Tag: calling

BSNL Announces Free Unlimited Night Calling Across India

In an attempt to revive its landline service, Indian telecommunications company BSNL announced an unlimited scheme for its landline users. Under this scheme, users of BSNL fixed line service will be able to make free calls to any landline or mobile operator across the globe during night hours, i.e. between 9pm to 7am. The plan will kick off from 1st May.

BSNL said in a statement –

BSNL has introduced unlimited free calling during night hours from its landline phones to all landline phones and mobile phones of all service provider’s network on all India basis from 1st May. This unlimited free night calling shall be available from 9 pm to 7 am.

This scheme covers all major plans of rural and urban areas like landline general plans, landline special plans and all major Combo (landline with broadband) plans. The company said that it will review the responses of its customers after six months; however, they haven’t provided an end date for the scheme.

The Chairman and Managing Director of BSNL, Anupam Shrivastava remarked about the same, “We hope to resurrect our fixed-line business, and we hope that it will attract customers back to fixed-line. There will be some impact on revenues, but with only 10% calls made at night, it may go up to 15% with the offer. However, if we can add more customers, then, it is worth the attempt.”

Since the entry of more versatile mobile operators like Airtel, Vodafone, Tata Docomo and few more, BSNL has been losing its market slowly. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is hopeful that the new scheme will yield positive results. In the past five years, fixed landline subscriptions have fallen from 27.83 million in 2010 to 16.93 million in 2015. The latest TRAI data also shows that BSNL was the biggest loser of fixed landlines customers in February, while Airtel emerges as the top gainer. Still, BSNL’s share in the market was 62.26 percent in February.

Recently, BSNL announced that it will be setting up Wi-Fi hotspots with 3G, 4G networks across the country within the next 3 to 4 years. Read more about it here.

April 24, 2015
The Parrot Asteroid – The Next Generation of In Car Entertainment

From the makers of the much acclaimed Parrot AR Drone, a quadricopter for the iPhone, comes a new product for your car. They have designed an Android powered in car entertainment system supporting maps and attractions, voice calling, weather, and other applications in addition to providing radio and music playback.

The device fits into the head-unit of a standard 1-DIN car, and features a 3.2 inch LCD as well as tactile buttons and a jog dial to control the various features of the device. Many of the Asteroid’s features can also be controlled via voice input. It is able to connect to the Internet via your smart phone or a separate 3G dongle, and the device can also connect to an external GPS to provide its location based services. With the help of the Fuel for Less app, the Asteroid can display the nearest petrol pump, and can also display the prices of the various fuels offered. The device has another app called iCoyote which can warn users of upcoming speed and red light cameras as well as traffic jams and accidents.

For music playback, the device integrates with iPod, iPhone, USB or SD card sources, analog players, bluetooth stereo, and FM and Internet radio and is equipped with a built-in amplifier and sub-woofer. For digital sources, all music can be accessed by voice with the ‘vocal music search’ that responds to the names of artist or albums in users’ music libraries.

The Asteroid will be available from October 2011 and will retail for around $200.

August 31, 2011
Facebook also comes to Skype

Skype has also added Facebook live chat to their windows client. Skype 5.3 for windows enables people logged into Skype to talk to their Facbook friends via an easy interface.

Import your Facebook News Feed to keep up with the latest from your friends. Comment, Like and call them direct from Skype. Update your Facebook status from Skype, too.

Get all the latest Skype features plus send instant messages direct to Facebook chat. See when your friends on Facebook are online and get in touch in one click.

Its only available for Windows Right now, But expect a Mac client soon. Hit the link below if you rock a PC.

[Skype for Windows]

July 7, 2011
Facebook Brings Group Chat and Video Calling – Targets Google +
Facebook has just announced Facebook Video calls, in partnership with Skype. The Video feature embeds directly into Facebook chat and is a free to use service.

There were three major announcements today.
- Group chat(“an easier way to find someone who is online”)
- Skype-enabled video chat
- 750 million Facebook members
In a direct approach the Member downloads a tiny Skype applet .jar file and Facebook Video chat becomes available. Users can now click the video button in the chat module to initiate a video call. The user on the receiving side, get a popup, much like a Skype call. The video camera on either side is turned on only when the recipient accepts the call.

As Mark pointed out, the interface is buggy. we tested it out and after several repeat failures we were able to get a stable connection.

The popup is pretty simple and is always on top. The video chat can be made full screen and minimized or muted. Mark also noted that more developments will come as and when improvements are done to the system.

Tony Bates from Skype noted that over 150 million video calls are made each month through Skype, and now this feature will be available on Facebook.

visit the link below to get started

[Facebook Videocalling]
July 6, 2011
Microsoft gets Green Signal from Antitrust for Skype Acquisition

Microsoft has been given the US antitrust approval for the large acquisition of Skype for its VOIP integrations within all of its offerings including, and not limiting to, Windows, Xbox and Zune. The total cost of this is set at US $8.5 Billion and the transfer of funds will commence and end in one single sweep.

Microsoft will be updating the Skype APIs to make them usable within their own infrastructure, and should be updating the end user clients very very soon. Microsoft has constantly repeated that existing Skype users will and should not be affected by the new changes.

June 18, 2011
Skype Calls Coming to TV’s

One of the largest cable companies in the US announced that it is planning to bring Skype Video Calls to TV’s by the end of this year. Subscribers will be able to rent a special kit which contains a Webcam, an adapter and a Special Remote which will have a Keyboard at the back to type chat messages. Subscribers will get notifications of incoming calls on their TVs and will be able to answer calls with full-screen video or in a window while watching TV. No pricing plans have been decided as yet.

The Skype adapter won’t work with Skype services that let users call phone numbers, or receive calls to a phone number. Instead, Comcast plans to bundle a limited version of Skype’s offerings with its own phone service, for which it charges $20 per month and up, to the adapter, so subscribers can place and receive phone calls through the TV set.

June 15, 2011