Dec l New Delhi Plans to launch a new Blackberry mobile handset in India has revived concerns if the service was a risk to internal security, with one wing of the Telecom Ministry seeking opinion of the security division. The concerns come ahead of the proposed visit of a top team of the Blackberry promoters to India for discussions with the Department of Telecom (DoT) on the long pending security issues. Even before the terrorists hit Mumbai last week, the Wireless Planning Coordination wing sought clearance from the security department of the Ministry, a source in the know of the development said, adding that it is yet to be ascertained if Blackberry equipment was used by the militants in Mumbai. "It is understood that the Blackberry equipment uses encrypted data for e-mail transmission through a Gateway outside our country," the WPC wing of DoT said in an internal communication to the security wing. The issue has arisen with respect to approval for a new device - touchscreen Blackberry Storm 9500 - that the Canadian maker of Blackberry RIM plans to launch in India. WPC has referred the approval of Bluetooth certification for the Blackberry Storm to the full Ministry for clearance citing questions over its legality. However, WPC said that if the equipment workswithin the limits of frequencies as per notification it has no reservation in granting approval to the equipment.

^^^ My dear friend, you trying to ditch the company. Just imagine, if your number being CLONED by someone and he / she tries to call from your account in FREEEEEEEEE !!!! How do you feel then ? Obviously you will feel Ditched. So as the company too. And one more thing I want to tell you is that, you can definetely send FREE SMS's from your Airtel Number. Want to know how ? Try to send the SMS on TOLL FREE numbers only. You won't be charged.

RDX found at CST: Police Press Trust of India l 3 Dec l Mumbai A week after the terrorists struck Mumbai in a big way, two bags containing four kg RDX were found inside Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) here today, Joint Commissioner of Police Rakesh Maria said. The bags were found among abandoned luggages of persons who had been injured or killed in the terror attack on the night of November 26. The bags have been taken away by the Bomb Disposal Squad, Maria said, adding searches are being conducted in the station premises.

^^^ He was the best President ever in India.

^^^ Then only one thing could be done my dear friend : PRESIDENT'S RULE ALL OVER INDIA.

Voted and activated the same.

^^^ Very rightly said my dear Kalpak. Kya abhi bhi sab log so rahe hain. JAAGO AUR APNA VOTE DALO. Regards.

‘Tough to verify identity of all mobile subscribers’ Business Line l 2 Dec l New Delhi Operators want Govt to provide unique ID number for all citizens. Mobile companies are finding it difficult to verify the identity of all their subscribers in the absence of a fool-proof identification document from the Government. Cellular companies, penalised for having subscribers without proper documentation, said that some consumers were using fake ration cards, PAN cards and producing illegal copies of other Government-issued documents to get a connection. “We have been telling the Government to provide a unique identity number for all Indian citizens on the lines of the US social security number. This will solve a lot of problems for us in verifying the true identity of all subscribers. But now the Government is asking us to do the police work and are holding us responsible for fake documents,” said a Delhi-based mobile operator. Educating the dealers While cellular companies saythey are doing all that they can to get the subscribers verified given the security concerns, they admit the existing system is not entirely fool proof. “About 5-10 per cent of the user base may remain without proper documentation despite all our efforts. We have formed an apex industry body to monitor the progress of subscriber verification process. We are also educating our dealers on the issue so that they can refuse connection to anyone without documents,” said an industry official. Operators say that some times the dealers in smaller cities issue a connection to consumers even without taking identity papers. There have been instances where dealers have been caught using the same identification papers for several subscribers. Mobile companies said that the DoT was penalising even in cases where it was a clerical mistake by the dealers or subscribers while filling out their addresses and contact details. Earlier the operators had partnered with the postal department to conduct the verification. “This did not work out since the postal department took time to investigate the subscriber’s details and submit its report to the operator. The postal department was also charging a heavy fee for this service ,” said a mobile operator. However, DoT officials said the Government had relaxed a number of rules to make it easy for the mobile companies to carry out the verification. “Operators are making excuses because they want as many subscribers to take the connection. If one operator is adding a million, the other wants to get 2 million new subscribers every month. But the operators have to make sure they address the security concerns even as they chase their targets,” said a DoT official.

