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Tag: BSNL

  • UTStarcom enters into contract with BSNL to help new generation networks

    UTStarcom enters into contract with BSNL to help new generation networks

    NEW DELHI: UTStarcom has announced a $24 million contract with Indian telecoms BSNL to supply multi-service access network (MSAN) equipment and support design, engineering and installation.

     

    The public-sector company, BSNL is upgrading its network to offer next generation multi-media services to its customers and this entails migrating existing PSTN/ISDN customers to next generation network (NGN) to enable supplementary services using Internet Protocol (IP) along with basic telephony.

     

    The upgrade will cover broadband lines for a wide swath of residential and enterprise customers across western and northern regions of India that include large urban centers such as Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakand and Chattisgargh.

     

    Recently, the Chinese telecom network vendor Huawei announced its NGN switch deal with BSNL to migrate its traditional telephone exchanges to IP based NGN. The IP transition will be in phases and will cover all major telecom circles of BSNL.

    As part of the NGN deal, BSNL will migrate four million existing PSTN subscribers to IMS platform and offer next generation services besides voice, such as video, IPTV, IP-Centrex and MMVC. One million lines will be replaced in Phase-1 and 3 million lines in Phase-2 to migrate existing four million PSTN subscribers to IMS (IP Multi-media Subsystem) platform.

     

    UTStarcom is working with Indian government-owned telecom equipment vendor ITI for the BSNL network upgrade.

    BSNL chairman and MD R K Upadhyay said: “UTStarcom has been a reliable partner in the past, and we have deployed a large number of their broadband access products on our network.”

    UTStarcom India claims that it already holds 35 percent share for broadband Internet network equipment.”

     

    There are approximately 15 million wireline broadband customers in India, of which UTStarcom has supplied more than six million DSL ports.

     

    UTStarcom’s customers in India include telecom service providers, such as Bharti Airtel and Tata Communications.

    Recently, UTStarcom launched a major sales and marketing initiative to promote its latest broadband products to carriers in the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific.

  • Broadband usage sees 3.09% increase for the period Dec-Jan

    Broadband usage sees 3.09% increase for the period Dec-Jan

    NEW DELHI: There were 56.9 million broadband subscribers in the country at the end of January 2014, showing an increase of 3.09 per cent as compared to the previous month.

     

    The total broadband (>512 Kbps) usage is based on the information provided to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) by 144 broadband service providers.

     

    The top five broadband service providers constitute 82.57 per cent market share of total broadband subscribers. They are BSNL (16.54 million), Bharti (11.49 million), Reliance (7.07 million), Idea (6.26 million) and Vodafone (5.63 million).

     

     The top five Wired Broadband Service providers are BSNL (9.98 million), Bharti (1.39 million), MTNL (1.11 million), Hathway Cable (0.36 million) and Beam Telecom (0.36 million). The top five Wireless Broadband Service providers are Bharti (10.10 million), Reliance (6.96 million), BSNL (6.56 million), Idea (6.26 Million) and Vodafone (5.63 million).

     

     There has been a 0.08 per cent increase between December and January in the wired broadband segment to 14.55 million, while the wireless segment (mobiles and dongles) have shown a rise of 4.2 per cent in the same period with 41.05 million subscribers. There has been an increase of 1.66 per cent in this period to 0.4 million subscribers for Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, Point-to-Point Radio and VSAT

     

  • 22nd Convergence India 2014 expo ends today

    22nd Convergence India 2014 expo ends today

    MUMBAI: Convergence India 2014 expo, South Asia’s largest ICT, media, entertainment and applications industry expo, was inaugurated by Hon’ble Member of Parliament and Former Union Minister, Shri Syed Shahnawaz Hussain at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Syed Shahnawaz Hussain had said, “I am pleased to be present at this important platform that recognizes the potential of the evolving telecommunications, media and entertainment industry and its contribution in boosting the economy, and overall growth of the nation”.
     

    Following this, Dr. Rahul Khullar, Chairman, TRAI set the agenda for the three day expo by opening the floor for dialogue on “Connecting India”, the theme for the 22nd edition of Convergence India 2014. The inaugural ceremony also saw industry leaders such as N Ravi Shankar (Special Secretary & Administrator, USOF, DoT), Anupam Shrivastava ( Director (CM) & CMD (Designate), BSNL), Umang Das, Chief Mentor, Viom Networks Ltd., Rajan S Mathews, ( Director General, Cellular Operators Association of India ), Pankaj Mohindroo (National President, Indian Cellular Association) and Rajiv Bawa (Country Head, Telenor).
     

