Honest

Thanks for the info my dear Jayanth. Its good to see a new DATA CARD Model from Reliance. Lets see what response this Data Card will get from the market.

^^^ Yes my dear friend, their are Imported Handsets in the market with Dual Sim (CDMA+CDMA).

Party

Reliance GSM Sims are available with local dealers now.

^^^ I'm using HTC S720 purchased from Reliance with Warranty and I'm 100% satisfied with this handset. Blackberry handsets are mainly for Business Class. So can't expect multimedia features. And many Blackberry handsets are available under 15K also. If any one subscribe to Blackberry Plans then he get the benefit of Unlimited Calling both Offnet and Onnet, Local and STD along with Unlimited Data and Free SMS to all Networks. Blackberry's are worth the money. No matter how costly it is. Although their are always MASSES AND CLASSES. Regards.

Update: 3 undersea cable cuts hit India net traffic Business Standard l 20 Dec l New Delhi Three major undersea cables -- the Sea Me We 4, Sea Me We3, and FLAG -- were cut, considerably slowing down India's internet and voice traffic. The extent of the damage is still being assessed. The voice operations (call centres) of IT-BPO firms comprise around 20-30 per cent of most firms in India, and get hit the most -— especially if the International Private Leased Circuits (IPLCs) are down too. An IPLC is a point-to-point private line used by an organisation to communicate between offices that are dispersed throughout the world. Consequently, it's generally the smaller business process outsourcing (BPO) units that get badly affected. The larger ones have built-in redundancy that does not make them very vulnerable. They also have connections from both the Pacific and Atlantic routes so if one route is affected the load automatically gets transferred on the other route. Moreover, those firms that have delivery centres around the world will not be affected as much since they can divert some work to other centres. Moreover, a considerable amount of high-end analytics work can be done offline. Fibres cut in recent years: - January 20, 2007 - Due to Taiwan Earthquake - January 30, 2008 - in Mediterranean Region - Now December 19, 2008 again in Mediterranean Region "Being a Saturday, we may not feel the full impact of the cuts. Though there's no doubt that traffic has slowed down to a snail's pace. Moreover, given the global slowdown, most companies themselves are going slow, and hence the impact may be lower. However, what is surprising is the regularity with which these cuts have been happening," said Rajesh Chharia President, Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI), told Business Standard. A statement from France Telecom said the Sea Me We4 could be up by December 25, and it hoped the overall situation would be back to normal by the end of December. The causes of the cut -- located in the Mediterranean between Sicily and Tunisia, on sections linking Sicily to Egypt -- remain unclear. France Telecom said it immediately alerted one of the two maintenance boats based in the Mediterranean area, the "Raymond Croze". In its initial assessment, the company listed 14 countries affected by the current problem. The Maldives are 100 per cent down, followed by India, which has 82 per cent disruption. Qatar, Djibouti and the UAE were the next most widely affected areas with about 70 per cent service interrupted. Disruptions for Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Pakistan range from 51 per cent to 55 per cent. Impact on voice traffic: - India: 82% out of service - Saudi Arabia: 55% out of service - Djibouti: 71% out of service - Egypt: 52% out of service - United Arab Emirates: 68% out of service - Lebanon: 16% out of service - Malaysia: 42% out of service - Maldives: 100% out of service - Pakistan: 51% out of service - Qatar: 73% out of service - Syria: 36% out of service - Taiwan: 39% out of service - Yemen: 38% out of service - Zambia: 62% out of service Most of the traffic between Europe and Asia is re-routed through the US. Traffic from Europe to Algeria and Tunisia is not affected, but traffic from Europe to the Near East and Asia (incuding India -- see table) is interrupted to a greater or lesser extent. The (SEA-ME-WE) SMW-3 and SMW-4 are owned by groups of phone companies including Bharti Airtel while FLAG cable systems is owned by Reliance Globalcom (an Anil Ambani owned company). And it was only this February, that damage to the trans-Atlantic submarine (undersea) cables slowed down Internet traffic and affected IT-BPO firms for almost three weeks across India before they were reparied, even as Indian telecom operators were diverting traffic over alternate routes. Call centres of IT-BPO firms were the most affected then, since the IPLCs were down too. Unsubstantiated sabotage theories were doing the rounds too. Submarine cables are laid beneath the sea to carry telephone and Internet traffic. They can be broken or damaged by fishing trawlers, anchoring, undersea avalanches and even shark bites. In 2006, an earthquake centred near Taiwan had severed several undersea cables, and Internet services slowed to a crawl across major parts of Asia. In February, a storm struck the Egyptian coast on January 30, making it impossible for ships to dock at the Alexandria port. This prompted some of the ships to anchor off seas, and it is believed a ship dropped its anchor right on the top of the submarine cable channel. How are undersea cables repaired? - Find the location of the accident; drag the damaged part to the surface, and replace it with a new stretch of cable - May also send light pulses along the fibres in the cable to determine the exact location - A working fibre will transmit those pulses all the way across the ocean; a broken one will bounce it back - The telecom operator then sends out a large cable ship with a few miles of fresh fibre-optic lines - If the faulty part of the cable is less than about 4,000 feet down, a submersible robot can be sent - The robot finds the right place; grabs hold of the cable; cuts out the malfunctioning section, and pulls the loose ends back up to the ship - Robots do not work in very deep water. In such cases, technicians use a grapnel to cut the cable and hold it - A skilled technician (jointer) splices the glass fibres; uses adhesives to attach the new section of cable - The repaired cable is then lowered back to the seabed on ropes

