Telecom

Trai proposes short-validity voice-SMS-only tariff packs with lower prices

Draft amendment seeks equal validity for voice-SMS and bundled STVs, with proportionately lower pricing to ensure fair, non-discriminatory choices for consumers who do not use data

India's telecom imports from China rose to $6.37 billion in FY24: Govt

India's imports of telecom instruments from China climbed to USD 6,371 million (about Rs 59,500 crore) in 2023-24, up from USD 5,553 million in 2019-20, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. Minister of State for Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, in a written reply to Lok Sabha, said that total imports in the telecom instruments category rose from USD 13,333 million in 2019-20 to USD 17,010 million in 2023-24. "The imports under the principal commodity 'telecom instruments' have increased from USD 13,333 million in 2019-20 to 17,010 million in 2023-24. Further, the import from China during the period has increased from USD 5,553 million to 6,371 million," the minister said. To boost domestic manufacturing of telecom instruments, he said the government has introduced the Public Procurement order to give preference in government procurement for goods and services which meet the minimum domestic value addition criteria. He also noted the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme

Bharti Airtel, Tata Teleservices pay ₹13,000 crore AGR dues to DoT

Airtel and Tata Teleservices pay over Rs 13,000 crore in AGR dues to DoT ahead of deadline, as four-year moratorium ends and telecom firms begin staggered repayments

Samar Mittal, Vibha Mehra to lead Nokia's India ops in dual-head model

The dual leadership structure aims to sharpen business execution and stakeholder engagement as Nokia looks to tap growth in rural 5G, enterprise solutions and AI-led networks

This Tata Group telecom stock zooms 35% in 2 days on huge volumes

Till 11:30 AM, a combined 73.18 million shares representing 41 per cent of total equity of Tejas Networks changed hands on the NSE (65.96 million) and BSE (7.22 million).

BSNL eyeing soft launch of 5G in six months, says CMD Robert Ravi

BSNL targets 5G soft launch in Delhi within six months, expands AI-led network optimisation and rural edge infrastructure as 4G rollout nears completion

Telcos seek higher int'l termination charges amid growing AI-led scams

Say it will ensure an ecosystem that prioritises consumer protection

Sanchar Saathi: DoT disconnects 3.9 mn mobile connections over cyber fraud

DoT's Sanchar Saathi initiative has enabled members of the public to report suspected fraudulent communications through its Chakshu facility, available via a web portal and mobile application

Union Budget 2026 to infuse ₹28,473 crore equity into BSNL in FY27

The Union Budget has proposed a ₹28,473 crore equity infusion into BSNL for FY27, alongside funding for new 4G sites, viability gap support and employee VRS, signalling calibrated backing as operation

Brokerages expect Vodafone Idea's revival plan to hinge on bank loans

Indus Towers to be key beneficiary as telco is planning to increase tower footprint

NHAI reaches out to DoT, Trai to improve mobile connectivity on highways

State-owned NHAI on Tuesday said it has sought urgent intervention from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Trai to improve mobile network connectivity on National Highways. NHAI in a statement said as part of a comprehensive assessment undertaken by the state-owned agency, 424 locations covering about 1,750 km across the National Highway network have been identified as critically affected due to non-availability of the mobile network connectivity. "Identifying critical mobile network connectivity issues across several stretches of National Highways, NHAI has sought the intervention of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to issue appropriate directions to Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) for addressing non-availability of the mobile network connectivity on several stretches of National Highways, particularly on greenfield and remote sections," it said. Emphasising public safety implications and the strategic ...

