Tele Gyaan – Page 3

Airtel brings in new tariff voucher

October 13, 2009 By yogen Leave a Comment

Airtel prepaid voucher

When we talked about ‘Simply Reliance’ and IDEA ‘Diwali voucher’, we knew that the other big operators will soon follow and bring in similar tariff vouchers; here comes one from Airtel. Airtel’s new tariff voucher is called RC 62 and is focussed on reducing call rates for local and STD calls made across non-Airtel network.

This voucher is priced at Rs 62 and comes with an airtime of Rs 40 along with a validity of 180 days. This voucher will allow subscribers to make local and STD calls across Airtel network for 50 paise/min and across non-Airtel network for 60 paise/min. SMS and roaming tariffs will be standard. Although the voucher looks good, it suffers in front of RCom’s killer plan ‘Simply Reliance’.

Aircel introduces an innovative VAS: ‘Talk-a-Mail’

October 13, 2009 By yogen Leave a Comment

aircel talk a mail

Aircel is one operator who definitely plans its value added services (VAS) seriously, and well even innovatively. Aircel recently added this new VAS called ‘Talk-a-Mail’ and as the name suggests, this service allows Aircel’s subscribers to compose their mails by making a call. Read on to know how to use this service.

Nokia Siemens Networks wins GSM network deal with Uninor in India

October 13, 2009 By yogen Leave a Comment

NSN_logo

Unitech is all set to launch its GSM services in December this year under the brand ‘Uninor’ and it has finalised on Nokia Siemens Networks to be its network and infrastructure partner. It will initiate its services in six circles which will include Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

Nokia Siemens Networks will also be responsible for network operations and maintenance as a part of the Managed Services contract with Uninor.

Stein Erik Vellan, Managing Director, Uninor stated that, “We are creating a new global telecom model. We call it the Telco of the Next Decade that leverages existing competencies in the market to drive cost and time efficiencies, superior quality and flexibility that future proofs our operations in a rapidly changing competitive environment. Our partnership with Nokia Siemens Networks will help us pursue our unique model in these six circles as well.”

Nokia Siemens Network intends to make use of its Flexi BTS platform to make mobile base stations. NSN claims that this technology will let it bring in the industry’s smallest and most energy-efficient mobile base station. NSN will also offer consultation and network design services to ensure smooth interlinking with Uninor’s existing infrastructure.

New IDEA voucher offers local calls at 40 paise/minute in Mumbai

October 13, 2009 By yogen Leave a Comment

idealogo3

IDEA Cellular launched its services in Mumbai around a year back and within a year it has been able to grow gradually and steadily in this highly competitive metro city. The current base of IDEA Mumbai subscribers stands at more than a million.

To further attract customers and as a special Diwali and Christmas offer, IDEA has launched a special tariff voucher priced at Rs 47 which will enable IDEA subscribers to make local calls at 40 paise per minute for the entire year. The voucher will also reduce the STD and SMS rates bringing it down to 50 paise on any mobile or landline network.

However, this special tariff does come with one condition, which is; everyday, the first minute/SMS will attract the regular tariff and subsequently users can enjoy the special reduced rates. Looks like IDEA Cellular is hitting back on RCom which today came up with a special tariff plan of 50 paise per minute which is without any voucher or conditions.

Tata Docomo’s GSM service in Kolkata

October 13, 2009 By yogen Leave a Comment

tata docomo

Last week saw Kolkata getting its sixth GSM operator – Tata Docomo. The operator is already present in 10 circles which include Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Orissa, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Mumbai, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh and Haryana. We bring you a peep into its prepaid offering in Kolkata –

IDEA Super Seconds: 1 paisa per second

October 12, 2009 By yogen Leave a Comment

Idea Super Seconds

Tata DOCOMO shook the Indian telecom market when it came up with its innovative per second billing tariff. In reply to the Tata Docomo’s one-second billing plan, IDEA Cellular, launched a new ‘Super seconds’ tariff plan in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand which offers calls at 1 paisa per second on all local and STD calls on any network in the country.