India Has 81 Million Internet Users! When it comes to sheer numbers, India, with as many as 81 million people accessing the Internet, is just behind Japan (88.1 million), China (210 million) and the USA (220 million). Brazil is at the fifth place with 53.1 million users. A report released by The Internet Governance Forum, on the eve of its four-day global conference scheduled to be held in Hyderabad, has listed India as the country with the fourth largest number of Internet users in the world. While the numbers may seem encouraging, there is a definite disparity between the IGF data and the TRAI data. The latter in a recent report put the total number of dial-up connections in India at a measly 11.6 million. To arrive at a figure of 81 million it would be necessary to share this one connection with as many as six people. If that was not all, another figure released by the Internet And Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and IMRB International had put the number of Internet users in India at 32 million - and this was just last year. That was about the dial-up part. When it comes to the number of users accessing the Internet using a broadband connection, India lies at the bottom of the pile with only 5.05 million users on broadband. Compare these numbers with the US (73.2 million), and China (66.4 million) and it is certain that the country sure has a long way to go before we can break into the Top 10 list here. Courtesy : Techtree

With full HONESTY.

It is a Dual GSM handset my dear friends. Gsm+Gsm

^^^ My dear Santhosh, BSNL's EVDO Data Card can be used only in the circles where it has been purchased. No Roaming available. And regarding speeds, earlier their were some issues. Hope BSNL must have done the needful by now. Regards.

^^^ Thanks for the info my dear Sachin. So, in a way Airtel is providing full talktime on these recharge voucers.

^^^ Gaffar Market is always the cheapest my dear Nitin.

Gifts

^^^ Its just like you, fan of some other Imported Handsets my dear Dhiraj Brother. BTW, I never seen any Crappiness in Blackberry Handsets.

RCom's FEA cable repaired fully Press Trust of India l 29 Dec l New Delhi ADAG Group firm Reliance Communications on Monday said that its subsidiary Flag Europe Asia's damaged sub-marine cable in the Mediterranean Sea has been repaired fully. "Flag Europe Asia's (FEA) cable, which was under repair due to multiple cuts reported on December 19 has been restored, ensuring full connectivity (Internet and voice)," a statement from the telecom major said. After the damage to the cable, Reliance Globalcom's, which operates the FLAG cable network, IP traffic through the Mediterranean has been automatically diverted via the Pacific region. Reliance Globalcoms HAWK cable system is under construction in the Mediterranean region and would provide resilience and diversity on this route once completed, the statement added. Cuts were reported on multiple sub-marine cables Sea Me We 4, Sea Me We 3, Go and FEA cables in the Mediterranean region last week.

