Internet Technologies

Dell names Anurag Arora as senior director, GM for India consumer biz

Dell Technologies on Wednesday announced the appointment of Anurag Arora as senior director and general manager, consumer sales for India market. Arora will drive business growth, sales and strategy for the consumer segment across the India market, the company said in a release. He brings 28 years of experience with brands across sales, product management, channel distribution, large format retail, e-commerce and brand websites. Arora joined Dell Technologies in July 2020, and has since played a key role in shaping strategies for the India consumer business, including Dell.com and retail channels, the release added. Rajkumar Rishi, Vice President and General Manager, Consumer Business, Asia Pacific and Japan, Dell Technologies noted Arora's understanding of the omnichannel landscape and proven track record of driving growth are invaluable assets for the company. "Under his leadership, we are confident in advancing our strategic priorities, delivering innovative technology and ...

Wi-Fi 8 enters testing: What next-gen wireless connectivity means for you

TP-Link tests early Wi-Fi 8 hardware, showing the next generation of wireless connectivity with faster speeds, lower latency, and improved reliability

The global internet challenge: AI era demands new governance consensus

The role of governments in influencing policy choices in internet governance has now been established. The previously dominant role of the US government has been diluted

Undersea cable cuts in Red Sea disrupt internet across Asia, West Asia

Undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea disrupted internet access Sunday in parts of Asia including India, and West East, experts said, though it wasn't immediately clear what caused the incident. There has been concern about the cables being targeted in a Red Sea campaign by Yemen's Houthi rebels, which the rebels describe as an effort to pressure Israel to end its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. But the Houthis have denied attacking the lines in the past. NetBlocks, which monitors internet access, said a series of subsea cable outages in the Red Sea has degraded internet connectivity in multiple countries, which it said included India and Pakistan. It blamed failures affecting the SMW4 and IMEWE cable systems near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The South East Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 4 cable is run by Tata Communications, part of the Indian conglomerate. The India-Middle East-Western Europe cable is run by another consortium overseen by Alcatel-Lucent. Both firms did not immediately ...

Microsoft reports Azure service disruption due to Red Sea fibre cuts

Azure users may experience increased disruptions when traffic from the Middle East originates in or terminates in Asia or Europe, the company said in a service health status update

Pak looks to formulate stricter regulations for foreign satellite operators

Pakistan has been delaying the launch of satellite-based internet services as authorities look to invite more players into the field and formulate stricter regulations for foreign satellite operators, according to a media report. The role of satellite-linked communication systems came under sharp focus after the recent India-Pakistan and Iran-Israel conflicts, prompting authorities in Pakistan to formulate new guidelines for companies in the business of satellite internet. The Dawn newspaper reported that following the expiration of the temporary no-objection certificate (NOC) for Starlink in March, all foreign satellite operators are now required to submit new applications under the newly drafted Satellite Communications Regulations. The regulations are being finalised by the Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board (PSARB), based on industry feedback gathered during a recent roundtable discussion. A senior official from the Ministry of IT and Telecom emphasised the need for ...

ALIMCO integrates AI in next-gen prosthetics for inclusive innovation

From AI-powered systems to smart mobility aids, the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) is gearing up to introduce a new lineup of assistive technologies designed for persons with disabilities, featuring integrated artificial intelligence components. The innovations were detailed during ALIMCO's recently held Annual General Meeting for FY 2024-?25, where officials unveiled a series of products under development and nearing rollout. A public sector undertaking under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, ALIMCO is set to introduce these AI-enabled products as part of a broader vision for inclusive and affordable innovation, senior officials said. "True empowerment begins with access to technology that enhances independence and dignity. At ALIMCO, we are leveraging AI and indigenous innovation to build a future where no one is left behind," said Praveen Kumar, CMD, ALIMCO. For FY 2025-?26, the corporation is preparing to launch another wa

Govt issues Letter of Intent to Starlink for satellite internet rollout

The government has issued Letter of Intent to Starlink for satcom services, sources said on Wednesday. Starlink is a satellite internet service developed by SpaceX -- the American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company founded in 2002 by world's richest man Elon Musk. It provides high-speed, low-latency broadband internet worldwide using satellite technology. Sources told PTI that the Department of Telecom (DoT) has now issued Letter of Intent to Starlink. Prior to this, the government had issued licences to Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications. Unlike conventional satellite services that rely on distant geostationary satellites, Starlink utilises the world's largest low earth orbit or LEO constellation (550 km above earth). This constellation of LEO satellites (7,000 now but eventually set to grow to over 40,000) and its mesh delivers broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, and video calls.

