Tag: india

Google is Reworking Its Android One Strategy In India

According to reports, Google is set to relaunch its Android cut-price smartphone project in India with a goal of delivering an efficient Android device at an approximate rate of $50 (Rs.3,187 approx.). Android One is a set of specifications that helps manufacturers make cheap and good quality smartphones. This project launched in New Delhi last September, but has struggled since.

Mr Anandan, the managing director in India and Southeast Asia, has reportedly attributed this to supply chain issues that are imported from China, however, the plans for a reboot are said to be revealed in “the next few weeks”. The Android One phones, when launched last year, were priced at about $100 (Rs. 6376 approx.) but, it has been reported that the company would like to target the cost-conscious smartphone users in India and price the phones at $31 to $47, that is around Rs.2000 and Rs.3000.

Over the new few years Google aims “to bring to market high-quality, even more affordable devices… from 6,000 rupees to 5,000 rupees, 4,000 rupees to 3,000 rupees”, he added.

However, there are certain problems that Google faces in India, one of them being – the small size of the local market for digital advertising accompanied by India’s slow bandwidth that hampers their apps such as YouTube and maps; both of which require fast internet connections.

Their response to this, is to fend off local competitors by developing products that are suitable for Indian customers with slow data connections. And an example of this, would be their recently launched offline versions of YouTube and Maps.

It is yet to be seen whether this Google initiative will catch up with the Indian market, and 10 years from now, which big company will dominate India’s ever growing online population.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0%2F6009c540-3ce0-11e5-8613-07d16aad2152.html#axzz3iNsgHeJK”]ft.com[/tw-button]

August 10, 2015

Asus Launches the Zenfone Selfie with a 13MP Front Camera in India

At the ongoing Zen Fest held in New Delhi, Asus has launched three new smartphones. One of them is the Asus Zenfone Selfie which, as name suggests, is aimed at selfie enthusiasts. With a 13MP front camera, it can click sharp self portrait images. The hi-res front camera is paired with a 13MP back camera as well; both come with Dual-LED flash. The device has been priced starting at Rs. 15,999.

Camera specifications aside, the smartphone sports a 5.5-inch full-HD (1920x1080p) IPS LCD display, protected by Gorilla Glass 4. Snapdragon 615 octa-core 64-bit processor paired with Adreno 405 GPU is equipped to the Asus Selfie. It comes with 2GB RAM for the 16GB variant and the 3GB RAM for the 32GB variant. The two handsets run on Android 5.0 Lollipop OS with custom ZenUI on top. The two variants come with expandable memory and are fuelled by a 3,000mAh battery.

Some of the other smartphones which for selfie lovers include Sony Xperia C4, Micromax Canvas Selfie, HTC Desire Eye and the recently launched Xperia M5.

The smartphone is 4G-enabled and comes with dual SIM capabilities.

Here are the full specifications of the Asus Zenfone Selfie

Specification	Asus Zenfone Selfie
Display	5.5-inch display
Resolution	1080 x 1920 p
Chipset	Snapdragon 615 octa-core 64-bit
RAM	2GB/3GB
Storage	16GB/32GB
Rear Camera	13 MP
Front Camera	13 MP
Battery	3,000 mAh
Operating System	Android Lollipop with ZenUI
Miscellaneous	Infrared sensor for remote control
Starting Price	Rs. 15,999

August 6, 2015

India to Become The Second Largest Smartphone Market By 2017

India, the world’s 7th largest country and with the second largest population in the world, may soon have one more tag to its name. According to a study conducted by Strategy Analytics, an international research firm, India is on the road to becoming the second largest smartphone market in the world by 2017.

The first position will be held by China, but India will push down USA from the current second place to the third place in the smartphone sector. Linda Sui, director at Strategy Analytics, says

China has been the engine of global smartphone growth in recent years, but China is now maturing and slowing. India is fast becoming the next major growth wave. We forecast 118 million smartphones will be sold in India in 2015, increasing strongly to 174 million in 2017.

