Tata DOCOMO, the GSM mobile service brand of Tata Teleservices Limited (TTSL), has come up with new innovative offers in Kolkata and WB telecom circle.

This is yet another blast comes in from Tata Docomo following its trend of offering the best offers in the industry once again Tata Docomo has introduced various offers that is sure to woo the customers of  Kolkata and ROB circle.

Tata Docomo introduces so called Unlimited SMS pack in these circles too, now with Tata Docomo you can get 3500 local and national SMS for 7 days at just Rs 11.

The offers are summarized below:

**On-Net includes all calls made to Tata DOCOMO, Tata Indicom mobile and Virgin mobile numbers.

Related posts:

1. Tata Docomo Night Pack For Kolkata
2. Tata Docomo Introduces New Juice Ups in Tamilnadu
3. Tata DoCoMo Launched New STV in Kolkata

MTS India, the mobile brand of Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd has extended its postpaid services of its high speed MTS MBlaze to 5 circles.

Now people of Delhi, Haryana, Tamilnadu, Kerala, Maharastra, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Mumbai can avail postpaid services of MTS MBlaze. Now keep surfing without thinking about data limit, MTS is to charge just 40p/MB extra usage.

MTS already has its prepaid MBlaze services with lifetime validity in all circles except in Andra Pradesh where it is launched its CDMA mobile services.

MTS MBlaze is EVDO based high speed wireless internet services offering download speed upto 3.1Mbps and upload speed upto 1.8Mbps. MBlaze modems come with two price tags at Rs 2299 and Rs 1999.

MTS also launched MTS TV to enjoy viewing TV channels on the move. MTS also offers free browsing on selected websites like Yahoo India, Wikipedia, Make My Trip, CricInfo, IndiaTimes Shopping.

MTS MBlaze Postpaid Plan Details:

^# Service tax extra. Unutilised data limit will get lapsed at end of validity period.

MTS also introduces Addon Packs to combine with MBlazer 1,2,3,6,10 Plans:

*11 PM to 7 AM: In case the web connection is carried forward beyond the specified period, charges will be levied from the night pack free usage or as per additional usage charges, throughout the web session

**11 PM, Friday till 7 AM, Monday. In case the web connection is initiated before and is carried forward to the specified period, charges will be levied from the weekend pack free usage or as per additional usage charges, throughout the web session

When you buy a MTS MBlaze USB Modem with postpaid plan activated you can avail the following introductory offers :

For more details and assistance call MBlaze Customer care 955 (toll free from MTS connection) or call following circle wise no. from any phone. These helplines are also toll free from MTS connection.

Related posts:

1. MTS MBlaze Now on Postpaid
2. MTS Extends Its Mblaze Service In Rajasthan
3. MTS Unlimited MBlaze-999 Plan In Details

We at India  have been watching a tag-of-war between mobile operators on basis of voice call and SMS tariffs for a while; it also put its feet in the desk of VAS to cut down the ARPU and net profits of mobile operators in an overcrowded market which brings mobile phones to the masses.

But we never saw the intense tariff war on internet or data segment in spite of about 373 companies having ISP license from TRAI out of which 99 are category A ISP (i.e. they can offer Internet services over all India). In 2004 Broadband Policy was announced with directions for the growth of Broadband which was defined as always on connection with minimum speed of 256 Kbps. It is fact that on wireline broadband segment BSNL is still the king, making its landline business still viable. But we need affordable Mobile Broadband.

In mobile broadband market we presently have only two technologies available – EVDO from CDMA operators (Tata Photon+, Reliance Netconnect Broadband+, MTS MBlaze, BSNL EVDO and Virgin vFlash) and 3G from GSM operators (BSNL and MTNL covering the nation). Private GSM operators who won 3G licences will roll out 3G high speed data services shortly, as spectrum allocation hopefully will be in coming September.

I am often asked “what to choose 3G or EVDO?” and this question comes only for Internet access while on move, but as I am comparing these two technologies I am covering other conveniences of them also.