    The 1stTelecom summit 2014 on “Home Grown Technologies and Skills’ was inaugurated on the day 2 of the 22nd Convergence India, 2014 expo. The summit was jointly organized by Telecom Centers of Excellence (TCOE), Telecom Sector Skill Council (TSSC)and Exhibitions India Group and was supported by Government of India (DoT &DeitY), service providers, manufacturers, training partners, industry associations and academia.
     

    The day 3 of 22nd Convergence India 2014 witnessed the first of its kind Afro-Asian Media Summit which was chaired by Mr. Phil Molefe, Vetran South African Broadcaster. In his address, he said, “Geographical boundaries have fallen away and we are now one big media community driven by the power of technology. We have to be committed, skilled and innovative to capitalize the abounding opportunities”.
     

    This dynamic initiative will create opportunities of partnerships, investments, support and many more collaborations. With this platform in place, there can be an exchange of ideas, expertise between the two nations.
     

    Mr. Albertus Aochamub, President SABA, said, “This is a partnership of equals. Both India and Africa have common history, struggles and challenges. India is a hub of skilled personnel and with the help of media, technology and other ICT tools, both the countries can learn from each other.”

    Mr. Rahul Nehra, Co-Founder Afro Asia-Media Summit, announced the launch of Afro-Asian Media Awards 2015. He said, “We are taking the first step in driving excellence through the awards. We need to felicitate people of our own continents for the work they do”.
     

    H.E. Dr. Perks Ligoya, High Commissioner of Malawi, said “I feel honored to be in the First Afro-Asian Media Summit. This event comes at a very good time”. He also commented on how through e-learning, e-health, e-money, e-commerce, Africa and India can benefit from each other.

     
    In addition, 22nd Convergence India 2014 also witnessed a seminar on FTTH Council Asia-Pacific, also strategic partner of Convergence India this year. The theme for the seminar was ‘Fiber for Convergence’ and offered great opportunities to the participants to network & collaborate while providing consistent information on FTTH from industry experts.

     
     Some of the prominent speakers were N Ravi Shankar, CMD, Special Secretary & Administrator, USOF, DoT, Anil Pande, Director, Dura-Line, Anuj Jain, PWC and Vipin Tyagi, C-DOT.

     
    Prem Behl, Chairman, Exhibitions India Group said, “With this 22nd Convergence India 2014, the roadmap for telecom, media and entertainment industry has been outlined and we will continue to contribute towards the changes and development of these sectors as the journey continues.”

  • TRAI ad cap case: Judgement day dawns?

    TRAI ad cap case: Judgement day dawns?

    MUMBAI: Exactly a month after hearings first began in the ad cap case in the Telecom Disputes Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), the verdict is set to be pronounced today. The TDSAT has listed it in the cause list for 11 December.

     

    The case that is being fought by broadcasters led by the News Broadcasters Association(NBA) against the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is all set to be given a new direction.

     

    Indiantelevision.com gives you the highlights of the broadcasters vs TRAI ad cap legal slugfest and the coincidental twist that came near the end.

     

    The NBA’s main contentions were that TRAI does not have the authority to regulate content and that the agreement between the two is not of a licensor and a licensee but is rather a registration. It also said that the TRAI had not fulfilled the laying requirements before parliament thus making the regulation invalid.

     

    However, the TRAI stated that there was no rule in the TRAI act saying that merely because they hadn’t done the laying requirements, the regulation cannot be implemented. It also claimed that according to the terms of the licence and by applying section 7 of the Cable TV Networks Act it was authorised to implement the regulation to ensure the customers get quality of content on TV.

     

    After hearing the NBA, the TRAI, music channels and some other channels the TDSAT had reserved the judgement. The twist that came last week was when in a separate case of BSNL vs TRAI and others, the Supreme Court had ruled that cases in which the validity of a regulation by TRAI is challenged, cannot be heard in the TDSAT and has to be appealed against in the High Court since by law a regulation needs to be passed through parliament. This has put the fate of the ad cap regulation in a fix since officially TRAI claims it is a regulation.

     

    We wonder how the TDSAT will decide the case. Most probably, the TDSAT will dismiss it and request the petitioners to move the Hight Court after the verdict the SC gave on Friday. Had the petition been regarding the application of the regulation, the TDSAT could still have decided on it. However, the SC judgement clearly states that TDSAT cannot take a call on the very act that created it. TDSAT was formed under section 14 of the TRAI act giving it legislative and administrative powers.

