Reading this, you enjoy double subsidy

This is my first attempt at a generic article. I have tried to capture my thoughts comparing news paper in India and abroad based on my experience. This one appeared in the editorial page of Daily Post on 29th November 2011. Reading this, you enjoy double subsidy. Please click on the image to read print replica

Has mobile truly become a commodity

Five  years back, there was  a popular opinion that mobile phone will become a commodity at some point. Looks like we are already witnessing this now. So far, every phone maker had some innovative stuff in terms of hardware or software gettign into the phone every 6 months or one year. Remember teh Razr from Motorola, the mini from Panasonic etc. Now the differentiation is almost negligible aka TV market. What is the difference between a Samsung LCD TV and say a Videocon or Sony?

Infrastructure and Literacy

This article authored by me appeared in the Financial express on the 26th Oct 2011. The article emphasizes the need for improving broadband infrastructure , creating an indigenous ecosystem and focusing on e-education for India to witness superlative broadband penetration. Please click Infrastructure and Literacy or click on the image for the print version

For Telecom Sense Today

This article that I co-authored with Dr Sridhar appeared in the Economic Times, editorial page on 21st October 2011. The  article tries  to stress the need for new draft Telecom Policy 2011  to be operative immediately. Instead of faulting operators sharing 3G spectrum, the government should commend it. Some operators refarm spectrum, consumers gain and DoT should not interfere. Please click the link For Telecom Sense Today  or click on the image for print replica. 

Telecom Policy lags practice

This article that I co-authored with Dr Sridhar appeared in the Economic Times, editorial page on 7th Sep 2011. The article discusses about issues of roaming in 3G and BWA services for data services; benchmark initiatives in the European Union on data roaming regulation; recent market developments in this area; initiatives on spectrum re- farming and spectrum sharing without appropriate policies; hence the need to legitimize these initiatives. Please click on the link Telecom Policy lags practice  or click on the picture for viewing the print replica

Take charge & go-ahead! It is your career

This article authored by me appeared in today's Deccan Herald, Avenues supplement. This article tries to look at some of the beliefs and practical aspects of career planning. Organizations can only play a supportive role. Among other things, longevity in an organization and focusing on soft skills would certainly provide the right impetus for growth.

Please click the link Take charge & go-ahead! It is your career or click on the image to read the print replica

"Intra circle" Roaming?

Intersting. Isnt it? Vodafone did not win the 3G spectrum for Karnataka circle and yet is able to offer 3G services. Thanks to the lack of government regulation, operators have joined hands in providing Pan-India coverage. This is now being popularized as intra circle roaming! Well Vodafone subscribers will be a happy lot!

The much awaited Telecom policy is still work-in-progress at DoT.  Hope Spectrum re-farming is given a green signal. Also what will happen to the 700 Mhz Digital Dividend spectrum? lets wait!

Will mobile apps sing new tune?

This article authored by me  was published  in The Hindu Business Line. The article looks at the opportunities for Mobile Apps market , Options for Mobile Apps - native Apps, App creators and HTML5. Many leading research companies are firmly backing HTML5 to swarm the Mobi Apps market. However it is more likely that HTML5 and Native Apps will co-exist over the fore-seeable future.

Pl click on the image to read as printed in the news paper OR Pl click the link Will mobile apps sing new tune

Please click on the link for

Mobile commerce awaits a rural destiny in India

This article authored by me appeared in Deccan Herald on 20th July 2011. The article tries to give a view on the potential for m-banking in India consdiering that over 50% of India's adult population are "UnBanked". The key for m-banking adoption will be availability of cheaper devices, local content, awareness among the public. The recent reports suggest that all teh stake holders inclduing Banks and Telcos will make money!

Pl click on the image to read as printed in the news paper OR Pl click the link Mobile commerce awaits a rural destiny in India

What is the fuss around IUC ( Interconnection usage charges) ?

If you wondered wth is IUC. Take this example... Suppose a caller from say Airtel network ( A) calls uninor ( network B). A is supposed pay 0.20 paisa per minute as of now. This is called as the IUC. This is precisely why calls within the network ( in-net) calls are cheaper than off-net. TRAI plans to review the IUC and it certainly is tough one and hence TRAI has asked for 3 months of extension to provide it reccomendation.

Many countries like USA, Hongkong, Singapore follow BAK. BAK means "Bill and Keep". Essentially free service. The orginating network is not obliged to pay the terminating network. The smaller players will love this. As most of thier subscribers will make calls to other networks and they can pass-on the benefit to the subscribers

There are mutiple ways ( like LRIC, FAC, TSLRIC etc) of compting the charges in the Cost oriented model.Incumbent operators with the advantage of network deployed many years back, stand to gain in this model. And there is an angle based on symmetric or asymetric traffic between two operators. Add to this 1800 and 900 band. 900 band is about 3 times more effecient ( more coverage) and less cost of infra and maintenenace.