Have a look into the exclusive Comparison:

Wireless Broadband	EVDO  ( CDMA ) (Tata Photon Plus, Reliance Netconnect Plus, MTS, BSNL EVDO, Virgin)	3G ( GSM ) (BSNL and MTNL – currently offering 3G)
Connection speed	Download speed is upto 3.1 Mbps, upload speed upto 1.8Mbps	At present download speed upto 3.6Mbps & upload speed upto 384Kbps which can be upgraded to 7.2Mbps and then 10.2Mbps. BSNL/MTNL already starts selling wireless modems supporting 7.2Mbps, even some handsets (eg Nokia C5) is capable of supporting 10.2Mbps speed.
How to access	Mostly using USB data card, only Tata Indicom offers such speed on mobile also. But you can call, SMS using the data card (if supported) from your computer	Handsets and 3G Modem (USB or PCMCIA interface), Laptops/lablets with 3G SIM slot.
Services apart from internet access	Only Mobile TV Video calling is not available though Tata Indicom launched Photon+ on mobile.	Mobile TV, Video Calling – as SIM is coming with modems also. While TV thing does not impress me, Video calling on 3G is coolest thing to enjoy.
Device Cost	Reliance, MTS, BSNL modem Rs 2299, while Tata Photon+ modem costs Rs 2499. Apart from BSNL other EVDO operators don’t have option to use unlocked/outside purchase.	MTNL modem costs Rs 1799 While BSNL’s modem comes around Rs 2000 which supports 3.6Mbps, the modem supports 7.2Mbps costs
Handsets	Fewer choices and only Tata Indicom offers EVDO on mobile.	A lot of choice is there. Entry leval Nokia’s 2730 Classic offers 384 Kbps seeped and comes at Rs.4200 while Sony Ericsson Naite comes around 6000 bucks with a support of 3.6Mbps bandwidth.
Coverage	Compared to 3G, EVDO has limited coverage, while EVDO is not available speed will be as per 1X service (153.6Kbps)	3G have awesome coverage, BSNL is doing an awesome job to cover most of the places before private operators put their footprints in 3G market. Without 3G, you can still get internet access with 2G network (144 – 240Kbps)
Tariff	This is well diversified, for eg BSNL EVDO unlimited comes at just Rs 650/month While other EVDO operators (all are private telcos) have no unlimited or night-unlimited plan.	3G comes cheaper than EVDO. Unlimited data comes for Rs 2500, MTNL Delhi offering it at Rs 1800

But before you go for these things, know your needs first. If you need to access Internet on move on large scale try to get BSNL EVDO, if available in your working area. If you are using a 3G handget go for 3G – it is excellent one. But you sometimes need this wireless thing and don’t have 3G handset or connection I recommend MTS Mblaze, it comes with prepaid packs with lifetime validity, just use once in 180 days and it will be active.However MTS is not the cheapest in terms of tariff plans.

Interestingly most users of EVDO are not happy with the customer care services, and speed with their EVDO connection. Wireless speed depends on various factors like distance from EVDO towers, congestion of network, spectrum allocated to the operator etc.

In BWA auction Mukesh Ambani promoted Reliance Industries owned Infotel Broadband becomes the only pan India basis operator accept BSNL. As it is reported they will initially roll out WiMAX, followed by Long Term Evolution (LTE). The first phase of WiMAX will show the speed upto 23 Mbps and the second phase of WiMAX (802.16e), will deliver 50 Mbps. LTE release 8, will offer a hopping 270 Mbps download and 62.7 Mbps upload speeds. May be we will not get such speed, but still can dream for 10Mbps wireless connection in coming years.

Related posts:

1. Sneak Peek Into EVDO Wireless Broadband Tariffs and Devices
2. BSNL LAUNCHES INDIA WIDE WIRELESS BROADBAND AT RS.650
3. BSNL Launches Pan India EVDO Wireless Broadband at Lowest Tariff

We at Telecomtalk reported about Tata Docomo’s Daily Plans which was launched in March 2010.

Now Tata Docomo totally revamped  its portfolio of Daily plans for all of its customers with some new plans including a regional pack targeting to people of different states.Tata Docomo introduced Rs 10 Weekly packs, to offer same benefits of Rs 2 packs but with a longer validity of  7 days for Rs 10.