The rise of the smartphone industry in India has been directly proportional to the Internet growth here. As of 2014, India had 243 million people in the Internet grid, the third largest in the world. The US had 279.8 million online in the same year, putting it in the second place.

Linda Sui added that India is driven by the growth of low smartphone invasion, expanding retail availability of devices, prosperous middle-class consumers, and dynamic advancements from local smartphone brands like Micromax.

According to the report, 118 million smartphones will be sold in India this year. About 458 million smartphones will be sold in China in 2015 and will rise steadily to 505 million in 2017. About 164 million smartphones will be sold in the US in 2015, climbing marginally to 169 million in 2017.

Clearly, we can see that in the past decade, US was in the middle of the tech world. But now, companies are trying to get into different and untouched markets in many ways, since most of them are at a disadvantage to the local brands, anyways.

July 2, 2015
Belgium City Sets Up a Special Lane for Pedestrians Who Can’t Stop Texting

It is quite common for people to bump into each other because they are too preoccupied with their smartphones. Another typical scenario, instead of looking left or right before crossing the street, people are steadily studying their mobile screens. Both the cases may lead to unnecessary collisions and can be a cause for serious injury.

Following its success in China, the forward-thinking European country, Belgium, has launched the perfect solution for this problem and is already proving a hit among texting fanatics.

The solution is Text Walking Lanes. Antwerp, Belgium, has given its smartphone users their own designated lanes, where they can walk while texting or looking at their mobiles, without the risk of bumping into someone and dropping their phones. The path is marked as ‘Text Walking Lane’ and is marked with a bright, highly visible white paint.

Dietrich Jehle, professor of emergency medicine at the University at Buffalo, said,

When texting, you’re not as in control with the complex actions of walking. While talking on the phone is a distraction, texting is much more dangerous because you can’t see the path in front of you.

This temporary arrangement was the brainchild of a smartphone company based in the city. They say that a significant number of mobile phone breakage is due to ‘text walking’ collisions. This idea received equal criticism, some welcoming the idea while others wonder to what level of dependency has the human race stooped down to.

Let us try to apply such a change here in India. Our country has the second largest population in the world, and more than half of it owns a mobile phone. Among this is a good amount of people who just duck their heads into their mobile screen. So, yes, the probability of bumping onto another commuter while walking is very high. Because of this reason, Texting Lanes could be welcomed here in India. But, for achieving this, space and infrastructure are imperative factors. With almost 40% of India living in urban cities, is it possible to make space for people to text-and-walk, when there isn’t even enough area demarcated for walking?

Comment and let us know about your thoughts on ‘Texting Lanes’.

June 15, 2015
Apple Music Arrives in India on 30th June; Pricing Revealed
The world was recently abuzz with the recently held WWDC’ 15 in San Francisco and we now have more great news for Apple fans, especially in India. That’s right, Apple Music is set to launch in India by June 30th. The company at the event had stated that it would be released 100 other countries worldwide, now recent reports claim that India will be included in the list.

“We love music, and the new Apple Music service puts an incredible experience at every fan’s fingertips, all the ways people love enjoying music come together in one app — a revolutionary streaming service, live worldwide radio and an exciting way for fans to connect with artists.”

We first brought you the news that Apple Music will be launched and that it will be a universal app catering to three things:
- Apple Music: We will have access to all kinds of music, whether from iTunes or ripped from CDs.
- Apple Connect: This is a way for fans and artists to connect by sharing videos, lyrics, backstage videos etc.
- Apple Radio: We will be able to stream live music and have access to all kinds of tunes, on a global platform.
In addition to this, Siri will be synced in with the App and we will be able to ask Siri to play our favourite tracks or even find songs of a particular genre. The statement released by Apple press contact stated:

Siri is also dedicated to helping you enjoy great music and will help you have fun with Apple Music. Ask Siri to, “Play me the best songs from 1994,” or “What was the number one song in February 2011?”

While all this seemed too good to be true, we in India often read posts like these and felt disappointed with the fact that this might either not come to India at all, or might come in really late. Therefore, you would be pleased to know that this time around, India will have Apple Music by June 30th, at Rs.120 and Rs.180 (family pack) a month.

