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3G winners eligible for 2G too, says DoT Economic Times l 24 Dec l New Delhi The communications ministry on Tuesday said that new entrants winning third-generation (3G) spectrum in the auctions next month will also be eligible for second generation (2G) radio frequencies. However, foreign telcos, who plan to bid for 3G spectrum, have sought more clarity. “A new entrant in 3G, who has obtained a licence, will be kept in the queue for 2G spectrum,” R Ashok, member (finance) at the Telecom Commission, the communications ministry’s highest decision-making body, said at the pre-bid conference in the New Delhi. Mr Ashok, however, didn’t divulge further details. Currently, all services in India are offered on the 2G radio frequencies. The 3G spectrum will allow telecom companies to offer high-end services such as fast downloads of music files and video clips, interactive gaming and video calls and TV on the mobile. Executives at leading telecom operators say Mr Ashok’s statement implies 2G spectrum will be allotted to the new entrants, keeping in mind the future spectrum requirements of existing telcos. International telcos that ET spoke to termed Mr Ashok’s statement as a ‘gimmick’. “The Department of Telecom (DoT) has only said that new entrants, who succeed in the 3G bids, will have to wait in queue. They have given no other details. Foreign operators can’t plan their business model unless they have further clarity,” an executive with an international operator said, requesting anonymity. An executive with another global operator said that currently, there were already about 400 applicants waiting in the queue for 2G spectrum. “If the government meant that we will get 2G spectrum after these companies, it will need to find spectrum more than what is globally available,” he said. The government also said that it would unveil the policy to enable mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) to launch services in India before the 3G auctions. MVNOs are companies that don’t own any telecom infrastructure but buy airtime (minutes of usage) from existing operators. They market and sell it using their own brand. The model is experiencing phenomenal growth particularly in the 3G space globally, as MVNOs are able to connect to end-users through highly-specialised value-added services and superior branding experience. This is the first time that the government has said that new players in the 3G space will be considered for 2G spectrum also. Recently, the US had asked India to clarify finer details of its 3G policy, especially on the roadmap for successful bidders. Apart from the US, several international operators had also pointed out that 3G players will have to pay $410 million to obtain a unified access service (UAS) licence, but won’t get the start-up 2G spectrum which is required to provide traditional voice and data services. The communications ministry on Tuesday also clarified that new entrants will be allowed to acquire an existing telco prior to the bidding process and still participate in the 3G auctions. A DoT official present at the meet also added that the M&A guidelines for telcos will also apply to the Internet service providers (ISP), who bid for broadband wireless spectrum such as WiMax spectrum. At present, the M&A guidelines do not cover the ISPs. The DoT also said that it won’t make it mandatory for telcos to enter into roaming agreements with each other. Foreign players had asked the government to make it mandatory to have roaming agreements between 2G and 3G networks as new entrants in the 3G space will not have a pan-India network and their customers will have to use the networks of existing operators while on roaming. But if existing telcos fail to enter into commercial agreements with the new entrants, the latter will not have a viable business model.

Kumaar, Ganesan, Mukesh, Ani_Meher, Santhosh, Venkteswaran, Kalpak, Jayanth, Dhiraj, Fevin, Asit, Mufaddal, Harshal, Rakesh & Saurav Many Many thanks to all of you guys for your wishes.