Tata Docomo’s Daily Plans represents operator’s simplicity of anytime purchase, minimal cost and easer process.You can access the whole thing by dialing *141# and then you can choose from Daily plans on local, STD, Night calling, GPRS & Music.

Details of all Daily Plans:

Terms and Conditions

1. Daily implies active till 12 midnight on the same day of pack activation. Ex: A subscriber activated the pack on 25th Feb’10 then the pack with daily validity will expire at midnight of 25th Feburary’10#.

2. In case on night packs the expiry of the pack will be 7 am of the next day of activation of the pack. Ex: A subscriber activated the night pack on 25th Feb’10 then the pack with daily validity will expire at 7 am of 26th Feburary’10#.

3. The pack will get activated maximum within 2 hrs of request receipt on the system. You will get an automated confirmation SMS once the same is configured on our systems.

4. You can activate multiple packs in a day.

Related posts:

1. Tata Docomo Launches Daily Plans For Prepaid
2. Vodafone Launches “Daily Plans” for Prepaid Subscribers in Chennai & TN
3. Tata DOCOMO Rationalized its GPRS Packs for Prepaid Subscribers

Mobile Security Center of NetQin Mobile Inc. has reported a new spyware on Android devices. The spyware is made disguised in form of a Tip Calculating application.

Google’s Android OS for mobiles is growing rapidly, in recent statistics Android outplaced iPhone OS from 2nd place in US smartphone market. And such spy apps will keep Adroid users at a edge with privacy.

The program is written such as after installing it to a Android enabled handset, it will make a log of incoming and outgoing text messages and will send the log to pre-set email address hourly. The spy app is named as Simple Tip Calculator. To go to its spyware settings, you first have to open the about page of the application.

Holding down the Carrot App icon in the “About” page, as shown in the screenshot below, will lead the user to the spy settings as follows below.

After entering the default password “spy”, the user will then be taken to the spy status settings where they can enter an email address for mailing the log. After set, the phone will send an email to the entered email address every hour with all the incoming and outgoing text from the phone.

It’s a fact that spy apps are well used by parents to keep track of their children, employers to keep track of their employees and so on. There are a number of vendors selling such products available for Windows and other mobile OS.

Always Keep in mind download the latest version of mobile antivirus and stay away from threat like this.

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India’s leading mobile service provider Idea Cellular has brought a bunch of new special tariff vouchers for its customers in Kolkata and West Bengal.

Currently these two telecom circles have been covered by 8 GSM operators and 3 CDMA operators giving late-entrant Idea a very tough competition.

To keep going in this tariff war Idea introduces some new STVs and revises some STVs for these circles.

Details of the STVs:

For Assistance call Idea Care 12345 tollfree from your Idea mobile.

Related posts:

1. Idea Cellular Cuts Down STV Cost in Kolkata & WB
2. Idea Kolkata Brings Onnet Tariff Packs
3. IDEA Cellular launches On-Net Calling Packs for Kolkata and West Bengal

Wynn Telecom Limited today unveiled a range of high quality, affordable mobile phones in Ahmedabad.

Loaded with incredible features and encased in stylish designs these phone offer the ultimate in style & substance at affordable prices.

The products will be marketed under the brand name Wynncom and price variety ranging from Rs.1, 500 to Rs.5, 000.

Wynncom has come up with seven new handsets in  Gujarat and the flagship handset among the launched phones is Y50 &Y30.

Wynncom Y50 is a Dual SIM Qwerty phone pre-loaded with significant features like AIO messenger, social networking applications, Multimedia etc. This stylish handset is targeted towards the youth as it comes with a Dual GPRS support feature with which the user can have an advantage of enjoying GPRS facility from the two service providers at the same time. Y50 is priced at Rs. 4,195.