SE to Launch Xperia on November 28 It’s official folks. Sony Ericsson’s latest and possibly greatest handset, their Windows Mobile 6.1 enabled Xperia X1 is due for launch on November 28th 2008 - that’s in a couple of weeks. Of course it’s initially launching in the US so it’ll be a little while before it gets here. "The Xperia X1 continues the Sony Ericsson tradition of delivering the highest quality experiences and the most advanced technology available today," said Karen Morris, vice president of marketing, Sony Ericsson North America. "The most exciting scenarios enabled by the Xperia X1 will be created by consumers - enabling them to customize and personalize their device and content to fit their lifestyle and personality." The Xperia X1's unique panel user interface is at the heart of the device's ability to create and adapt consumers' personal choices. With up to 9 panels, it's easy to find and enjoy the information and entertainment content they want. Sony Ericsson is busy working with third-party developers to create a wealth of new applications and new panels that will soon be available for download. "Windows Mobile gives people the ability to easily navigate between their business and personal lives," said Todd Peters, vice president of marketing, Mobile Communications Business, Microsoft. "The panel user interface found only in the Xperia X1 is bringing unique experiences to consumers who want more from their converged devices." As Sony Ericsson's most advanced phone to date, the Xperia X1 brings together a large, 3-inch wide VGA display touchscreen and a full QWERTY keyboard all wrapped into a sleek silver metal-finished arc slider handset. The Xperia X1 supports 3G networks, enabling audio and video streaming, high-speed internet surfing, multimedia messaging and email on the go. In addition to delivering 3G mobile broadband speeds, the Xperia X1 supports Wi-Fi to meet the needs of consumers' always connected lifestyles. In the tradition of Sony Ericsson, the Xperia X1 also offers a 3.2 megapixel camera, video streaming, video playback and video recording, and the ability to enjoy all their digital music. "The Xperia X1 complements Sony Electronics' family of Windows-based devices and leverages the company's heritage of providing beautifully designed, highly functional, portable electronics," said John Kodera, vice president of product marketing, Sony Electronics. "The Xperia X1 delivers the highest quality entertainment, communication and personalization options for consumers." The Xperia X1 will be available unlocked through Sony Electronics and its authorized retailers. Pre-orders of the Xperia X1 will be available through the Sony Style Web site at www.sonystyle.com beginning today. This premium device will be sold unlocked for an MSRP of Rs. 39, 119 ($799.99), giving consumers the freedom to choose their own mobile operator and data plan. Courtesy : Tech2

XPERIA's Facing Cracking Issues? The issue seems to affect Silver colored devices and for the same reason users are being cautioned to hold back purchases. Months after the much-hyped Xperia launch, users are reporting "cracks" developing on the plastic body - pointing towards a possible quality issue. Members at the xda-developers.com have already planned to send a generic, collective e-mail to Sony Ericsson to report quality issues with the device. Members over at wmpowerusers.com have asked readers to check if their Xperias have started developing cracks. The issue seems to affect Silver colored devices and for the same reason members are cautioning users to hold back purchases - at least for the silver version. This coming at a time when Sony Ericsson and HTC had announced they would be terminating their partnership in the near future does raise a few eyebrows. Was Sony unhappy with the quality levels that forced Sony to end the partnership? Just a guess. If you are an Xperia user, please check your phone carefully for any cracking issues. We can only hope this does not end up being a mass issue and has affected only a select batch of handsets. Courtesy : Techtree

Exilim Branded Casio Phone Coming Soon The phone is expected to sport a swivel flip design - apart from the 5.1 mega pixel camera and a possible WVGA screen! Ok so Sony has the Cybershot and Nokia flaunts its Carl Zeiss branding. So what does little Casio do? Flaunt its Exilim brand image! That's correct! Rumor is that Casio is all set to unleash its new 5 mega pixel Exilim branded phone. Casio, which was earlier known for its rough and tough handsets sold under the G-Zone brand, is changing its image with the upcoming handset which seems to be a more conventional approach to the mobile phone business. The NX9250, as the forthcoming model has been christened, seems to be still doing its rounds at the US FCC (Federal Communications Commission) for its approval to get in to the US. Additionally, there is a Verizon branding you can see in those images. The phone is expected to sport a swivel flip design - apart from that 5.1 mega pixel camera and yes, a possible WVGA screen! Other features remain mysterious for the time being. If you thought this was the first Exilim branded phone, you're mistaken! Casio sells the gorgeous W63CA, an 8.1 megapixel , 480*800 pixel OLED screen and other goodies in Japan already! Courtesy : Techtree

