Covers the key trends and developments in the telecom sector; recent policy and regulatory developments; key issues and challenges; update on spectrum auctions; performance of telecom operators
Department of Telecommunications, TRAI, mobile, telecom operators, 3G, 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi, regulation, policy, spectrum auction, bandwidth, Bharti Airtel, RCOM, mobile wallets, IoT, cloud, big data
Telecom
Game On: Airtel and Jio pull off their gloves
It is no longer a one-sided contest in the Indian telecom arena. The era of Reliance Jio’s overt dominance seems to be coming to an end. The operator is now in close competition with Bharti […]
One Step Forward: DoT gives the green signal to telcos to begin 5G trials
In a big move, in early May 2021, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) gave permission to Indian telcos to carry out 5G trials in the country. According to DoT, it has granted permission to Reliance […]
Towards Self-Reliance: Policy initiatives and impact under Aatmanirbhar Bharat
The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and its accompanying digital wave have highlighted the need for attaining self-sufficiency in the telecom and mobile manufacturing space. To achieve this goal, the government has announced several initiatives […]
Connected Play: Growing telco presence on IoT turf
The IoT market in India has gained significant traction in the past year, with businesses realising the significance of connectivity, especially in a Covid-19-inflicted world. Connected technologies are being seen as a driver for improving […]
Auction Analysis: Modest response as telcos reserve their firepower for 5G spectrum
The government finally conducted auctions for the sale of spectrum for Indian telecom operators in early March 2021. A total of 2308.80 MHz of spectrum across seven bands, worth about Rs 3.92 trillion, was put […]
Views of Amit Sharma
The telecom infrastructure space has been playing a vital role in transforming India’s digital landscape. Towercos, together with telcos, have helped lay a strong foundation for launching 5G networks. However, various policy and regulatory issues […]
Wi-Fi for All: Efforts to enhance broadband access
Over the past few years, robust broadband connectivity has emerged as the underlying backbone for digital connectivity. The importance of broadband was especially highlighted last year when the Covid-19 pandemic crippled economies and paved the […]
Expansion Path: Fibre-based connectivity to gain momentum
The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of fibre-based connectivity like never before. Since the beginning of the pandemic, telecom industry experts have been advocating the expansion of fibre-based networks to meet the massive demand […]
Interview with Akhil Gupta: “The current industry tariffs are clearly unsustainable”
The telecom sector has shown exemplary resilience amidst the raging pandemic. The creation of a robust connectivity infrastructure will be crucial to the country’s digital transition. Akhil Gupta, vice-chairman, Bharti Enterprises, believes that restoring the […]
Rapid Strides
The telecom sector is the foundation on which various pillars of the Digital India programme are being built. Significant growth in this sector is the result of key reforms and initiatives taken by the government. […]
A Good Quarter: Telco ARPUs revive, but still a long way to go
The quarter ended September 2020 has brought some tailwinds for Indian telcos that have been grappling with scathing competition, a huge debt burden and low ARPUs. The quarter, which is traditionally a weak one for […]
Divided Stance: Debate continues on spectrum allocation in E and V bands
Spectrum is one of the most valuable assets in the telecom industry. At the same time, it is a scarce resource. Thus, the way this asset gets allocated is of great significance and interest. Over […]
Brand Makeover: Will a new identity help Vodafone Idea get back into the game?
Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL) recently unveiled a new unified brand identity, Vi. The rebranding marks the completion of the integration of the operations of Vodafone India and Idea Cellular. The rebranding exercise comes in the […]
Sealing the Deal: BhartiInfratel-Indus Towers merger set to create a tower behemoth
After a span of over two years, BhartiInfratel and Indus Towers have finally decided to proceed with their long-pending merger deal. Recently, at a meeting on August 31, 2020, BhartiInfratel’s board of directors gave the […]
Coping with the Crisis: Impact of Covid-19 on the telecom sector
The Covid-19 pandemic is one of the toughest challenges that has been faced in recent times. It has not only affected almost the entire world but has led to severe socio-economic disruptions. As unfortunate as […]
Views of Anshu Prakash: “Telecom has become central to India’s development story”
Today, India is the world’s second largest telecom market, contributing richly to the country’s socio-economic development and playing a critical role in keeping the economy running digitally during the Covid-19 pandemic. In a recently organised […]
Holding the Fort: Telecom comes to the rescue during Covid-19 outbreak
As challenging as the Covid-19 emergency is, the pandemic has reinforced the importance of robust telecom infrastructure with the increased dependence on digital solutions by enterprises, the government and the public. Industry experts share their […]
Strategic Deals: Jio attracts over Rs 1 trillion from marquee international investors
At a time when global investors are losing their appetite and are wary of writing new cheques to fledgling tech companies, Jio Platforms, a three-and-a-half-year-old tech firm, has roped in one global investor after another. Reliance […]
Going Local: India focuses on developing a robust domestic 5G ecosystem
Discussions around India’s uptake, deployment and preparedness for 5G have been going on for quite some time now. What is new in the 5G context is how a certain segment of the industry has now […]