Whereas Wynncom Y30 is Dual SIM multimedia phone with dual speakers, 2 MP camera, FM radio with schedule recording, MP3 Player, Mobile Tracker apart from many other attractive features and is priced at Rs. 3,495.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Arvind R Vohra, Co-founder and Managing Director, Wynn Telecom said, “Ahmedabad being the seventh largest metropolitan city in India and a major contributor to the Indian economy provides us with a great potential to penetrate into the mobile phone market and capture the untapped segments with our wide range of multimedia and youth oriented phone which are smart, affordable, trendy and attractive”

Related posts:

1. Wynncom Introduces Seven Dual SIM Mobile Phones In India
2. Wynncom Signs Saif Ali Khan to Endorse Mobile Phones
3. Fly Mobile Introduces MC160 and E106 Dual Sim Mobile Phone

In a bid to reduce debt and investment in GSM/CDMA network up-gradation, Reliance Communications (Rcom), India’s single largest Dual Technology Mobile Service orator hived off its mobile tower business to GTL Infrastructure for Rs 50000 crore ($11 billion).

After the above deal to GTL infra becomes world’s largest telecom infrastructure company not controlled by a telecom operator.

The boards of the Reliance communication and and GTL Infrastructure (GTL Infra), have approved the transaction. The deal will be implemented through a demerger of Reliance Infratel’s tower assets into GTL Infra.

At present RCom owns 95% of R-Infra, only tower business of R-Infra will be merged with GTL, RCom will retain its optic fibre network and related assets. Reliance Infratel has 50,000 towers and GTL now has 30,000 towers – following the merger the merged entity will will have 80,000 telecom towers, 1.25 lakh tenancies from 10 telecom operators. RCom will be the largest tenant.The other tenants include Aircel, Etisalat DB Telecom, MTS, Uninor Telecom, Videocon Mobile, Tata Teleservices, Vodafone and S Tel. GTL has plan to add 20,000 towers more.

GTL Infrastructure, established in 2004 and part of Global group, is the pioneer in Shared Telecom Infrastructure in India. GTL Infrastructure offers ready to use passive infrastructure to wireless telecom operators.

GTL Infra is in the midst of rolling out a Pan India network of 23,700 towers by 2010/11, and is offering the infrastructure to the leading service providers in India. It is a publicly listed company, and has emerged as the largest independent tower company in India.

Related posts:

1. Tower Business Heating Up With BSNL’s Entry
2. MTNL MUMBAI WILL SHARE MOBILE TOWER WITH EASSAR
3. ETISALAT DB TELECOM JOIN HANDS WITH RCOM FOR SHARING INFRASTRUCTURE

South African Naspers and Chinese Tencent owned ibibo.com, a social networking site focused to India has made a tie up with Indian mobile operator MTS India to offer social networking for MTS MBlaze customers.

Currently MTS MBlaze website showing MTS Action Zone including Gaming Zone and Music Zone which are made specially for MTS customers as a promotion of ibibo. But browsing ibibo from MTS MBlaze is not currently free as Yahoo India, Wikipedia, MakeMyTrip, IndiaTimes Shopping and CricInfo are.

Apart from this development ibibo has launched a new feature called ‘MyVoice’ which enables users to post voice status updates directly from their phones irrespective of GPRS enabled or not. This service is very simple – first register your mobile phone with this service, and to record and upload the voice status SMS ‘RECORD BEEP’ to 58247 or 5676746. Or you can just click one link on web. SMS will cost Rs3/SMS from most of the operators.

After that they will receive an incoming call from ibibo asking to record their message like voice mail. The audio of recorded message will be uploaded as a new ‘beep’ on ibibo immediately with a status of “I have recorded a new voice beep on ibibo. To listen, sms PLAYBEEP <code given by ibibo> to 5676746 or go to link given by ibibo”. As per my personal experience this service is cool enough to attract new users to ibibo, as Indian social networking sites like Zapak, Bigadda, IndyaRocks are not as par with Facebook or Orkut here.

Ibibo also launched Group SMS over the past couple of months. It allows users to create and subscribe to groups, enabling one-to-many and many-to-many SMS. Ibibo hosts some most popular online social gaming like “The Great Indian Parking Wars” and “Teen Patti“.

Related posts:

1. Aircel Launches Social Gaming on Mobile Phone Powered by ibibo
2. NOW SEND VOICE SMS THROUGH FACEBOOK
3. IMImobile & Airtel Launches Voice-based VAS Cell Shakti

Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd(SSTL), the Indian arm of Russia’s Sistema in joint venture with India’s Shyam Group which operates CDMA mobile brand MTS is going to sell off 20% share to Russian Government. Russian Govt is going to invest around $680 million in India via SSTL by October 2010 as expected.