Number of Net users on the rise Business Line l 28 Dec l Coimbatore Broadband penetration continues to be low. “The number of users of the Internet service is only around 35-38 per thousand compared to the global penetration of 68-plus per thousand.” While Asia tops in Internet usage, North America has taken the lead in Internet penetration. However, in India, less than 50 per cent of the people use the Internet, although the number is said to be growing by the minute. It is said to have increased 30 per cent compared to 2007. The broadband penetration has continued to remain low at 5 million against the country’s population of over 1.2 billion. Studies show that 91 per cent of the people in India use the Net primarily for e-mailing, while over 80 per cent use it as a social media platform. Job search, information search and instant messaging and chat account for 72, 49 and 70 per cent respectively. While the dependence on the Net is rising leaps and bounds, cyber laws are not in place and cyber security awareness among users is pathetic, say experts. Sharing her thoughts on Net penetration and its status in India, Ms Srishti Sofat, Country Manager, InfoSpace, said the company witnessed a 23 per cent increase in Internet users as at the end of October and 26 per cent increase in domain registrations during the first quarter of 2008 compared with the corresponding quarter of the earlier year. “The Net is used as a tool for discovery, research, communication and efficiency,” she said. Cyber café users Mr Diptarup Chakraborti, Principal Research Analyst, Gartner, said while Net penetration continued to rise in the country, the number of users accessing the Net from cyber cafes (in urban areas) tended to slip in the last couple of months. He attributed this to increased PC penetration in urban areas, users sensing Net access at cyber café to be uneconomical and insistence of identity proof at browsing centres. “The number of users of the Internet service is only around 35-38 per thousand compared to the global penetration of 68-plus per thousand. This is due to bad user experience, high level of piracy with instances of even the operating system being pirated and security concerns,” Mr Chakraborti reasoned. Notwithstanding such concerns, the penetration of the Net has progressed from an experiment to utility and is expected to eventually entwine in the fabric of society. Usage The Net is used extensively to do job search, ticketing – both travel and entertainment, online trading, banking, information search and online gaming, apart from chats and e-mails. An IAMAI’s Report on Online Banking has estimated the online banking service users at 16 million by 2008. Though the figures are not out yet, there has been a significant rise in Internet banking over the past three years with banks offering some form of service, be it checking balance online, bill payments or simple cash transfers. Internet banking has been fuelled by broadband availability. “Speed continues to be lower than developed economies. A new level of bandwidth augmentation is required to ensure quality experience with services such as Video on Demand. We also need a strong framework for issuance of net connections such as the process followed for cell phone,” Mr Vardhman Jain, Managing Director (Insurance and Business Process Solutions) of Perot Systems, said.

Jammers to block 3G in Parliament Economic Times l 29 Dec l New Delhi Lack of coordination among different government agencies led to a security scare recently when jammers installed in Parliament failed to work and mobile phones started to go off inside the House. A cell tower — in the nearby Rail Bhavan campus — made calls possible on the first two days of the just-concluded session when it was being modified before the launch of 3G technology-based telecom services. An inquiry revealed that MTNL’s base transceiver station (BTS) tower — designed to enable 3G telecom service — had played havoc with the jammers. It was found that the tower, after being made 3G compatible, started working beyond the range of what the jammers had been designed to block. Though the problem was rectified quickly with the help of MTNL which launched 3G service on December 11, the hitch that made jammers ineffective showed the lack of coordination among different arms of the government which could have serious security implications. “It clearly shows that basic coordination is lacking on security matters. There should have been proper coordination between the government departments concerned before making such services available to the public ,” Rajya Sabha member and former Union minister Yashwant Sinha said. Sinha, who had drawn the attention of the chair when mobile phones rang in the House, said, “We were shocked to hear the ringtones, wondering how it could be possible when there were jammers inside the House.” MTNL’s 3G service will make live TV, high speed data download and video streaming on mobile phones a reality. As the existing cell towers needed to be modified for this, the jammers — whether installed inside vital buildings or used along with VIPs’ carcade — also had to be made compatible. But it now appears that this was not done in advance, making even Parliament House vulnerable during October and December. Security expert Ajai Sahni said, “It happens because there is no system in place within civil departments to understand the security implications of any decision they take.”

Cake

Govt to kick off spectrum 3G auction on Jan 30 Press Trust of India l 29 Dec l New Delhi The Government has deferred 3G spectrum auction to January 30, delaying it by 15 days. Telecom Secretary in an internal letter said, "In view of the large number of requests from potential bidders, it is only fair that they should be given some time. Accordingly it is decided that the auction process be shifted by a fortnight and the CCEA decision will be available by that time and we will have a clear mandate to proceed as per their decision". As per the new revised timeline, applications will now be invited from January 9, 2009 and the final date will be January 15. The Department of Telecom will announce the ownership details of the 3G applicants on January 16, which was the earlier date of spectrum auction and on January 20 bidder Onwership compliance certificate for the 3G auction will be given. It will shortlist pre-qualified bidders for the 3G spectrum auction on January 22 and while the mock auction will take place between January 27-28. And, the 3G spectrum auction will take place on January 30 while Brodband Wireless.

Dear Mr. Mufaddal, we are already discussing about this handset in the below mentioned thread. Please continue discussions their only. http://www.rimweb.in/forums/index.php?showtopic=17066

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