Page 4 - Telcos

Big Tech's new reality in India: Stricter regulation, face-off with telcos

All of a sudden, global tech giants are grappling with the prospect of more stringent regulation and domestic telco's demands for a level playing field

DoT discusses fall in service quality issues, measures needed with telcos

The telecom department on Wednesday met operators to discuss rising instances of call drops and service quality-related issues, as it deliberated on policy interventions that can be considered for improving call quality. The meeting, which comes amid the rollout of massive 5G networks in the country, was chaired by Telecom Secretary K Rajaraman and attended by telecom service providers, including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea. The issue of interference from illegal boosters and Right of Way (RoW) challenges came up for discussion at the meeting, which lasted for almost two hours. Sources said that operators made a detailed presentation to the Department of Telecom on current levels of service quality against stipulated benchmarks. DoT sources said that the department is taking a long-term view of the service quality-related matters and has asked players to identify problem areas, and make suggestions on policy interventions that could improve the call connectivity.

Telcos seek tax credit refund, reduction in levies ahead of Budget 2023

The telecom sector says that over a third of their earnings is currently paid to the government as levies

Telecom firms get green signal for towers, services on railway land

The move is likely to give 5G network a boost

USOF successor to focus on indigenising tech, hiring global bandwidth

Govt plans to include fund in upcoming telecom Bill despite telcos' opposition, officials said

Free riders vs piggy-riders: A tale of two cities caught in an OTT debate

The debate over whether over-the-top services should pay telcos user revenues bids fair to overlap with the issue of net neutrality

Have OTT players pay telecom firms usage charges, COAI writes to DoT

Telcos point out that based on global estimates 56% of telco bandwidth is used by OTT communication platforms and in India it is even higher due to the proliferation of users which are over 400 mn

Airports, nearby areas may not get 5G network services anytime soon

DGCA asks telcos to ensure a buffer zone amid fears of C-band 5G interfering with aircraft altimeters

Top headlines: Rs 20K-cr Adani FPO, sunflower oil shipments to India & more

Business Standard brings you the top headlines at this hour

OTT comms services should be licenced, compensate telecom firms: COAI

Telecom operators' body COAI on Tuesday made a strong pitch for OTT (over-the-top) communications services to directly compensate telcos for data traffic they are driving onto the networks, as it advocated a licencing and light-touch regulation framework for such services. Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI), Director General, SP Kochhar said that the association, as part of draft telecom bill, has given its suggestions on how OTT communications services should be defined, to ensure there is no ambiguity. The other aspects like proposing a financial model for OTT communications services to compensate telecom service providers, through a possible revenue share model, will be made to the government going forward as and when the specifics of the framework for light-touch regulation is discussed, Kochhar told reporters at a briefing. In future, the same principle of revenue share basis data consumption, can be applied to other OTTs (all categories), as well, he added.

DoT may mandate local purchase of high-quality telecom equipment

Focus on high-quality products, indigenous manufacturers told

Telcos need to install atleast 10K 5G towers per week: Ashwini Vaishnaw

Vaishnaw said deadline for receiving comments on draft Telecom bill may be extended to November 10 but not beyond that.

Draft telecom Bill: Trai opposed to regulation of OTT platforms

Has communicated this to the telecom dept

'Telcos may see steady Q2 as SUC saving aid margins; 5G updates key focus'

Telecom companies are expected to witness "steady" revenue growth in Q2FY23 with slight sequential uptick in average revenue per user albeit softer net additions, while SUC (spectrum usage charges) savings are seen lifting margins, say analysts. Amid mega 5G network deployments by telcos, market analysts will be keenly tuning in to management commentaries on pace of roll-out for next-generation services, capex outlook and markers on tariff hikes. "We expect Indian telcos to report a steady quarter with stable ARPUs and slowing net adds. Margins would be higher q-o-q as we get 45-50 days benefits of lower SUC," BofA Securities said in its Q2 earnings preview for the sector. India's largest telecom operator Reliance Jio is expected to come out with its Q2 report card on October 21 (Friday), while Bharti Airtel is scheduled to announce its results on October 31. In the earnings' preview for the sector, ICICI Securities anticipated "steady revenue growth" and said margins may jump on .

BSNL has worst call drop rate in 14 of 18 surveyed cities, shows Trai data

Vodafone Idea had the highest data download rates, across both 3G and 4G networks in the most number of cities

The multi-faceted promise: 5G adoption by enterprises set to pick up pace

Apollo Hospital, which has partnered with Bharti Airtel and Cisco, plans to deploy 15 such connected ambulances in Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad later this month, and a total of 200-300 by March 2023

Indians not 'sticky', highly likely to switch mobile brands and carriers

As with the mobile brands, Indian users were among the most likely in the world to switch their current mobile network carriers, according to YouGov's 'Loyalty in Telco Report 2022'

DoT may bring digital apps under licensing purview in draft telecom bill

The companies will convey their fears during the consultation process

Inclusion of OTT platforms in Telecom Bill maybe a risk to digital economy

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) released the draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022, late on Wednesday

New telecom law should suspend USOF levies, say industry bodies

A new legal framework for the telecom sector should freeze fresh levies from telcos for the Universal Service Obligation Fund, say ASSOCHAM, IAMAI