Nokia Goes Supernova With 4 New Handsets Nokia has unveiled a new range of mobile phones called Supernova, aimed at the style conscious individuals who aren’t just interested in style but functionality as well. This new range of handsets will take users back to those good old days where you could change the covers of your handset and make it as colorful and jazzy as you please. The four new handsets launched in this range include: Nokia 7610 Supernova This handset features a slide design and smooth curves, so don’t confuse it with the previous 7610 candy bar handset with the odd keypad. This handset offers Xpress-On covers in a choice of a set of 'steel blue' and 'red' covers offset by a muted gray front surface, or 'bright lilac' and 'steel blue' contrasted against a pristine white front surface. The innovative 'Theme Colorizer' feature lets people identify and capture any color and further tailor a look by applying captured colors to the phone's key illumination and wallpaper. Additional features include a 3.2 megapixel camera with dual LED flash and 8x digital zoom, instant messaging and TV out for image sharing. With the Nokia 7610 Supernova, consumers can also enjoy and manage music with a dedicated music key, FM-radio, an MP3 player and access to Nokia Music Store through the Nokia Music PC Client. The Nokia WidSets service gives access to enjoy and share content on favorite websites through the device. Nokia 7510 Supernova The Nokia 7510 Supernova is a flip phone with a push-to-open side key. Available with Xpress-On front and back covers in 'storm blue', 'red', 'emerald green' and 'espresso brown' the Nokia 7510 Supernova features light effects with a hidden-until-lit display and a reminder light. The phone features a 2 megapixel camera with NIPS, LED flash, 4x digital zoom, a 512MB microSD card, a large 2.2-inch QVGA display and a new user friendly Nokia web browser for easy access to Nokia Search, Share on OVI and Flickr. This handset also comes with a music player, FM Radio, access to Nokia Music Store and Nokia Music PC Client. Additional features include a link to YouTube, access to Nokia Maps 1.2 to navigate with free mapping, routing and local search, support of A-GPS and the Nokia WidSets service.

Nokia 7310 Supernova SSC Napoli Special Edition revealed Nokia is no stranger to remaking its old products, but its work (or apparent overwork) with the Nokia 7310 Supernova is just… The Finns have created and are planning to release a special edition Nokia 7310 Supernova, which is to be called the “Nokia 7310 Supernova SSC Napoli Special Edition.” As you might have guessed, it works exactly like the original. However, this special edition make is dedicated to Italian football sensation SSC Napoli, and the phone itself is coated in the team’s signature azure blue color with images of footballs on its back cover along with the SSC Napoli logo. What sets this Nokia 7310 Supernova SSC Napoli Special Edition apart from the original is the fact that this one contains an enhanced screensaver, wallpapers and an exclusive gallery full of the team’s photos. Everything else that should be on a Nokia 7310 Supernova phone come here as standard. The Nokia 7310 Supernova SSC Napoli Special Edition goes on sale starting today in exclusive outlets in Euronics Tufano for an estimated price of 169 Euros (or approximately $236 USD). Courtesy : Unwiredview

Android G3: HTC’s third Android handset already in development? Though rumors about a purported HTC-built Android G2 are still new and quite fresh, a new report mentions a third and completely new Android-based handset that’s already in the works, also care of HTC. Providing practically no details, the Chinese-language Economic Daily News (EDN) says that HTC is actually developing its third Android-based handset now, reigniting rumors about a second-generation HTC Android phone that’s said to be scheduled for release sometime during the first quarter of 2009. HTC CEO Peter Chou was interviewed by EDN, and was said to mention that HTC expects to sell well over one million Android-based G1 handsets by the end of 2008, which we already knew, by the way. Then EDN further goes on to say that the third Android-based HTC handset is already in development. With “Taiwan-based securities houses” as EDN’s quoted source, one can only imagine how real this rumor ought to be. But if HTC launches its second Android handset in the first quarter of 2009 (at the earliest), then we shall look back to this and say, “Now it’s beginning to get real.” Courtesy : Unwiredview