A new way to measure digital capability: Tracking tech progress globally

Developing countries are moving from the margins to the mainstream of digital innovation. They account for the global majority of internet and smartphone users

India's internet users to exceed 900 mn in 2025, driven by Indic languages

The internet user base in India is set to cross 900 million this year, propelled by the growing use of Indic languages for digital content, according to a report by IAMAI and KANTAR. The 'Internet in India Report 2024,' reveals that the number of active internet users in India reached 886 million in 2024, a robust 8 per cent year-on-year growth. "The internet user base in India is set to surpass 900 million by 2025, driven by the growing use of Indic languages for digital content," according to the report. Rural India, with 488 million users, leads this growth and now accounts for 55 per cent of the total internet population. The report underpins the increasing role of Indic languages in shaping internet consumption patterns. Nearly all internet users (98 per cent) accessed content in Indic languages, with Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam emerging as the most popular due to their extensive availability. Over half (about 57 per cent) of urban internet users prefer consuming content in

Can, but have not blocked any VPNs: Pakistan's telecommunication authority

Pakistan's telecom watchdog made it clear that no virtual private network (VPNs) was blocked in the country, nor it planned to do so in the future despite having the capability. It was announced by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) chairman Hafizur Rehman on Monday while addressing the launch of the regulator's 'Annual Report'. According to the Express Tribune, Rehman made it clear that so far, no VPN had been blocked and there was no such plan for the future. We have said it before, and I repeat it now: we could block VPNs, but we won't. To date, no VPNs have been blocked. The statement comes after news taking rounds for months that the regulator had initiated the process of registering the VPNs. The deadline for the registration was extended beyond November 30. However, a new deadline had not been announced for the VPN suspension. The government had expressed the apprehension that VPN use might be harmful for the people, while accessing immoral contents on social med

Soon, you can import and export 'Passkeys' while maintaining encryption

FIDO Alliance has unveiled draft specifications that reportedly establishes the Credential Exchange Protocol (CXP) and Credential Exchange Format (CXF) for transferring passkeys

Italy to test Starlink satellites to enhance internet access, says official

We're assessing with Starlink and other players the possibility of complementing existing infrastructure with satellites for the most remote areas

Data centre emissions witness growth: Is AI or climate change to blame?

Three of the biggest tech companies, Microsoft, Google and Meta, have reported ballooning greenhouse gas emissions since 2020

Mobile internet to be suspended in J'khand on Sat, Sun for recruitment test

Mobile internet services will be suspended across the state for over five hours on Saturday and Sunday in view of the Jharkhand General Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination (JGGLCCE), an official statement said. The services will be suspended from 8 am to 1.30 pm on Saturday, and the prohibition will be repeated on Sunday, in a bid to check any malpractice during the examination, it said. Chief Minister Hemant Soren said he has spoken to senior officials regarding the preparations for the examination. "Negligence will not be tolerated under any circumstances," he said on X. "If anybody tries to do something wrong during the examination, even by mistake, we will deal with them strictly," Soren said. The Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission will conduct the examination in 823 centres, with around 6.39 lakh candidates expected to appear for the test, a JSSC official said.

Blackstone mulls selling majority stake in visa, tech firm VFS Global

Considerations are at an early stage and Blackstone may still decide against pursuing a deal, the report said

Enforce traceability, privacy norms on internet call, messaging apps: COAI

The government should enforce traceability and user privacy rules on WhatsApp, Telegram, Google Meet as well as other calling and messaging apps along with telecom operators as such platforms provide similar services using internet network, industry body COAI said. Telecom operators want the government and regulator to enforce message traceability and user privacy rule on these apps to curb spam and illegal activities as majority of messaging traffic has moved to data networks from SMS, COAI said. In a recent direction, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has mandated telecom operators to enhance message traceability. The regulator has mandated that the trail of all messages from senders to recipients must be traceable from November 1, 2024. Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and others, said that while the telecom service providers are working jointly with the Trai and the other stakeholders on th

KITE introduces AMC for 185K hi-tech devices in Kerala schools

The Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE), the technology arm of the state General Education Department, has introduced a comprehensive Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) for 1,85,114 high-tech devices in government and aided schools across Kerala. This move ensures the smooth functioning of these devices, which are essential for effective digital education. The AMC, which commenced Sunday, covers 79,571 high-tech devices installed in 11,226 primary and upper primary schools under the High-Tech Lab project implemented in 2019, an official statement said here. Similarly, 62,677 laptops and 42,866 projectors in government and aided high schools, higher secondary and vocational higher secondary schools, installed during the 2018-19 period, have been under AMC since April 2023, it said. K Anvar Sadath, CEO, KITE said that school principals should register any hardware-related complaints on the new portal - www.kite.kerala.gov.in/support. Vendors will be penalised i

Tired of in-flight internet woes? New solution likely on the horizon

India is preparing to launch its most advanced satellite, GSAT-20, later this year. It is expected to significantly enhance communication capabilities

SpaceX Starlink to provide free emergency service for all phones: Elon Musk

Elon Musk said that the move was to ensure that no one is at risk due to an inability to pay for emergency services. The service would be available subject to approval from country governments