     

    Section 36, under which the regulation was formed clearly underlines that if it is framed, it needs to be consistent with the terms of the TRAI act.

     

    However, after the SC ruling, the TDSAT seems to have been rendered powerless to decide on this case, even after 20 days of hearings and a long wait for the result, which will now be affected by the SC ruling.

     

    If the broadcasters are asked to move the HC, it means more time for them to deliberate on the validity of the regulation. But it is possible that they will have to follow the 12 minute ruling till the time, the HC does not say anything about it.

  • Govt. asks Union Ministries, PSUs to give preference to BSNL, MTNL

    Govt. asks Union Ministries, PSUs to give preference to BSNL, MTNL

    NEW DELHI: The government has proposed that union ministries, public sector undertakings and autonomous bodies give preference to the services of the state-run telecom operators – BSNL and MTNL.

     

    Proposing preferential treatment to BSNL and MTNL services in Central Government Ministries/Central Government public sector undertakings and autonomous bodies to enhance the revenues earned by BSNL and MTNL,” Minister of State for Communications and IT Killi Kruparani said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

     

    She said the government had constituted a group of ministers (GoM) on April 17, 2013 to recommend short term, medium term and long term measures for revival and revitalisation of BSNL and MTNL.

     

    In a separate query, Kruparani said BSNL suffered a loss of Rs 7,884 crore in 2012-13 whereas MTNL’s losses stood at Rs 5,321 crore in the same period.

     

    “The principal reasons for the rising losses of BSNL and MTNL are due to sharp decline in revenue and increase in expenditure,” she said.

  • Marginal growth in broadband connectivity between August and September 2013

    Marginal growth in broadband connectivity between August and September 2013

    NEW DELHI: The total broadband subscriber base increased from 15.28 million at the end of August to 15.36 million at the end of September 2013, thus showing a monthly growth of 0.52 per cent.

    The yearly growth in broadband subscribers is 1.90 per cent during the last one year (September 2012 to September 2013).

    As on 30 September, there are 158 internet service providers (ISPs) which are providing broadband services in the country. 

    Out of these, 95 ISPs have provided broadband subscription data for the month of September 2013, for the rest of the ISPs data from previous month has been retained.

    The top five ISPs in terms of market share (based on subscriber base) are: BSNL (9.98 million), Bharti Airtel (1.44 million), MTNL (1.10 million), Hathway (0.37 million) and You Broadband (0.33 million).

  • 87% drop in complaints against VAS after regulations: TRAI

    87% drop in complaints against VAS after regulations: TRAI

    NEW DELHI: There has been a decline of around 87 per cent in the number of complaints made against wrong activation of value added services (VAS) like mobile internet and caller tunes since July.

    The drop has been witnessed after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued directives to operators for putting an end to such practices.

    On 10 July, TRAI issued directives to telecom operators to take double confirmation from consumers before activating VAS and refund money of subscriber if the complaint is made within 24 hours for services that are valid for more than a day and six hours if a service is valid for a day.

    Under the rules, consumers can register complaints about wrongful activation of VAS on a toll-free common number, 155223, irrespective of the network they use.

    The regulator observed that total number of complaints received for VAS almost halved from 1,85,468 in July to 95,510 in August.

    The VAS activation on mobile network also came down by about 57 per cent from about 70 million in June – when rules were not in place – to 30 million in July.

    The data did not incorporate details of state-run BSNL, Sistema Shyam, Videocon and Punjab based Quadrant. 

  • Broadband base up in July, with monthly growth at rate of 0.33%

    Broadband base up in July, with monthly growth at rate of 0.33%

    NEW DELHI: The total Broadband subscriber base in the country has increased from 15.19 million at the end of June 2013 to 15.24 million at the end of July 2013. This is a monthly growth of 0.33 per cent. The yearly growth in broadband subscribers is 3.79 per cent during the last one year (July 2012 to July 2013).

    The top five internet service providers in terms of market share (based on subscriber base) are: BSNL (9.97 million), Bharti Airtel (1.43 million), MTNL (1.10 million), Hathway (0.37 million) and You Broadband (0.32 million).

    According to the latest telecom subscription data as on 31 July 2013 released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, there are 161 internet service providers (ISPs) which are providing broadband services in the country. Out of these, 121 ISPs (having 98.48 per cent market share) have provided broadband subscription data for the month of July 2013, for the rest of the ISPs data from previous month has been retained.