India upbeat on 3G auction, moves to hook foreign cos REUTERS l 23 Dec l New Delhi India is confident the global financial crisis will not derail its auction of 3G mobile services spectrum due in mid-January, hanging out the prize of a larger foothold in the world's fastest growing wireless market. The government hopes to raise $8.2 billion from the sale, and in a move to hook major overseas players it now plans to make new entrants winning third-generation radio waves eligible for space on the 2G spectrum as well. "We have great hopes," R Ashok, member of the Telecom Commission, the apex government body for the sector, told reporters at a news conference when asked how firms were responding amid the financial gloom. Adding potential 2G spectrum to the offer, it is hoped, will make it easier for new foreign entrants to enter an extremely price-sensitive market where most use their mobile phones for voice calls and expensive data services take time to bear fruit. 3G service enable customers to watch live mobile TV, download music and browse the Internet at high speed. The auction will start on Jan. 16 for 20 of India's 22 telecoms service areas or circles, and four 3G slots in most of these regions have been put on the block. The reserve price for pan-India spectrum has been set at 20.20 billion rupees ($414 million), but bids are expected to be much higher and the telecoms minister sees the auction generating revenue of 300-400 billion rupees. "I suppose it is quite probable that we will meet the target," Ashok said. Currently, telecoms firms in India offer only second-generation mobile services in a market seeing rapid growth with about 10 million new users being added every month. International telecoms firms such as Vodafone, SingTel, Telenor, Etisalat, TM International and Maxis, which are already present in the country through partnerships with Indian firms, will be able to bid through these ventures for 3G spectrum. TV Ramachandran, the head of a nine-member telecoms lobby group, described the offer of 2G radio waves for new arrivals as an "act of fairness" which would spur interest from foreign firms.

Telenor says Unitech Wireless deal delayed till Jan '09 Press Trust of India l 23 Dec l Oslo / New Delhi Norwegian telecom firm Telenor on Tuesday said it expects to close the transaction with Unitech Wireless, the telecom arm of Indian realty major Unitech, in January next year. In October, Unitech had said it would sell 60 per cent stake in its telecom venture for about Rs 6,120 crore (about 1.23 billion dollars) to Telenor. The Norwegian company in a statement today said closing of the Unitech Wireless transaction is expected to occur during January 2009. Earlier, Telenor had announced that it anticipated to complete the transaction by the end of this year. The company is also evaluating alternatives to fund the transaction, it said. "The closing of the transaction is subject to certain conditions being fulfilled. Telenor and its partner, the Unitech Group, anticipate that not all conditions for closing (the deal) will be fulfilled before year-end," the telecom entity said in its statement. According to the statement, the company's evaluation of alternatives, including the previously announced rights issue of 12 billion Norwegian Kronor (about Rs 8,285.28 crore), is ongoing. The firm also intends to announce a decision on the "funding of the investment at, or prior to, the closing of the Unitech Wireless transaction". Unitech was awarded pan-India mobile telecom licence for Rs 1,651 crore early this year and has got GSM spectrum in 13 circles. The company plans to launch services in the first half of 2009.

Nokia Brings The 8800 Sapphire Arte to India Nokia, has launched its premium handset the 8800 Sapphire Arte. The Nokia 8800 Sapphire Arte is inspired from nature and makes a unique statement with its single Sapphire (world's most durable material) as the center-key. The handset features 3G capabilities along with 3.2 megapixel auto focus camera and boasts an OLED display. Devinder Kishore, Director Marketing, Nokia India said,"As part of its premium range, Nokia brings yet another iconic mobile phone. Nokia 8800 Sapphire Arte sets the benchmark for quality and craftsmanship. The high-end materials and seamless surfaces celebrate the art of individuality - inspired by natural light with minimalistic design." The handset has a high-end metal and glass composition. It has a smooth slide mechanism – comprised of state-of-the art ball bearings and a unique spring mechanism. It also sports a polished steel case with a genuine sapphire gem stone and an accent of soft brown napa leather. It comes with 'tap-for-time' and 'turn-to-mute' features while living wallpapers move throughout the day to give on-screen decoration. By double-tapping the steel surface below the display, an analogue clock appears – indicating time, while incoming calls can be silenced by simply turning over the phone, screen-side down. The Nokia 8800 Sapphire Arte comes at a premium price of Rs. 62,829.

