ByCell gets security clearance
Switzerland based ByCelll Holdings has received security clearance to launch it’s telecom services in the country (ByCell had applied for pan-India telecom licences).
ByCell plans to infuse $500mn in India to offer GSM-based cellular services.ByCell submitted it’s proposal in 2005 and met with security roadblock from FIPB and home ministry.The company may also get the licence to commence 2G mobile services in the country. [Details]
DoT to identify unused spectrum
DoT has begun identifying the quantity of unused spectrum across 23 circles in the country.Once earmarked, this would enable the department to allot initial spectrum to companies which were earlier awarded Letters of Intent (LoI) to commence telecom services.
According to analysts tracking the sector, the move would result in mellowing of the spectrum issue and is a sign that spectrum allotment is expected to begin soon. [Details]
Broadcasters welcome TRAI’s Phase 3 recommendations
TRAI has released its recommendations for the third phase of private FM radio broadcasting:
- TRAI recommends permitting news and current affairs on FM radio broadcasts. (currently, FM radio can broadcast news only by sharing content from All India Radio, Doordarshan, authorised TV news channels, and authorised news agencies such as UNI and PTI. No other source of news is permitted).
- TRAI has recommended that the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit be increased to 26 per cent from the current 20 per cent for FM radio broadcasting permission holders who are interested in broadcasting news, and to 49 per cent for those who do not wish to broadcast news.
- TRAI recommends that additional channels be allowed by the same broadcaster in a single city (..multiple channels in the same city will allow segmentation and generate better revenue from advertisers. Advertisers will also have the benefit of targeting specific and relevant sections of the audience due to the increase in the number of radio channels in a city.)[details]
Aside, 31 new FM channels were commissioned in the month of January (the total number of operational FM channels in the country now stands at 187).
Microsoft to tie-up with regional telecom operators
Microsoft India is in the process of tying-up with a few of the regional telecom service providers in eastern India for bundled telecom offers.
“We already offer bundled handsets with Airtel. We are now looking at tying-up with a few of the regional telecom service providers in eastern India for value-added bundled offers”. Microsoft’s bundled offer with an eastern regional telecom service provider is expected to be a cheaper voice solution as well as offer new value-added-services [director - communications and media segment, Microsoft India] – [Details]
Penguin India To Offer Mobile Books
Penguin Books India is offering mobile books to consumers. The company has tied up with Mobifusion, and will initially be offering three books – ‘The Joy in Loving: A Guide to Daily Living with Mother Teresa’ complied by Jaya Chaliha and Edward Le Joly, ‘The Path to Tranquillity’ by Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and ‘The Book of Prayer’ edited by Renuka Narayanan. [Details]
RCom acquires Ugandan firm
RCom has acquired Anupam Global Soft, which holds telecom licenses for Uganda. Anupam Global Soft has a Public Infrastructure Provider Licence (PIPL) and a Public Service Provider Licence (PSPL) that were issued by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC). The company was allocated spectrum to launch mobile services by the end of 2008 [Details]
DoT to issue license by Feb-end
The government will issue new telecom licenses to nine firms which got LoIs last month, followed by allocation of start-up spectrum to roll out mobile services, a move that would fuel competition and bring about affordability in the cellular tariffs. Nine firms that were issued Letters of Intent (LoI) for starting mobile services include Unitech, Datacom, Tatas, Idea Cellular, Spice Telecom, S Tel and Shyam Telelink [more]
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