This spells good news for Indian users as Spotify still hasn’t managed to make its way to the Indian market. This doesn’t matter anymore, though. Apple Music will really change the face of streaming music and will fit in every users requirements. Jimmy Iovine, Record Producer, stated:

“Apple Music is really going to move the needle for fans and artists. Online music has become a complicated mess of apps, services and websites. Apple Music brings the best features together for an experience every music lover will appreciate.”

We couldn’t agree more and we look forward to June 30th, eagerly.[tw-button size=”small” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank”]Source[/tw-button] [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”https://twitter.com/jayesh”]Twitter[/tw-button]
June 11, 2015
Apple Quietly Updates the MacBook Pro and Introduces a Cheaper 5K iMac

Just a month ahead of the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple has unveiled two newest additions to its Mac family, the new 15-inch MacBook Pro and the huge 27-inch iMac in India.

The new 15-inch MacBook Pro features Force Touch trackpad that promises of a new level of interactivity to the Mac. Simply put, Force Touch is a mechanism that senses pressure. It is an entirely novel innovation that merges the previously released Multi-Touch with force sensors.

This Mac also has new PCIe-based flash storage that provides up to 2.5 times better performance than its predecessor. It has an Intel Iris Pro graphics and offers additional hours of battery life, with up to 9 hours of wireless web browsing and 9 hours of movie playback. Other than this, standard options include a 2.2 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of flash, with, of course, Intel Iris Pro graphics.

The new iMac boasts of Retina 5K Display, which has 67% more pixels than a 4K Display. It features a 3.3 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost Speeds up to 3.7 GHz and AMD Radeon R9 M290 graphics. It includes 8GB of memory and 1TB of storage, along with four USB 3.0 ports and two Thunderbolt 2 ports that are capable of delivering up to 20Gbps each.

Every Mac will come along with OS X Yosemite. The updated 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is accessible from today on selected Apple Authorised Stores and is priced at Rs 1,59,900. Configure-to-order options include faster quad-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 2.8 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 4.0 GHz and Flash storage up to 1TB.

The 27-inch iMac is also available on selected Apple Stores and is available for Rs 1,59,900. Configure-to-order options include faster quad-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 4.0 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 4.4 GHz and Flash storage up to 1TB.

May 19, 2015
Meizu Makes its Grand Debut in India on May 18

India’s booming smartphone market is attracting the attention of many international brands. Chinese labels Xiaomi, Oppo and Gionee have already strengthened their position in the smartphone arena, and now Meizu has decided to try its luck in one of the most lucrative markets of the world. The China-based consumer electronics firm has announced its official debut date in India as May 18.

The Twitter handle of Meizu India states –

We’ve heard you and here is the date. #0518 pic.twitter.com/eOMAVGwNQb

— MEIZU India (@Meizu_India) May 14, 2015

As you can see, the post reads “Are you ok?” and below it has unveiled its arrival date in India. There is no mention of the phone that will make it to India, but Meizu is anticipated to start its journey with two of the popular products in Blue Charm series, the Meizu M1 Note and the Meizu M1 Mini. The former one is priced at $220 (approx. Rs. 14,000), while the later cost $112 i.e. around Rs 7,000.

For now, there is no concrete information about the devices coming to India, and these are just speculations. But seeing its large catalog of low-end and mid-range products, it is certain to put a dent on the significant market share enjoyed by Xiaomi and OnePlus in the country. Initially, Xioami had seized all the attention for its highly specced, low price handsets, but today many Chinese companies have jumped into the Indian battleground and have intensified the competition. It will be interesting to see if Meizu can lure the budget sensitive Indian customers and secure a place for itself.

May 14, 2015
Asia’s Largest Google Campus Will Be Based In Hyderabad

After being the first Indian city to get the Street View (a technological feature by Google Maps and Google Earth that provides paranomia views along many streets), Hyderabad may have yet another surprise announcement up its sleeves. Google has decided to set up its first Asian campus here in India’s largest IT corridor, Hyderabad. It is touted to be its biggest campus outside the USA.