Nokia Reveals New Arte Luxuary Handset Nokia is in the news yet again with reports of a new 8800 luxury edition handset make the rounds. The 8800 Gold Arte is plaited with 18-carat gold and white leather trimmings. It features a 2 inch QVGA OLED display that sports 16 million colors and comes with 4GB of internal user memory. Other features include Bluetooth, an accelerometer, turn to mute, and a 3.2MP AF camera. There’s no official word on the availability of the handset yet not a price tag so stay tuned. Courtesy : Tech2

Nokia 5800 Yours on January 4, 2009 That's, if you have booked the 'Comes with Music' handset through the pre-booking channel, says a Nokia representative There will not be any further delay the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic will be available in January 2009. If you've booked the handset through the ( pre-booking channel , you'll receive the handset on January 4, said a Nokia representative who called us to confirm our pre-booking. "The phone will hit retail stores on January 25," says a Nokia Priority dealer in Navi Mumbai. We're not sure if this indicates pan-India availability, since there's no official word about this from the company. Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is the first Symbian S60 5th Edition based touchscreen phone from the company. It has a 3.2-inch screen and offers Nokia's 'Comes with Music' service. The music service offers unlimited access to Nokia Music Store catalogue for one year. Nokia 5800 has been priced at Rs. 21,800. The phone is currently available at select Nokia Priority outlets to allow users a hands-on experience of the device. Courtesy : Techtree

Dev-Tem Sucessesfully Unlocks iPhone 3G The iPhone 3G has been unlocked and we have the guys from the iPhone Dev team to thank for their hard work and perseverance. Though this unlocking has been a work in progress for quite some time now but the wait is over. To make things more legit, a video was made showing an iPhone 3G getting unlocked with all the steps involved in the same. The Dev-Team has codenamed the project yellowsn0w. As the reports and video will show, the process is little more technical, so an average user won’t really be able to pull this off if they don’t have the know-how. In light of this, the team is planning on developing a simpler version. It's possible that the software might be distributed via the third party developers system so in this case you’ll have to have a jailbroken iPhone in order to use it. Those with version 2.11.07 or earlier versions will get the best out of this procedure. Courtesy : Tech2

More Signs of iPhone Nano A sign that suggests that Apple may launch an iPhone Nano: XSKN revealed the case design of iPhone 3G before its launch There are no subtle hints from Apple about the release of a MacBook Nano or a netbook with a different name, but there sure is a sign that is significant enough to suggest that Apple is going to bring out an iPhone Nano in the future (an addition to the list of rumors attached to this product). XSKN, a silicone casings maker based in China, has a section for its casings where it has listed the iPhone Nano along with the iPhone 3G and the 1st Gen iPhone -- as reported by Macrumors . Now, we don't know how credible any source is when it comes to Apple rumors. So why should we not brush aside this listing as a rumor? It's because XSKN has a history of revealing the case design of iPhone 3G before its launch! XSKN hasn't leaked the images of the iPhone Nano casings; that would have left some room for speculation of its form factor to chew on. Finally, is this just another addition to the long list of rumors attached to the iPhone Nano or is it a forerunner to the actual thing? We'll just have to wait and find out; let's hope the wait will not extend beyond Macworld 2009. Courtesy : Techtree

Samsung Launches MPower Series of CDMA Handsets Can interoperate on Reliance Mobile, Tata Indicom and Virgin Mobile and support high-speed wireless data of up to 153kbps Samsung has introduced its MPower series of CDMA phones -- MPower 569 and MPower 309. The MPower series has the capability to interoperate on Reliance Mobile, Tata Indicom and Virgin Mobile. The MPower phones adapt to the network settings of the respective service provider on change of the SIM card, says the company. Both the new phones support high-speed wireless data of up to 153kbps. The phones also perform the function of data cards on connection to laptops through Bluetooth or data cable, thereby eliminating the need for purchase of separate data cards by the consumers. The M569 is a multimedia-enabled phone with 2 megapixel camera, FM Recording on Micro SD Card, has expandable memory up to 4GB, Bluetooth with stereo headset function, equalizer and surround sound, video recording and MMS support, 2.1-inch color LCD screen and document viewer. The M309 comes with 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth enabled with stereo headset function, supports MicroSD card up to 4GB, offers video recording and MMS support and 1.9-inch TFT screen. Both M569 and M309 phones have the Mobile tracker feature to ensure that the phones can be traced in case of theft. M569 is priced at Rs 9,900, while M309 is priced at Rs. 6,300. Courtesy : Techtree

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Oh ! So for their new coming Gsm service they are offering last 5 to 6 digits numbers same as the subscribers have in CDMA. That means MNP within the same operator is far away.