Which way will TRAI go? It is indeed a tough call with the lobby from the Bigplayers on one hand , together with the general fairness ( or lack of it) with BAK approach. In all probability India will not take the BAK route. This means TRAI could reccomend areduction in the IUC. May be 10 Paisa? That will be 30% of the IUC in 2008.

Irrespetcive of which way TRAI decides, the subscribers are sure to gain!

Indian IT : Salary cost Vs Billing rate

This article authored by me appeared in the Hindu Business Line on 30th May 2011. The article tries to give a quick view on the salary and billing rates over the past 15 years. In general mid-segment companies are facing the heat compared to the larger ones.

Pl click on the image to read as printed in the news paper OR Pl click the linkSalary cost Vs Billing rate

The article can also be accessed at NASSCOM EMERGE web page NASSCOM/EMERGE/Indian IT: Salary cost Vs Billing rate

Can we get an Indian Huawei?

This article titled "Can we get an Indian Huawei" appeared in The Financial Express on 26-May-2011. The article tries to look at where India stands in the ICT ( Information Communication and Technology) arena. Focus on R&D ,Hardware/Semiconductor and university intervention could help India get on to the global ICT roadmap.

Pl click on the image to read as printed in the news paper OR Pl click the linkCan we get an Indian Huawei?

The article can also be accessed at NASSCOM EMERGE web page Indian IT : Can we get an Indian Huawei

HTML5 : Will the WebM effort succeed

With Andorid already supporting the WebM Audio format ( Vorbis) and  Video format  ( VP8) - Decoding for now and hopefully Encoding later, and Apple, Nokia ( MSFT) also supporting the WebM initiative, it is certain for now that the HTML5 could provide the much needed common format across platforms. That would be nice. Isnt it?

AT&T buying T-Mobile USA

Is this the tip of the iceberg?  Many more to come shortly? Not sure if it will immediate, but his will certainly be the trend going forward.

AT&T buying TMO for $39B will work very well for AT&T if the deal goes through. Post merger, The HHI Hirfendahl–Hirschman index is expected to go up by 20%. Still the market would remain competitive!

LTE route to 4G Migration

This article titled "LTE route to 4G Migration" appeared in The Hindu BusinessLine Business daily on 21-Mar-2011. The article tries to look at the global LTE trends and India’s Mobile Broadband options. Although research reports suggest 5 fold increase in India’s Broadband users, availability of affordable handsets, Tariff and meaningful content are the major challenges.

Pl click on the image to read as printed in the news paper OR Pl click the linkLTE route to 4G Migration

Getting new caller Tunes for BSNL

This article co-authored by Dr Sridhar and I, titled Getting new caller Tunes for BSNL has appeared in the Editorial page of Financial Express Dated 9-Mar-2011

Pl click on the image to read as printed in the news paper OR Pl click the linkGetting new caller Tunes for BSNL

Global Mobile Awards 2011 and the winners are....

BEST MOBILE DEVICE : Apple for iPhone 4

DEVICE MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR: HTC

BEST MOBILE APP: Rovio / Clickgamer/Chillingo for Angry Birds

GREEN MOBILE AWARD FOR BEST GREEN

PRODUCT/SERVICE OR PERFORMANCE: Bharti Infratel for GreenTowers P7 Project

BEST CUSTOMER CARE & CRM: Airtel Africa and Tango Telecom for Tango Telecom’s ‘Dynamic Pricing Service

BEST MOBILE MONEY PRODUCT OR SOLUTION: Airtel Africa, MasterCard Worldwide and Standard Chartered Bank for Airtel Card

Solar power for Towers and local community

a few months back Ncell, Teliasonera's subsidiary in Nepal installed a Solar powered 3G Tower at teh Basecamp. Telcos have started
focusing more on alternate source for powering the Towers - solar and wind.

Infact with the Basestations becoming energy efficient, companies in some countries will soon provide excess power generated by their base stationsto local communities. Thats an excllent initiatve?

MNP - Finally Launched

With not much of comparison between the large Operators in terms of Quality of service, the euphoria on MNP will die down soon. The operators will focus on the the post paid subscribers, who account for just over 4% of the 700 Million Subscribers. The Post paid ARPU is over Rs 500/-. Forget adding new subscribers, Telcos dont want to lose existing ones :)

mHealth : Short Messages to Healthcare

My article titled "Short Messages to Healthcare" appeared in the Financial Chronicle on 11th Jan 2011. The article tries to cover the three key mediums ( Voice, Multimedia and Apps & SMS) through which Healthcare can be addressed.

Pl click on the image to read the print version of the article OR OR follow the the link mHealth: Short Messages to Health Care