The Blackberry allows you to access your email when on the move. This would need an expensive phone and the connection which might dig a hole in your pocket. How about doing the same thing without GPRS or any other mode of connectivity. This has been made possible by India based software solutions company named NetCore Solutions. This company has announced the launch of its email services on mobile phones without activating GPRS service.

This service would be available to users at an annual subscription amount of Rs.250- Rs.1000 depending on the usage. The service can support GMail for the time being and the rest would be available soon. In simple words the user would recieve the email in the form of an SMS, i.e. the email would get converted to an SMS and the same would reach the user. How’s that for innovation??

What’s your take on this topic?? Share your Gyaan on TeleGyaan Forums.

Tata Indicom Power 555 Plan is a postpaid plan that has been made to suit the users who make local calls to all networks. This one turns out to be different from the free calling plans, which normally allow calling to their own networks. Instead it allows free calls to all networks. This is how:

• Monthly Rental: Rs.555
• Free minutes to Tata numbers: 555
• Free minutes to other networks (mobile): 555
• Free minutes to other landlines: 555
• Free SMS to Tata mobile: 555
• Calls to all Tata numbers: 55paise
• Calls to local mobiles: 55paise
• Calls to other landlines: Rs.1.50
• STD: Rs.1.50
• All local SMS: 50paise
• National SMS: Re.1

We say: The plan looks great when its comes to offering a wide range of free calling areas. The price is decent enough and is good value for money. The calling rates are also good enough and thus we give it a thumbs up from our side.

Birla group owned, Idea Cellular announced that they will be taking over Spice Communications by acquiring 40.8% stake at Rs. 77.30/share from the Spice Group. The power hungry Idea will also team up with Telekom Malaysia International to take 20% more stake by offering an open price of Rs. 77.30/share to existing shareholders.

Advantages to Idea after the takeover are that:
- They will gain a direct entry in regions of Punjab and Karnataka, which account for 11% of India’s total wireless subscribers.
- 44 lakh customers in their pocket.

The deal is expected to close by the end of this year.

Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Limited (TTML) announced the launch of its “Let’s Rock” pack, a low-cost student friendly prepaid plan. To begin with the details, the pack is priced for Rs. 299 and it comes along with three-year validity.

The usage details are:

• During the day i.e. from 0900-2100 hrs, all local calls from Tata to Tata will be charged at 20 paise per minute
• Tata to others will be charged at 60 paise per minute
• Local SMS will be charged at 20 paise
• STD calls will be charged at Rs. 2 per minute

• During the night i.e. from 2100-0900 hrs, all local calls from Tata to Tata will cost 10 paise per minute
• Tata to others will cost 30 paise per minute
• Local SMS will cost 20 paise
• STD calls will cost Rs 2 per minute

We say

The pack definitely has the potential to attract students with limited pocket money and people looking to stay connected – cheap tariff prepaid plan will save our money to indulge in something else. We recommend it.

The Economic Times is one of the highly circulated business newspapers in India. It is a morning dope for many of us interested in financial news. But today an article titled ‘India Inc divided on iPhone vs BlackBerry’ caught my eye. Not because it is from my area of interest but the wrong facts it had put forth before the readers. Sadly enough but I think the writers, Harsimran Singh & Amit Sharma should have done enough research on the subject matter before publishing an article for such a reputed publication.

Continue Reading…

Vodafone has officially opened up the doors for people seeking more news on iPhone in India. Interested users can register at Vodafone by sending a SMS IPHONE to 56789 or head over to the website to register. This is the message I received after successful registration.

Dear Kunal Gangar,

Thank you for booking your new iPhone 3G, with Vodafone. We will keep you updated on its price, features and availability in due course.
Till then, if you have any further queries feel free to call us on 111 (toll free) and we’ll be happy to help.

Happy to help,
Vodafone Care

Email vodafonecare.mum@vodafone.com

Visit www.vodafone.in

Vodafone webpage

UPDATE: We called up 111 to know about the availability and the customer exec said that it will not be available before the year end.

UPDATE 2: Airtel users can send a SMS iPhone to 54321.

UPDATE 3: Airtel has opened up their registration page too. Click here.

Here comes an attempt from Tata Indicom to lure customers with their postpaid plan named: Do More 0123 Plan. The details are:

• Monthly rental: Rs.123
• Bill Plan Charges: Rs.75
• CLIP (optional): Rs.25
• Unlimted calls and SMS to local Tata Indicom mobiles
• Tata to Tata Landline: Re.1
• Tata to other mobiles: Re.1
• Tata to other Landlines: Rs.2
• STD calls: Rs.3
• Local SMS: Re.1
• National SMS: Rs.2

We Say: As one can see it isn’t a balanced plan and favors those who want to make more of T2T calls. The plan is charged quite well if we consider that aspect, but will make a hole in the pocket when it comes to making calls on other operators. We wouldn’t even think of going for the STD calls.  

Yes, it may be the case if our government allows ISPs to have an unrestricted IP telephony. The Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI) which includes members Sify, Tulip IT etc. are confident that if this happens, the usage will increase and call rates will drastically come down. According to them, local calls routed on IP network from the same ISP can be done for free whereas inter-ISP local calls can be charged as low as 10paise/minute. STD calls can come down to 15paise/minute and ISD around 50paise.

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Virgin Mobile adds another mobile to its portfolio in the form of vTrendy. It is targeted at the youths but I wonder if this will really attract them because of the minimal features it carries. vTrendy has got a 65K color screen, access to vBytes, loudspeaker and FM Radio. It is available at Virgin Mobile outlets for a getaway price of Rs. 1500.

Product

Cellular operators have got a new issue to wage a war. Its for the STD rates. Today Airtel announced a new recharge coupon enabling the users to make STD calls at Re. 1. The coupon costs Rs. 37 which has validity for a month and Rs. 10 as talktime. For the time being, the coupon is only limited to Mumbai and Maharashtra circle. Expect to hit other circles soon.