122 licences cancelled , another 50K Crore?

@4.4Mhz for each of the 122 circles, about 530Mhz will be Available for auction.  Just to re-cap, 3G auction resulted in @ 71 Blocks * 5 Mhz , 355 Mhz spectrum was sold at roughly 190Crore per Mhz  ( Frequecy pair - UL +DL) 

 Even if consider the say 50%  ( Trying to be Bejan Daruwalla for a moment!!) of the average price realized during the 3G Auction per Mhz, the upcmoing 2G Auction could give more than 50K Crore.  But will the Telcos be able to cough up this with already stretched Balance sheets. Hopefully,  the goverment will make this  530Mhz  technology neutral,  that would make it attractive the operators as they could use the spectrum for 4G whenever it becomes economically viable.

Will large players buy? Spectrum is so scarce that they will bid.  . But what will they do with their existing 3G spectrum. The bigger ones could move their higher ARPU customers to 3G and free-up some space.

Will the operators like Uninor rebid in the auction? They could at least in the circles they are doing well. Infact Uninor wanted additional spectrum in some of the circles where they were doing well like Westbengal.

Dwindling ARPU. Prices will go up and some sanity will set-in. India’s ARPU is about 2USD are perhaps the lowest

Mobile Handset Industry: Is change the name of the game?



Picture source: Rediff

This article written by me has appeared in Rediff. The article tries to argue that 1) The Industry structure has changed dramatically thanks to market outsiders like Apple and Google (2) With no differentiation, mobile phones have become like TV and other consumer electronics market(3) More consolidation in OEM space, patent wars , newer technologies on the anvil makes the industry so dynamic that practically anyone can create an impact in this market.

Please click the link below or click on the image for the article:

"Mobile Handset Industry: Is Change the name of the game?"



Top 5 Smartphone vendors

The infographics below show the dramatic change in  Top 5  smartphone vendors over the past 3 years.

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