ZTE reviewing manufacturing plans Business Line l 2 Dec l Bangalore Chinese telecom firm ZTE Corporation is reconsidering plans to manufacture CDMA equipment in India with local partner ITI Ltd, but said would scale up its R&D operations for developing new products to cater to the rising demand for value added services (VAS). Mr D.K. Ghosh, Chairman and Managing Director of ZTE’s India operations, said it was not commercially viable to manufacture the telecom gear locally now as it was cheaper to import. “We are rethinking on our plans and it depends on the business viability,” Mr Ghosh told a press conference. ZTE had tied up with ITI way back in 2003 for indigenising equipment in India. Revenues of ZTE, which has been operating in India for past nine years, touched the targeted $1 billion for the year-ended September 2008, clocking a 30 per cent growth over previous year. Growing market India, which accounts for about a tenth of ZTE’s worldwide revenues, is a fast growing market for global telecom equipment vendors where cellular operators are adding eight to nine million subscribers a month. Operators are focused on offering VAS to earn more revenues as their average revenue per user comes down while the capital expenditure and the operational expenses are on the rise. “Orders have not slowed down,” Mr Ghosh said adding the backlog ranged between $3-4 billion spread over multiple years. However, ZTE faced an outstanding of close to 30 per cent of revenues as couple of customers were yet to pay up due to the present market conditions and currency volatility, he said. Further, ZTE plans to add about 100 engineers to its R&D centre in Bangalore next year.

Service quality: TRAI poser to mobile cos Business Line l 2 Dec l New Delhi The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has told the private mobile operators that they were not doing enough to improve their quality of service by augmenting interconnection with State-owned BSNL. The regulator, during a recent meeting with the operators, pointed out that while the congestion levels were beyond prescribed limits in 178 locations, the private operators have sought additional interconnection links from BSNL in only 9 cities. Point of interconnection is that physical place where the telecom network of one operator connects with that of the otherTRAI has now asked the service providers to explain why they have not asked for more interconnection links to improve the congestion levels in all 178 locations.

CVC orders probe against DoT staff Economic Times l 3 Dec l Mumbai The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), an anti-corruption organisation of the government, has ordered an investigation against officials of the department of telecom (DoT), who have allegedly been involved in a case pertaining to under-reporting of revenues by Reliance Communications (RCOM). The CDMA operator has allegedly evaded payment of Rs 352 crore of revenue share on Rs 3,520 crore by “adopting unfair means”. Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), who audits all receipts and expenditure of the government, states and other government bodies, is also learnt to be looking into the matter. In a letter written to the DoT on November 17, CVC ordered the investigation into charges of “corruption and irregularities” against some DoT officials. “In exercise of powers conferred on the CVC - the Commission hereby directs that an investigation be conducted on the charges/irregularities pointed out in the enclosed complaint. The report of this investigation should be submitted to the Commission within 12 weeks of receipt of this order,” CVC director Ranvir Singh said in the letter, a copy of which is with ET. An email sent to RCOM in this regard on Monday remained unanswered. A member of Rajya Sabha had approached the CVC with complaint against the company, saying that RCOM is “involved in swindling government running into several crores of rupees.” Earlier, GSM association COAI had also raised the issue. The complaint by the Rajya Sabha member claims that RCOM has paid revenue share on the “manipulated gross revenue” of Rs 15,812 crore stated to be earned between June 2007 and June 2008 as per the documents filed by RCOM with telecom regulator Trai. However, in their website, RCOM has shown revenue earned as Rs 18,332 crore, “leading to non-payment of revenue share on Rs 3,520 crore.” This CVC order comes within days after the DoT had sent a letter to RCOM, seeking explanation on the telco’s alleged move to show its non-voice revenues as those incurred from its Internet services operations. ET reported this development in its November 13 edition and had first reported about alleged understatement of revenues on July 24.

^^^ Point noted MY LORD. Very rightly said my dear Ashok Bhai, absence of Xenon Flash is really a setback.

Google Chrome To Get Add-ons Anyone who has been following the progress of Google’s Chrome browser, would have known that it was just a matter of time before Google introduced or announced plans to support 3rd–party plug-ins for its latest product. Well, this announcement has finally come in a somewhat quiet manner. A developer by the name of Aaron Boodman working on the Chrome project over at Google, indicated on his blog that he along with a full team had been looking into how "extensions" could be integrated into Chrome. They have published a design paper, which is fairly extensive on the kind of packaging, software support and feature support that they were looking forward to in terms of 3rd-party extension. This new move, happens to fall under the ‘Chromium project’, which is aimed at developing the Chrome browser under the open source license in a manner similar to the Firefox project. Google seeks to develop extensions like Adblock, Flashblock and Stumbleupon that are familiar to long-term Firefox users, for the new browser. We hope that with this announcement for Chrome is able to finally gather some steam. Only recently Google had indicated that it would be looking to partner with OEMs to promote Google on new desktops. Courtesy : Tech2

^^^ In a couple of month my dear Karan.