And if you still have problem then here is another one from other server. Courtesy : Techtree

^^^ No, my dear Rakesh, I didn't removed the image and it is still present in the 1st post. Sometimes their'r problems with the server where the images are been hosted. You can try, right click at small cross icon and their you will get the option of "Show Picture". I think you will be able to see the pic. Regards.

You have the huge / good collection of Games my dear Asit. Really appreciate your efforts. Post some Java Applications also. Regards.

Wow ! Its wonderful blackberry plan offered by TATA. But its useful only for Blackberry users. But really its a great plan. Vodafone asusal remains the costliest.

Thank God, the delay is not more than one week. So, cool down Rimwebians for another 11 days.

Economic Times l 23 December l Mumbai Anil Ambani’s Reliance Communications (RCOM) has set aside $1 billion for its 3G (third generation) telecom services rollout. The approximately Rs 4,700 crore investment in 3G, will be funded through RCOM’s internal cash reserves of Rs 12,000 crore. Top ADAG officials confirmed the figures to ET, stating its 3G rollout will begin on the GSM (global systems for mobile communications) network, which is slated for a formal launch very soon. The GSM network is already being tested in Mumbai and the nation-wide rollout will be over by June next year. RCOM officials also said that they were still debating on whether to bid for the 3G licence on a pan-India level or restrict it only to the five metros. “We are currently working out the financial dynamics. We will have a clearer picture in a week’s time,” he added. However, as of now RCOM is planning a pan-India rollout and is looking at covering the 50 top cities. RCOM is aggressively scouting for a strategic partner who will help in 3G rollout. Korean Telecom company SKCC is reportedly said to be in talks with Reliance Communications for providing VAS for 3G, as well as IPTV. SK C&C president SK Yoon has said that the company is in-terested in leveraging its experience on the CDMA platform, and is eying acquisitions in India, as well as partnerships and joint ventures. The 3G or third generation phones work in higher bandwidths of 15-20 MHz. Currently mobile phones work on 2G or 2.5G technologies. While 2G is focused on voice, 3G supports high-speed data of at least 144 kbps enabling broadband internet access on the mobile, and “triple play” features like mobile TV and converged communication services. Currently, key operators are facing severe 2G spectrum crunch in top 20-30 cities which is hampering their future growth.

My dear friends, I too think that Reliance will definetely interested in launching EVDO in the near future. If Reliance get the spectrum for EVDO then it will be in the favour of all its CDMA users.

Nokia Unveils Mail on Ovi for Series 40 Devices With as many as 110 such devices in circulation today, the service could become a popular option for mobile email users. Nokia has officially unveiled its Mail on Ovi service "live", ready to be used on Series 40 handsets. The service includes Nokia s free email account. Users can create their own email address directly on their mobile phones without the need of a PC. The Ovi email account gives a person all the features and functionalities of a typical PC-based email account. During the Beta period, consumers will be able to choose from 12 languages based on the settings of their device. The languages currently supported include English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Hindi, Bengali, Tagalog, Bahasa Indonesia and Bahasa Malaysia. Users in India, Malaysia and the Philippines have been using the Beta service since November. It is now that the service has been extended to other countries. Almost all of the latest Series 40 handsets Nokia have launched in recent times support the service. With as many as 110 such devices in circulation today, Mail on Ovi could potentially become a popular option for mobile email users around the globe. Head to www.ovi.mobi on your Series 40 handset to take a look. Courtesy : Techtree