Currently Sistema JSFC  owns 73.71% while Shyam Telelink owns 23.79% of the the joint venture, rest owned by public. Russian Govt will take 20 per cent shares from Sistema’s part to cut down Sistema’s share in the JV 54%. The chief executive, MTS India Vsevolod Rozanov has cleared that this investment from Russian Govt. will take care of company’s immediate funding requirements.

The deal with Russian Government is in talk from 2009 but announcement of Indian budget makes the whole process delayed, and now it is expected the deal to be closed by the end of Q3 or early Q4 of 2010. The company is also planning to go for an Initial Public Offer once the Russian government makes its scheduled investment by the end of the third quarter.

MTS India, as SSTL brands its CDMA services is operational in 12 circles of India, bagged a pan India UAS licence in 2008. In one year MTS India has crossed the milestone of 5 million CDMA subscribers. It also rolled out EVDO based high speed wireless internet in selected cities. Company expects to turn EBITDA positive in 2013 inspite of continued falling of mobile call tariffs to be expected.

Related posts:

1. MTS India Starts Mobile Service in Mumbai
2. SHYAM SISTEMA WILL LAUNCH MOBILE SERVICES ON 26 March
3. MTS India Crosses 5 Million Subscriber Mark, Launches Unlimited MBlaze

MTS India, the joint venture of Sistema-Shyam Teleservices which is country’s Youngest CDMA operator has introduced exciting new Special Tariff Voucher dubbed as MSaver-220 for its prepaid subscribers in Kolkata and West Bengal telecom circles.

MTS India’s this new STV or MSaver-220 will offer Local MTS to MTS calling up to 100 minutes per day and local MTS to other network up to 30 minutes per day for a period of 30 days.

MTS subscriber can club it with any other Special Tarff Vouchers which they currently using.  So after the Daily limit of free callings subscriber can enjoy the benefits of their previously subscribed STVs which are mostly lifetime basis.

This STV comes as answer to Reliance and Tata Indicom’s CDMA Packs, and soon-to-be-launched Uninor’s STV197/198. For MTS Kolkata and WB are best markets where inspite of a CDMA operator it finds huge response.

Details of the pack:

Recently MTS introduces the second number series ‘8926’ in West Bengal telecom circle. In these circles, MTS is offering local tariff 1paisa/2 seconds for 1 year at just Rs 95 which attracts most of the customers. Early users got this benefit for lifetime. But with MSaver220 MTS turns down the local call tariff (onnet and offnet) to less than 6paisa/min!

MTS Mblaze, high speed wireless broadband based on CDMA EVDO is going to launch post paid services in Kolkata very soon, which is already available in Maharastra (Pune and Nagpur), Mumbai, Rajasthan and Karnataka.

Related posts:

1. RCOM INTRODUCES LONG-VALIDITY STD PACK FOR RELIANCE CDMA USERS
2. MTS Intros Onnet Pack For Kolkata And WB
3. MTS India Renovates MCARD499 with Daily Rental in Kolkata & Bengal

Tata Indicom, the CDMA services of Tata Teleservices revamped its special tariff voucher portfolio in Kolkata and Rest of Bengal telecom circles.

Tata Indicom in-spite of its ‘Pay Per Call’ plan can not catch new customers as much as other CDMA operators MTS and Reliance do in these circles.Tata Indicom comes with a new SMS pack revised to offer 1500 local and national sms for a month.

Apart from this Tata Indicom has launched a bundle of onnet calling packs offering unlimited onnet calling for a period of 7 days to 180 days.There is also a pack to call local tata numbers at 1p/minute for 24 hours.

Details of the packs:

For assistance call Tata Indicom Kolkata customer care 9231012345 or 121 or 12524

Related posts:

1. Tata Indicom Launches Unlimited Calling Plans for CDMA Mobile Subscribers
2. Tata Indicom Comes with New STVs in Kolkata
3. TATA INDICOM KOLKATA -LOCAL CALL @30p FOR 12 HOURS

Nokia has introduced a new low cost GSM handset in Indian market. Nokia 2690 as it is named is priced less than Rs 3000. This new handset is targeted to counteract the huge sale of low cost handsets from Indian brands.