    Meanwhile, Indian rural telecom has faced downturn – despite service providers’ special packages – as mobile user base declined by two million in July 2013. TRAI said net mobile additions declined 0.57 per cent or by 2 million to 349.09 million from 351.10 million in June.

    In July – according to TRAI data – Indian urban mobile user base increased by 3.52 million or 0.67 per cent to 525.78 million from 522.27 million in June.

    The share of urban wireless subscribers has increased from 59.80 per cent to 60.10 per cent whereas share of rural wireless subscribers has decreased from 40.20 per cent to 39.90 per cent.

    TRAI statistics says total wireless subscriber base increased from 873.36 million in June to 874.88 million in July 2013, registering a monthly growth of 0.17 per cent. The overall wireless Teledensity in India has reached 71.13 per cent in July from 71.08 per cent of previous month. Wireless subscription in urban areas increased to 525.78 million in July.

    The urban wireless teledensity has increased from 139.16 to 139.87 whereas rural teledensity has decreased from 41.14 per cent to 40.88 per cent.

    Wireline subscriber base declined from 29.73 million in June 2013 to 29.58 million in July. The net reduction in wireline subscriber base was 0.15 million at the rate of 0.50 per cent.

    The share of urban subscribers has decreased from 78.11 per cent to 78.0 per cent whereas share of rural subscribers has increased from 21.89 per cent to 22.0 per cent. The overall wireline Teledensity has decreased from 2.42 per cent in June 2013 to 2.40 per cent in July 2013, with urban and rural Teledensity being 6.14 per cent and 0.76 per cent respectively.

    BSNL and MTNL, the two PSU operators hold 78.65 per cent of the Wireline market share.

  • TV Today Q1-2014 PAT almost doubles Q4-2013; Radio shows improved results

    TV Today Q1-2014 PAT almost doubles Q4-2013; Radio shows improved results

    BENGALURU: Indian broadcaster TV Today Network Limited (TV Today) reported a PAT of Rs 11.98 crore for Q1-2013, almost double (88.5 per cent higher) than the Rs 6.36 crore profit for Q4-2013. The company had reported a loss of Rs 0.35 crore for Q1-2013.

    Its FM Radio Broadcasting segment (radio) showed improved performance in Q1-2014 as compared to Q1-2013 and Q4-2013. Loss from the radio segment of Rs 2.33 crore was about half (51.2 per cent) of Rs 4.54 crore in Q1-2013 and 15 per cent lower than the loss of Rs 2.74 crore in Q4-2013. Revenue from radio in Q1-2014 at Rs 3.02 crore was higher by 36.6 per cent as compared to the Rs 2.21 crore in Q1-2013 and 14.1 per cent higher than the Rs 2.64 crore in Q4-2013.

    Let us take a look at TV Today‘s other results for Q1-2014

    TV Today‘s net income from operations for Q1-2014 at Rs 88.90 crore increased 25.8 per cent as compared to the Rs 70.64 crore for Q1-2013 and was 5.5 per cent higher than the Rs 84.27 crore for Q4-2013.

    Its profit from operations before other income, finance costs and exceptional items in Q1-2014 at Rs 17.62 crore almost trebled (was 276 per cent up) as compared to the profit of Rs 6.38 crore for Q4-2013. The company had reported a loss from operations before other income, finance costs and exceptional items of Rs 0.49 crore for Q1-2013.

    Exceptional items included the Rs 1.57 crore the company had paid in Q1-2013 to Prasar Bharti and BSNL under protest towards telecast fee and interest thereon (Rs 0.8001 crore) and monitoring charges for foreign satellite (Rs 0.7691 crore) respectively in respect of earlier years

    TV Today‘s overall expense for Q1-2014 was almost flat at Rs 71.27 crore as compared to the Rs 71.13 crore for Q1-2013 and 8.5 per cent lower than the Rs 77.89 crore for Q4-2013.

    The network spent Rs 9.03 crore in Q1-2014 towards production cost, 13 per cent lower than the Rs 10.38 crore for Q4-2013, but 3.8 per cent more than the Rs 8.71 crore for Q1-2013.

    TV Today‘s advertisement, distribution and sales expense at Rs 19.7 crore for Q1-2014 was lower by 9.7 per cent as compared to the Rs 21.81 crore in Q1-2013 and 14.1 per cent lower than the Rs 22.93 crore in Q4-2013.