Mobile VAS cos may stay unlicensed Economic Times l 23 Dec l New Delhi Companies providing value-added services (VAS) such as music and videos on the mobile phones will not be brought under a licensing regime. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), which has been examining the issue for the last couple of months, holds the view that the country should continue with the current system, as per two TRAI officials. VAS providers are neither regulated nor licensed currently. The regulator has also decided not to interfere in the commercial agreements between VAS operators and telcos, the officials said. TRAI is likely to announce these moves within the next couple of weeks. All telecom services except voice, such as SMS, music, entertainment, mobile commerce and GPRS are classified as VAS applications. As per TRAI figures, about 10-14% of telcos’ total revenues currently come from VAS. With telcos now shifting their focus towards high-end VAS applications, non-voice revenues are expected to cross 30% of total revenues in the next 5-7 years. As per the Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI), the body representing all GSM players, the VAS services market is projected to be worth $10 billion by 2010. TRAI is also likely to put guidelines to enable content producer and creators to protect their copyrights. This will prevent operators from misusing branded content such as movie clips and music files. The regulator is also looking at the possibility of issuing norms that will allow VAS companies to sell their products and services directly to the consumers without having to go through the operators. TRAI’s decision not to specify a revenue-share system is likely to upset most leading players in the country’s Rs 4,500-crore VAS sector. Players in the space have constantly alleged that telcos didn’t give them a fair share of revenues and have been pressing for a regulatory framework for revenue sharing. VAS players have demanded that India too have an organised business model as established in other markets such as China, Japan and Europe. Earlier this year, all leading telcos had opposed move by the government or TRAI to frame guidelines for VAS. Operators had said that India must not deviate from the current policy of ‘light touch regulation’, where they only have to inform DoT before launching a service.

3G pre-auction meet on Tuesday Economic Times l 23 Dec l New Delhi India’s 3G road map is all set to kick off on Tuesday with the pre-bid conference when the government will answer queries related to the 3G bidding and spectrum allocation. This will be the final opportunity for operators to clear the air on issues including frequency bands, rollout obligations and licence conditions. The department of telecom (DoT) has deputed a high-level team including all its senior officials to engage with operators during the day-long pre-bid conference. After the conference, the DoT will ask all operators wanting to participate in the 3G auction to submit their applications by January 5, 2009. Analysts expect the auction of 3G spectrum, which will allow services such as high-speed Internet and video-calling on mobile phones, to fetch the government up to Rs 30,000 crore ($6 billion). Communications and IT minister A Raja has said the amount could be as much as Rs 40,000 crore. Telcos who are bidding for both 3G and Broadband Wireless Access (BWA, used for technologies such as WiMax) spectrum are expected to seek policy changes from the government during the pre-bid conference. For instance, the WiMax forum demanded on Monday that the government address some key issues before going ahead with the auctions. “The current policy states that 3G spectrum will be given for a period of 20 years, while for BWA, the tenure is only 15-years. The government must put both technologies at par,” the forum’s India chapter chairman CS Rao said, during an interaction with the media on Monday. Mr Rao also said that the government’s move to give WiMax spectrum in the FDD (paired) mode to BSNL in three circles - Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh — was in violation of international standards. Professor Arogyaswami Paulraj, considered to be the father of WiMax and the CTO & co-founder of WiMax chips firm Beceem Communications, pointed out that globally WiMax operated in 2.3 GHz and 2.5 GHz frequencies in the TDD mode only. “The move to give spectrum to BSNL in another mode was to favour just one vendor. This will ensure that no other player will be able to offer WiMax services in these three states,” he added. Professor Paulraj also heads the Smart Antennas Research Group at Stanford university. Foreign telecom operators have pointed out that while they have to pay $410 million to obtain the UAS licence to provide mobile services if they succeed in their 3G bids, they won’t get the start-up 2G spectrum that is required to provide traditional voice and data services. Currently, all telecom services in India are offered on 2G frequencies. The new players, who are eyeing the India market, will therefore ask the government to come clean on this issue during Tuesday meet, said an executive with a foreign operator. These companies also want the government to mandate roaming between 2G and 3G networks as a new entrant offering 3G services will not have a pan-India network and its customers will have to use the networks of existing operators while on roaming. But if existing telcos fail to enter into commercial agreements with the new entrants, the latter will not have a viable business model.