With this move, IDEA becomes the first mobile operator to offer the pay per second tariff plan after telecom regulator TRAI suggested earlier this week that per second pulse should be made a mandatory option along with other tariff plans.

In Himachal Pradesh, existing IDEA subscribers can purchase a special voucher priced at Rs 24, whereas new subscribers can get it for Rs 49. In Bihar and Jharkhand, existing IDEA subscribers can purchase this voucher for Rs 8 and new subscribers can get it for Rs 14. Similarly, to avail this tariff plan in Rajasthan existing users will have to pay Rs 24 and new subscribers will have to pay Rs 55 for the Super Seconds one year service.

“This is yet another ‘first from Idea’ to offer world class and affordable telephony services to mobile consumers in the region,” Anish Roy, Chief Operating Officer-Idea circle for Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu said. The new tariff vouchers will be available at My Idea Showrooms and Idea Points in the regions.

Unlimited Dialer Tunes from Aircel

October 12, 2009 By yogen 2 Comments

Aircel Unlimited Dialer tunes

Aircel has announced the first of its kind Dialer Tune card which offers users the freedom to switch their dialer songs unlimited times, at no extra cost. These cards are available for both prepaid and postpaid users.

These cards are currently available in three denominations starting from as low as Rs 7 which comes with a validity of 7 days, Rs 31 valid for 31 days and Rs 240 which can be used for a year.

All Aircel prepaid and postpaid customers can recharge with this coupon by dialing the special IVR number 5300003 and entering the 16 digit secret PIN number. One can also recharge by sending SMS DTC <space> 16 digit PIN number to 5300003 (toll free). Call charges for using the IVR for song selection are Rs. 3 per minute. To unsubscribe SMS DT <space> unsub to 5300003 (toll free).

China Wireless and RCom partner up to sell handsets

October 12, 2009 By yogen Leave a Comment

china wireless

China based mobile handset maker China Wireless Technologies has officially entered the Indian high-end Smartphone market in partnership with Reliance Communications. This joint venture plans to retail high-end dual-sim handsets in the market under the brand name, ‘Coolpad’. The venture will unveil three Coolpad models initially and will further bring in four models by December.

China Wireless Technologies will invest Rs 400 crore as capital and operating expenditure in the Indian market over the next three years. It expects to clock in a revenue of Rs 800 crore in the next five years.

The company plans to recruit 300 people by the end of 2009 and is expecting to take the count to 1000 by the end of next year. It also has a proposal to start a Research & Development centre in India by the beginning of 2011. The company officials believe that its venture with RCom is in line with its strategy to penetrate overseas markets and take a leadership stance in the global dual-mode market segment.

Bharti unaffected by competition

October 12, 2009 By yogen Leave a Comment

manoj Kohli

In times when the global slowdown is gradually recovering, Bharti Airtel Ltd. expects to add 3 million subscribers every month. When asked the firm’s CEO Manoj Kohli, he says that their franchise Airtel is unaffected by rising competition. He added, “Bharti would not respond to rivals’ moves and has its own strategies. We are very clear; we will maintain, if not enhance, market leadership.”

So is Airtel not even affected by the ongoing price war and the entry of new players in the market? To this he responds that, “New players have nothing but tariffs to offer.” Sounds like a confident reply. We wish them All the Best.

MTNL interested to invest in Zambia’s Zamtel

October 12, 2009 By yogen Leave a Comment

ZamtelLogo

The Private Indian telecom companies are keen on expanding their geographies. We saw them inclining for deals in South Africa, Nepal, Sri Lanka etc. Now, the public based telecom operators too are seen to be interested in foreign territories. Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd operating in the Indian regions of Mumbai and Delhi has expressed interest to buy a stake in Zambian telecom firm Zamtel. “We have signed the non-disclosure agreement,” MTNL Chairman R.S.P. Sinha said.

State-run Zamtel is the leading telecom operator in Zambia. The company provides a modern Internet service through Zamtel On-line and is Zambia’s only licensed fixed-line provider of voice and data communications. The state plans to sell up to 75 per cent in it as part of a privatisation drive. Zamtel’s revenue for the year ended December 2008 were $100 million.