Additional funding and relief key for Vodafone Idea to meet liabilities

On Wednesday, Vi's stock price had slipped 11 per cent, after hitting a 52-week high of ₹12.80 on December 31, 2025

Tejas Networks' D2M tech gaining ground, in talks with global players

Globally, we are in talks with a couple of operators, but those negotiations are at fairly initial stages of understanding the technology, said Arnab Roy

Telecom exports up 72% since FY21, imports steady at ₹51,000 cr: Scindia

Scindia said telecom exports rose from Rs 10,000 crore in FY21 to Rs 18,406 crore in FY25 while imports stayed around Rs 51,000 crore, as satcom licensees complete compliance for security approvals

Trai-RBI launch pilot to let users manage legacy promo consents; curb spam

Trai and RBI will begin a pilot with telcos and 11 banks to let select users digitally view, modify or revoke legacy consents for promotional communications via SMS sent from the short code 127000

Scindia, Starlink V-P Dreyer discuss ways to speed up digital inclusion

Starlink executive Lauren Dreyer met Jyotiraditya Scindia after a website glitch briefly displayed India pricing; talks focused on satcom-led last-mile connectivity as Starlink awaits approvals

DoT withdraws duplicate notice, confirms amended cyber security rules stand

The telecom department on Thursday said it has withdrawn the republished rules concerning telecom cyber security, noting that it was inadvertently published in the Gazette in place of another rule intended for consultation. The department clarified that the Telecommunication Cyber Security (TCS) Amendment Rules, 2025, notified on October 22, will continue to be in force. The Telecommunication Cyber Security (TCS) rules aimed to address critical vulnerabilities that have emerged with the rapid integration of telecom identifiers into digital services across sectors, such as banking, e-commerce, and e-governance. It also aimed at facilitating the identification of mobile numbers, devices and other telecom resources that have been found involved in fraudulent activities. A copy of the same notification was republished by mistake on October 29, which the Department of Telecom rescinded through a notification on November 25. "This error now stands rectified by the Department of ...

Airtel brings mobile connectivity to Man and Merak near Pangong Lake

Telecom operator Bharti Airtel has expanded its network footprint to Man and Merak -- two of the remotest villages on the Eastern Border of Ladakh -- near the world-famous Pangong Lake, the company said on Monday. Airtel said the expansion of the network connects the entire route between Chushul and Pangong Tso (Pangong Lake), which is at the Line of Actual control. "Located along the stretch between Man and Merak villages on the eastern border of Ladakh, this area has long struggled with zero connectivity and no telecom network availability, leaving a vast corridor of approximately 50 kilometres without coverage. High-speed network rollout in these villages marks a transformative moment, enabling residents, security forces, and tourists to stay connected in one of India's toughest terrains," Airtel said in a statement. With this deployment, the entire route between Chushul and Pangong Tso is connected, significantly boosting the tourism potential of this globally renowned ...

VIL says keen to work with DoT to protect 200 mn users after SC AGR order

With the Supreme Court allowing the Centre to reconsider and reconcile Vodafone Idea's Rs 5,606 crore AGR dues for FY17, the telco on Monday said it looks forward to working closely with the telecom department to resolve the matter in the interests of its nearly 200 million subscribers. The Supreme Court on Monday permitted the Centre to reconsider and reconcile Vodafone Idea's pending adjusted gross revenue dues of Rs 5,606 crore for the financial year 201617, observing that the issue falls within the policy domain of the government. In a BSE filing, VIL said: "In a positive development, the Hon'ble Supreme Court has today permitted the Government to consider the grievances of Vodafone Idea Limited on the issues relating to AGR. We look forward to working closely with the Department of Telecommunications to resolve this matter in the interests of our nearly 200 million subscribers". This is an impetus to the Digital India vision and ambition of the Prime Minister, the telco ...

Ericsson says will make all telecom gear for India market indigenously

Swedish telecom gear maker Ericsson plans to manufacture every telecom gear it sells in India, including 6G equipment, indigenously, a senior company official said on Thursday. Ericsson, Head of Market Area Southeast Asia, Oceania and India, Andres Vicente told PTI that the company expects to start 6G trials by 2028 but commercial deployment of the technology will take some more time. "Our intention is to manufacture in India everything we sell in India," Vicente said at India Mobile Congress 2025. The company, at present, makes 4G and 5G equipment in India and exports them to Asian countries as well. The company recently expanded its ASIC (application specific integrated chips) R&D in Bengaluru and launched production of passive antennas in India in collaboration with VVDN Technologies. Vicente said that the company is planning to expand the ASIC R&D facility team to 150 positions. He said that Ericsson is constantly increasing value addition in the equipment that are ...