Excited to announce that Google & Govt of Telangana has inked an MoU to build their largest campus (outside US) 1/3 pic.twitter.com/iMiPFa3hf7

— KTR (@KTRTRS) May 11, 2015

in Hyderabad. First campus in Asia. 2 Million sq ft space would be built. Investment of Rs. 1000 crores and in four years employee size 2/3

— KTR (@KTRTRS) May 11, 2015

to double from 6500 now to 13000. David Radcliffe, Sr VP of Google & IT Secy Jayesh Ranjan signed the MoU at Google HQ in Mountain View 3/3

— KTR (@KTRTRS) May 11, 2015

IT Minister of Telangana, KT Rama Rao, who is on a visit right now to the US, has signed a MoU with Google Inc, under which Hyderabad will allot 7.2 acres in the Gachibowli area. KT Rama Rao said an investment of Rs 1,000 crore would be used for the same and they will increase its employee size from 6,500 to 13,000. Google also expects the facility would be developed and be fully operational by 2019.

The minister also spoke with Google about supporting the intended Telangana programme that is aimed to promote digital literacy among school children.

With powerhouses of tech like Google, forging its way to Indian soil, it could very well mean that we could be heading to a very bright technological future along with a rise in employment.

May 13, 2015

YU Launches the Yuphoria with a Jaw-Dropping Price Tag of Rs. 6,999

No waiting anymore, Micromax YU’s next product is finally here! As scheduled, YU Televentures today launched its fresh smartphone Yuphoria in India today, adding another product to the YU lineup. The handset is an amazing offering from the Indian electronics start-up with LTE connectivity and Cyanogen OS 12. It won’t put a dent on the buyers pocket, the smartphone has been priced at a mere Rs. 6,999.

Yuphoria boasts an all-metal design with a matte finish at its back. It’s not a rebranded Chinese product and will be manufactured in India. Coming on to the specifications of the phone, Yuphoria sports a 5-inch IPS HD display with 1280×720p resolution and 294ppi. The screen has a protective coating of Gorilla Glass 3. Inside is a 64-bit 1.2GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 along with Adreno A306 GPU. It packs 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage capacity, which is expandable up to 64GB.

Optics of the phone include an 8MP rear shooter paired with a 5MP camera at the upfront. Battery capacity is sufficient at 2,230mAh. It offers 4G LTE connectivity, which allows faster internet browsing. Other options for connectivity includes Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, audio jack and a Micro-USB port.

Not only this, the handset is the first to integrate Truecaller directly in the dialer through its collaboration with Cyanogen. A lot of customization options are available on the phone along with a new app called App Themer that allows you to customise individual applications with a simple press of a button.

The smartphone will be available in two colour choices – Champagne Gold with white panel and Buffed Steel with black panel. The product will go for sale on May 28 on Amazon India website. Registrations begin today from 5pm onwards.

Here’s the spec sheet of the new YU YUphoria:

Specification	YU YUphoria
Display	5-inch IPS HD
Resolution	1280×720 pixel (294ppi)
Additional	Protected by Gorilla Glass 3
Processor	1.2GHz Quad Core, ARM Cortex- A53
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 \| 64bit
GPU	Adreno 306 3D Graphics Core \| 400 MHz
RAM	2GB
Internal Memory	16GB
Expandable Up to	64 GB
Sim Cards	2 x LTE Enabled Sim Card Slots
Primary Camera	8MP
Secondary Camera	5MP
Connectivity Options	4G LTE
Battery	2,230mAh
Operating System	Cyanogen 12.0 (Android 5.0 based)
Price	Rs. 6999

May 12, 2015

Timex Ditches the Gold Watch, Launches Smartwatch and Fitness Band in India

American watch brand Timex is adopting all major steps to catch up with India’s wearable market. Recently, Timex Group launched a smartwatch and a fitness band in the country. The tech-driven Ironman Run x20 GPS watch is priced at Rs. 11,995, while the Ironman Move x20 activity tracker comes at a price of Rs. 8,995. Both the wearables will be available exclusively on Amazon.in.