    TV Today‘s Television broadcasting revenue for Q1-2014 at Rs 85.89 crore was higher by 25.5 per cent as compared to the Rs 68.44 crore for Q1-2013 and 5.2 per cent more than the Rs 81.63 crore for Q4-2013.

    It‘s Television Broadcasting business had a PBIT (Profit before interest and tax) of Rs 21.18 crore for Q1-2014 was almost five times (4.98 times) the Rs4.25 crore for Q1-2013 and was 81.1 per cent higher as compared to the Rs 11.69 crore for Q4-2013.

    TV Today has made a strategic investment of Rs 45.52 crore in Mail Today Newspapers Pvt. Ltd. (Mail Today) for entering into print media. Though Mail Today is in the initail stages of operation and is presently incurring losses, the company is confident of its profitability and consequently of the carrying value of the investment.

    To click here to view the TV Today Financials Report

  • TV Today Q1-2014 PAT almost doubles Q4-2013; Radio shows improved results

    TV Today Q1-2014 PAT almost doubles Q4-2013; Radio shows improved results

    BENGALURU: Indian broadcaster TV Today Network Limited (TV Today) reported a PAT of Rs 11.98 crore for Q1-2013, almost double (88.5 per cent higher) than the Rs 6.36 crore profit for Q4-2013. The company had reported a loss of Rs 0.35 crore for Q1-2013.

     

    Its FM Radio Broadcasting segment (radio) showed improved performance in Q1-2014 as compared to Q1-2013 and Q4-2013. Loss from the radio segment of Rs 2.33 crore was about half (51.2 per cent) of Rs 4.54 crore in Q1-2013 and 15 per cent lower than the loss of Rs 2.74 crore in Q4-2013. Revenue from radio in Q1-2014 at Rs 3.02 crore was higher by 36.6 per cent as compared to the Rs 2.21 crore in Q1-2013 and 14.1 per cent higher than the Rs 2.64 crore in Q4-2013.

     

    Let us take a look at TV Today’s other results for Q1-2014

     

    TV Today’s net income from operations for Q1-2014 at Rs 88.90 crore increased 25.8 per cent as compared to the Rs 70.64 crore for Q1-2013 and was 5.5 per cent higher than the Rs 84.27 crore for Q4-2013.

     

    Its profit from operations before other income, finance costs and exceptional items in Q1-2014 at Rs 17.62 crore almost trebled (was 276 per cent up) as compared to the profit of Rs 6.38 crore for Q4-2013. The company had reported a loss from operations before other income, finance costs and exceptional items of Rs 0.49 crore for Q1-2013.

     

    Exceptional items included the Rs 1.57 crore the company had paid in Q1-2013 to Prasar Bharti and BSNL under protest towards telecast fee and interest thereon (Rs 0.8001 crore) and monitoring charges for foreign satellite (Rs 0.7691 crore) respectively in respect of earlier years

     

    TV Today’s overall expense for Q1-2014 was almost flat at Rs 71.27 crore as compared to the Rs 71.13 crore for Q1-2013 and 8.5 per cent lower than the Rs 77.89 crore for Q4-2013.

     

    The network spent Rs 9.03 crore in Q1-2014 towards production cost, 13 per cent lower than the Rs 10.38 crore for Q4-2013, but 3.8 per cent more than the Rs 8.71 crore for Q1-2013.

     

    TV Today’s advertisement, distribution and sales expense at Rs 19.7 crore for Q1-2014 was lower by 9.7 per cent as compared to the Rs 21.81 crore in Q1-2013 and 14.1 per cent lower than the Rs 22.93 crore in Q4-2013.

     

    TV Today’s Television broadcasting revenue for Q1-2014 at Rs 85.89 crore was higher by 25.5 per cent as compared to the Rs 68.44 crore for Q1-2013 and 5.2 per cent more than the Rs 81.63 crore for Q4-2013.

     

    It’s Television Broadcasting business had a PBIT (Profit before interest and tax) of Rs 21.18 crore for Q1-2014 was almost five times (4.98 times) the Rs4.25 crore for Q1-2013 and was 81.1 per cent higher as compared to the Rs 11.69 crore for Q4-2013.

     

    TV Today has made a strategic investment of Rs 45.52 crore in Mail Today Newspapers Pvt. Ltd. (Mail Today) for entering into print media. Though Mail Today is in the initail stages of operation and is presently incurring losses, the company is confident of its profitability and consequently of the carrying value of the investment.