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Vodafone India, India’s second largest telecom operator, has launched its SuperNet 4G services in Rajkot and Morbi. With this announcement, Vodafone will be successfully launching 4G services across the fastest developing cities of Gujarat. The earlier roll-out was just limited to Bhuj, Gandhidham, and Surat.

Gujarat, Vodafone India’s Strong Market:

Addressing the launch, Mr. Jayesh Gadia, Business Head – Gujarat, Vodafone India, said, seamless 4G experience is their motto and this would be rolled out across more locations in Gujarat over the next few months. The state is a strong growth market for Vodafone India where it has over 19.5 million customers.

Vodafone India has state of art 4G LTE network built on the efficient 1800 MHz band where the customers can enjoy high-speed mobile internet experience across a wide range of smart devices including Mi-Fi and dongles. The 4G users can enjoy HD video, mobile-gaming and video calling facilities seamlessly.

Vodafone India Supranet 4G Benefits:

As a complimentary offer, the customer can get a free upgrade to 4G and enjoy 4G services at 3G rates. The customers have a wide choice of data packs where they can buy as little as ₹ 8 for 30MB. Though it’s a limited period offer the customers purchasing data packs greater than 1GB will get twice the data and enjoy unlimited local Vodafone to Vodafone calls.

The benefits don’t stop here. The Vodafone 4G subscribers can enjoy unlimited access to over 100 live TV channels, 18000 + movie titles and all genres of music and videos on Vodafone Play in association with Hungama Play and Hooq for a period of 3 months.

Check if Your Phone is 4G Compatible?

Get a free upgrade to Vodafone 4G at all Vodafone stores. The Vodafone subscribers can check whether their smartphone handset is 4G compatible by sending an SMS <4GCHECK> to 199. Similarly, the subscribers can get door delivery of the postpaid SIM’s by sending an SMS <4GSIM> to 199. Indeed, Vodafone India is making all efforts to make their products and services accessible at a click.

As per the latest agreement, BSNL and MTNL will provide free Wi-Fi facilities at 100 tourist places across the country. The Union Tourism Ministry has stuck a deal with the state-run telecom operators to this effect.

With data and internet changing the life of a modern man, it is inevitable to attract to customers by offering their solutions. The Government of India has taken this initiate to provide free Wi-Fi at tourist places so that it can give a big push to Incredible India campaign.

MoU Between Tourism Ministry & Telecom Operator:

As per the strategy, the telecom operators will provide free Wi-Fi services for a period of 7 years and the Tourism Ministry bearing the operational cost for the first 3 years. It is to be noted that Wi-Fi services are already being provided at 30 tourist places. Of them, the prominent ones are Bodh Gaya (Bihar), the Ghats of Varanasi, Fatehpur Sikri and Taj Mahal (Uttar Pradesh), Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh), and Tirumala temple (AP).

The Union Tourism Ministry would add another 70 locations to the list in the next 6 months, taking the tally to 100. It is to be noted that this Wi-Fi access would be free for a few minutes and would be charged accordingly. However, there is no official information regarding Wi-Fi usage post free trial period.

Why Wi-Fi?

One may wonder why the Government is taking this initiative to install Wi-Fi services at tourist spots. If you look at Indian telecom sector, it lacks strong internet facilities and this initiative will enable travelers to click photos, and share the beauty of the nation on social media in real time. And this will attract the tourists inflow followed by earning foreign exchange, employment, and empowerment.

Owing to the pressure being dominated by Apple, Google, and Samsung, Sony has almost lost its presence in the premium smartphone segment. Betting on the highly advanced cam specs, Sony India has rolled out its flagship Xperia phone, Xperia XZ at ₹ 49,990.

Xperia XZ – The Best Camera Smartphone:

On the camera front, this flagship phone is equipped with a 23-megapixel rear camera that has triple image sensor technology. This highly advanced spec allows the user to capture images with three times the precision. Even the selfie camera supports 13-megapixel wide angle sensor.

It’s a proven fact that one cannot deny Sony’s heritage in camera technology. By incorporating three technologies in image sensing, Sony has come out with new improved image sensing where the user can capture beautiful high-quality images in motion with superb true to life colors in virtually any conditions. In simple terminology, the Sony Xperia XZ allows you to capture amazing blur-free shots without any compromise in quality from your standalone Sony Xperia XZ smartphone even in low-light conditions.