Anupam Mathur of Sales and Marketing Head, Timex Group India commented at the launch –

With the introduction of Timex Ironman Move x20, and Timex Ironman Run x20 we aim to offer our consumers a confluence of future technology and style, Timex’s foray into wearable technology. We are pleased to introduce these new products to our Ironman portfolio designed to cater to the current age of fitness enthusiasts and tech savvy audience.

The Ironman Run x20 GPS by Timex is a watch designed to entice sport enthusiasts. As the name suggests, it features a GPS technology that lets users keep a track of the distance covered, pace, speed and calories burned while working out or running. Users can receive call and text alerts on the digital display of the smartwatch itself. The Run x20 GPS features a 10-workout memory with dated summary, stopwatch with 99-lap counter and offers automatic pace alerts.

Powering the wearable is a rechargeable Li-Ion battery that can go for 6 hours in full GPS mode. The smartwatch sports a Timex’s INDIGLO night-light and is water-resistant up to 50 meters.

On the other hand, the Ironman Move x20 is essentially a tracking device that records activities like steps, distance, calories and sleep, and notifies about missed calls and texts. It has different modes that helps wearer achieving their goals. The waterproof tracker is fitted with a rechargeable battery with 7 days support. It is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.

May 5, 2015

Panasonic India Launches Eluga L 4G in India Priced at Rs. 12,999

Catching up with the emerging smartphone market, Panasonic has today launched its first 4G smartphone in India. The Eluga L 4G will be available at all major online and offline stores at a price of Rs. 12,999.

The Managing Director of Panasonic India Manish Sharma said –

Panasonic India has now signaled a big leap in its product portfolio by bringing better specifications and features in the newly launched Eluga L which not only caters to the fast developing technological needs in the market but is also priced reasonably. With the company’s recent success in the smartphones category and the mobility landscape rapidly evolving today, the new device will surely match the needs of our fast evolving consumers in the country.

The new Eluga series handset holds a thickness of 6.1mm and features a uni-body design. It is light at 131 grams. The 5-inch (1280×720 pixels) HD IPS display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass from back and front. The processor powering the phone is a 64-bit quad Quad-core Snapdragon 410 clocked at 1.2GHz. The Adreno 306 GPU caters to the graphic quality, along with 1GB RAM. The Eluga L 4G runs on Android 4.4 KitKat. The onboard storage space of the device is 8GB, which can be extended up to 32GB via Micro SD card.

On the camera front, the phone has an 8MP primary camera with autofocus and LED flash. A 5MP secondary shooter sits on the front for capturing selfies. For now, there is no details about its battery capacity. The dual-SIM device supports 4G and 3G network. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. There is just one colour option available in the smartphone – Radiant Blue.

The smartphone has to compete with Xiaomi Mi 4i and ZenFone 2 ZE550ML in the similar price range.

Here’s the spec table of Panasonic Eluga L 4G:

Specifications	Panasonic Eluga L 4G
Display	5-inch HD IPS (1280×720 pixels)
Processor	1.2GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 410
RAM	1GB
Memory	8GB, expandable up to 32GB
Camera	8MP rear, 5MP
Battery	Not Mentioned
Operating System	Android 4.4 KitKat
Price	Rs. 12,999

May 4, 2015

India Plans to Launch Six More Satellites During 2015-16

Till the month of April 2015, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched a total of 74 satellites, out of which seven failed to reach the orbit due to launch failures and three failed in the orbit. Now it has been announced that India will be launching six more satellites during 2015-16. Out of the six, two will be communication satellites, three navigation satellites and one space science satellite, ASTROSAT. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office, writes down:

Six more satellites are planned to be launched during 2015-16. These are two communication satellites GSAT-6 and GSAT-15; three navigation satellites IRNSS-1E, IRNSS-1F & IRNSS-1G; and one space science satellite ASTROSAT.