Dual SIM phones from local brands like Micromax, Spice, Lava, Maxx, Zen, Airfone, Grapes, Wyncomm, Karbonn, Lemon, Videocon is making potent threat to business of Nokia in India, where Nokia has more than 50% of the handset market. Nokia already announced to launch dual SIM (GSM-GSM) handsets in India.

Though Nokia 2690 is missing dual SIM option, but comes with most of the features like FM, MP3 Player, GPRS/EDGE, and a VGA Camera capable of video recording. Connectivity options include Bluetooth and microUSB, you can use your favorite earphones with it, as it supports 3.5mm headphones.

The handset comes with Bluetooth version 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate. It supports microSD card upto 8GB.

Nokia 2690 comes in 4 attractive color options – Graphite, White silver, Hot pink and Blue. The handset is based on S40 software platform can be operated on GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 networks.

Nokia 2690 is to be powered by BL-4C 860 mAh Li-Ion battery which offers Talk-time upto 270 mins and sandby time upto 335 hrs. Other accersories include Nokia Stereo Headset WH-102 and Nokia Compact Charger AC-3.

Details of the handset:

Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900

Dimensions 107.5 x 45.5 x 13.8 mm

Weight: 80.7 g

Display Size: 1.8” with resolution 128 x 160 pixels

GPRS: Class 10, 32 – 48 kbps

EDGE: Class 10, 236.8 kbps

Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP

microUSB

VGA Camera, 640×480 pixels

Video recording at 15fps

MP3 Player

Stereo FM radio

MicroSD memory slot, up to 8 GB

Related posts:

1. Nokia India Announced Nokia 6700 Slide and 7230, Mid Budget 3G phones
2. Nokia Intros 4 New Low-Cost Mobile Phones In India
3. Nokia 6600i Now In India

Bharti Airtel, India’s largest telecom firm completed acquisition of Kuwait based Zain Telecom’s African business for $10.7 billion (about Rs 48,000 crore).

This buyout not only makes Bharti to put footprint in Africa, but also positioned it as world’s fifth largest wireless company with operations across 18 countries and a subscriber base of around 180 million.

Of the $10.7 billion enterprise value of Zain, Bharti will be paying $8.3 billion upfront and $700 million after a year. It would also take over approximately $1.7 billion of Zain’s debts as on December 31, 2009.

Of the $8.3 billion paid to Zain, Bharti has raised debt from a consortium of foreign banks and State Bank of India with the lead-arranger and lead-advisor Standard Chartered Bank committing the highest amount $1.3 billion, followed by Barclays at $900 million.

The rest of the co-advisors — ANZ, BNP, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, Credit Agricole CIB, DBS, HSBC, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation — have allocated $600 million each. State Bank of India has agreed to an up to USD one billion loan in rupee terms.

“This transaction is a pioneering step towards south-south cooperation and strengthening of ties between India and Africa. With this acquisition, Bharti Airtel will be transformed into a truly global telecom company with operations across 18 countries, fulfilling our vision of building a world-class multinational,” Mittal said on Tuesday.

On March 30, 2010, Bharti had entered the deal to acquire Zain Telecom’s operations in 15 nations, excluding Sudan and Morocco. Airtel is already present in India, Sri Lanka, Seychelles and Bangladesh (acquiring Warid Telecom).

Bharti had failed twice in the last two year’s to forge an $23 billion merger deal with South African telecom giant MTN.

Bharti is expected to launch the Airtel brand in Africa by October this year. Company set three targets A subscriber base of 100 million, five billion revenue in Africa and USD 2 billion EBITDA by 2012-13. Bharti Airtel also plans to take its low-cost model of sharing infrastructure to Africa for bringing down the tariff in the continent.  The African headquarters of the company will be located in Nairobi.

Mittal said that Zain Africa will be renamed Bharti Airtel International BV and 15 top Zain executives will move to India.

Related posts:

1. Airtel Bidding US$10.7 Billion to Buy Africa’s Zain Mobile
2. Bharti Airtel Buys 70% Stake In Warid Telecom To Invest $300 mn
3. Gemini Communications Enters African WiMAX Market