^^^ Dear Akshat, so what if it is a low-end handset. Still it could have atleast VGA camera. You can compare this with LG RD6100 with VGA Camera. Regards.

Really a feature rich handset my dear friends.

My dear friend, you go go for LG RD3100 handset with FM. Regards.

^^^ My dear friend below is the link to download the Usb Cable Driver for LG RD6330. Link

Reliance Comm revenue reporting comes under Central vigilance scanner Business Line l 1 Dec l New Delhi ALLEGED IRREGULARITY. ________________________________________________________________________ DoT officials said that the CVC order was procedural in nature since an MP had lodged a complaint and an investigation was already under way in this regard. ________________________________________________________________________ The Central Vigilance Commission has asked the Department of Telecom to investigate alleged irregular revenue reporting by Reliance Communications. The Cellular Operators Association of India had earlier pointed out to the Government that Reliance Communications was showing its income from non-voice services under the Internet licence even though the facility was being provided through the cellular network. The CVC has asked the DoT to submit a report within 12 weeks. Its action is based on a letter written by a Member of Parliament alleging irregularities in the way the DoT had handled the issue. “In exercise of powers conferred on the CVC- the Commission hereby directs that an investigation be conducted on the charges/irregularities pointed out in the enclosed complaint (the letter written by the MP). The report of this investigation should be submitted to the Commission within 12 weeks of receipt of this order,” said the letter from the CVC to DoT. Senior DoT officials said that the CVC order was procedural in nature since an MP had lodged a complaint and an investigation was already under way in this regard. While operators do not pay any revenue share for income earned from Internet services, they have to pay between 6 and 10 per cent of their annual revenue to the Government from mobile services. In addition, mobile firms also have to pay up to 4 per cent of the income as spectrum charges. COAI had pointed out that an operator could make huge profits by showing income from data services under the ISP licence. According to the estimates made by the MP, who filed a complaint with the CVC, Reliance may have benefited up to Rs 352 crore by separating non-voice revenues. The same MP had earlier shot off several letters against Reliance-Anil Dhirubhai Ambani’s various businesses including Reliance Power and Reliance Energy. The COAI’s observation was in turn based on a report by financial services firm UBS, which said that Reliance Communications reported revenues of Rs 3,160 crore to the telecom regulator in June 2008 but showed revenues of Rs 4,118 crore in its financial statements. “The main reason for the discrepancy between RCom reported revenues and the TRAI reported revenue is that RCom reports all its non-voice revenues through one of its subsidiary that has an ISP status,” said the UBS report. In an earlier response to similar query, Reliance Communications had stated that its accounts have been duly audited and certified by internationally recognised auditors and are in full compliance with the prescribed reporting framework. The company had stated that it has a substantial customer base of over one million Internet services subscribers under its ISP licence. Additionally, the company has a subscriber base of over 3 million in rural areas under the USO Scheme of the government whose revenues have certain exemption under the policy guidelines.

ID verification: Erring telecom operators fined Business Line l 1 Dec l New Delhi DoT seeks monthly checks to address security concerns. The Department of Telecom has finally started imposing penalty on telecom operators violating subscriber verification norms. The move follows random checks done by DoT’s vigilance officers, which revealed many subscribers did not have proper identification papers. Almost all the operators have been fined for providing connection to unverified users. While the Government had notified the verification norms more than a year ago, this is the first time that it has imposed the penalty. The operators have been seeking more time to complete the verification of all the 300 million subscribers. However, with the security agencies expressing concern over the availability of SIM cards to unverified subscribers, DoT has swung into action. Rs 1,000/subscriber Though the penalty amount is not very high, this exercise will be done on a monthly basis. Operators are required to pay Rs 1,000 for each subscriber found without proper identification documents. Security agencies have pointed out that the fine amount was too low to act as deterrent to the operators against giving out connections to anyone without proper documents. DoT has also asked operators to shut down dealers who were not verifying the subscriber before giving out a connection. However, industry observers pointed out that since operators are under pressure to sustain the growth in subscriber numbers, the verification system may not be completely fool-proof. Not fool-proof Operators are adding more than 10 million new subscribers each month in a bid to compensate for lower average revenue a user and declining minutes of usage. The drive to keep up the target numbers may be forcing some of the dealers to give out SIM cards to users without documents. The telecom industry claims that every measure is being taken to adhere to the verification norms. They have also set up an industry body that monitors the issue on a regular basis. May hit growth At the same time, operators have cautioned that strict verification laws could impact the mobile growth rate since more than 80 per cent of user base are on prepaid platform. Prepaid subscribers are known to change their operator frequently and some even take a connection for a short period of time.