Furthermore, ISRO has successfully launched 40 foreign satellites belonging to 19 countries, that include four micro and nano satellites built by Indian students using the Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket. India has also planned to launch 13 more satellites that belong to four other countries using the PSLV.

ISRO said it was to include the technology of ion propulsion system to power the future satellites. Presently, satellite fuel occupies space and makes it heavy, according to Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre Director, K.Sivan. According to Sivan, the projected technology would be tried, tested and analysed in a communications satellite.

Meanwhile, ISRO is working on another alternative known as the semi-cryogen engine. It is still under development and will be used to power India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-MkIII Rocket in the near future.

May 1, 2015
Microsoft Might Set Up a Smartphone Manufacturing Unit in India

The smartphone landscape in India is rapidly flourishing. Previously Xiaomi expressed its view to build a manufacturing unit in the country and now, Microsoft is mulling over the same thought. The US-based firm Microsoft is pondering over establishing a local manufacturing unit in India after the government’s decree on import. The company says that post the Indian government’s rigorous take on international organizations, it would be expensive to bring phones to the country.

Corporate Vice-President at Microsoft Mobile Device Sales, Chris Weber reiterated the same, “We’re evaluating local manufacturing in terms of what our local footprint is. There are some new regulations and tax duties, etc., about local manufacturing and certainly we’re looking at them to make sure that we remain competitive.” He further mentioned that the evaluation is underway for all nations including India.

Microsoft got a boost in the smartphone business with the buyout of Nokia’s device business for $7.5 billion last year. The firm has a foothold in the market, but to stay ahead of its competitors like Samsung, Xioami, Micromax and more, Microsoft needs to offer phones at an unbeatable price point.

As an Indian origin firm, Micromax has added benefits. It can retail its handsets at comparatively lower prices as the Indian government has relieved the home-grown companies from many taxes to give them a push. On the other hand, the current budget puts excessive load on foreign tech companies since it has made import even more pricey. It has led global companies to consider establishing a manufacturing unit in India.

Weber said that Microsoft will update its 4G devices portfolio in India and make a comeback in the premium smartphone market this year. The hardware and software beast now has several budget and mid-range smartphones in its portfolio. Seeing people’s inclination to high-end devices like Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Microsoft is planning to throw its top-notch devices in the marketplace and enter the premium smartphone battle.

The American multinational technology firm is presently rebranding the brick-and-motor stores of Nokia all over the world. The rebranding will be held in two categories – Microsoft Priority Resellers and Microsoft Mobile Sellers. The former one will keep all the company products, and the latter will be an experience store.

April 29, 2015

Exclusive: LG G4 to Arrive in India by Early June

LG released their latest flagship yesterday at dedicated events held in New York and London simultaneously. The LG G4 lived up to expectations, and was exactly the handset leaked by Evan Blass (@evleaks), weeks ago. For now, the phone is set to be released only in its native country, Korea. Now iGyaan has learnt from a reliable source that the LG G4 is slated to release in India by early June this year. For the UK market, the smartphone is launching on 28th May, and the Indian market will shortly follow after.

The G4 features a 5.5-inch Quad HD display that utilizes dot technology for higher brightness and contrast. It runs on a six-core Snapdragon 808 processor along with 3GB RAM. It has 32GB of internal storage which can be expanded up to 128GB via a microSD card. Android Lollipop is the OS of choice for this device. It also has a 13MP camera with f/1.8 aperture, colour spectrum and optical image stabilization.

You can check out the spec table below for more details:

SPECIFICATION	LG G4
Display	5.5-inch Quad HD LCD display 2560 x 1440 resolution
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 with X10 LTE
RAM	3GB
Primary Camera	16MP
Front Camera	8MP
Storage	32GB
Expandable Up to	128GB
Battery	3,000mAh
Operating System	Android 5.1 Lollipop with LG UX 4.0 on top
Price	Not Yet Revealed

Pricing of the device has not been mentioned yet. But we’ll know soon enough, as the smartphone releases officially in Korea.

April 29, 2015

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

Tag: india

Specification

YU YUphoria

Specifications

Panasonic Eluga L 4G