Sony Xperia XZ Specifications:

Apart from the imaging specifications, Sony also claims that its flagship smartphone has a good number of high-end specs to attract the premium customers. Sony Xperia XZ sports a 5.2-inch full HD 1080p Triluminous display with Gorilla Glass 4. The alkaleido metal finish gives a stunning look for the handset. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor clocked at 2.15 GHz coupled with 3GB RAM and 64GB inbuilt storage (further expandable up to 256GB).

Sony Xperia XZ runs on Android Marshmallow out-of-the-box and ready for Android Nougat update. As usual, one can expect the trendy fingerprint sensor on the power button giving the user a premium look and feel. It is packed with 2900mAh battery with Qnovo Adaptive charging and USB Type-C modality.

Sony India’s latest flagship is available in 3 colors including Forest Blue, Mineral Black, and Platinum. One can purchase it from all Sony Centers and other electronic stores across the country from 10th October onwards at the best price of ₹ 49,990.

What’s Your Take?

If you compare the specifications of other flagship smartphones, Sony seems to be a weak tiger. One can definitely wait till October 4th when Google is expected to launch its Pixel smartphone or grab Apple iPhone 7 that offers better value for money.

Aircel Ltd owned by Malaysian telecom company Maxis Communications has come out with some interesting free local packs, special 1 day and special 7-day local packs. Though the packs are nothing innovative but the way Aircel has presented them looks promising.

Aircel Unlimited Free Local A-A Packs:

Earlier, one used to enjoy unlimited free local Aircel to Aircel at ₹ 64 with 28 days validity. New recharges with 1, 7, 14 and 84 days validity are added to this product line.

Special 1 Day Packs:

Similarly, now one can make unlimited STD within its network at ₹ 9 per day. This segment is meant for the persons who love to recharge on daily basis.

Special 7 Day Packs:

By going through the weekly packs, one can say that Aircel has clearly streamlined its prepaid segment on the local and STD basis.

Post the merger, RCom-Aircel entity will create India’s fourth largest telecom company in terms of subscriber base. Probably, it will hold the second-largest spectrum portfolio too.

Xiaomi is all set to launch its first offline retail only phone in Indian market from today. Aiming at an offline market in India, the leading smartphone maker has made plans to open 1000 exclusive retail outlets of their own by 2020.

Redmi 3S Plus which was officially launched last month in China will hit the shelves today. This smartphone is very much identical to its sibling Redmi 3S Prime in terms of key specifications except for the fact that it is packed with 2GB RAM.

Redmi 3S Plus Specifications

Specification wise, the Xiaomi Redmi 3S Plus sports a 5 inch HD display and powered by Snapdragon 430 SoC coupled with 2GB RAM, 32GB storage space and expandable up to 128GB via microSD card. And in terms of camera front, the phone supports a 13-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front cam. Just like its sibling, the Redmi 3S Plus will bear a fingerprint scanner and a mammoth 4,100mAh non-removable battery.

The Xiaomi’s first retail only smartphone runs on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with MIUI 8. As per the reports, retailers have enough stock of the new smartphone that carries an MRP tag of ₹ 9,499 and the best buy price of ₹ 8,799. By going through 2GB RAM spec; it may not sound worth the price. In any case, it’s always better to spend a little extra (₹ 200) and get the Redmi 3S Prime 3GB RAM instead.

Xiaomi’s Offline Push:

However, the offline retail only phone Xiaomi Redmi 3S Plus seems like a great step in the direction. Xiaomi looks determined to make massive headway into offline mode. This retail-only business model will surely attract customers located in tier-II and tier-III cities where people are not used to buying products online.

It will be interesting to how things turn out for Xiaomi’s first entry in massive brick-and-mortar market. With the relaxed rules, several American and Chinese giants have decided to open their own retail stores in India. Starting from Adidas to Xiaomi, many foreign players are working out plans and unique models to reach out to their customers.

Coolpad Group is now supporting ‘Make in India’ initiative and has launched the company’s Note 5 in India. Renowned wrestler Great Khali was the star attraction of the event that concluded in New Delhi. The company has unveiled the successor to the popular Coolpad Note 3 series. Don’t know what happened to the Note 4.

Coolpad India will offer the open sale of Coolpad Note 5 exclusively on Amazon India from October 20th onwards. The smartphone is priced at ₹ 10,999 and comes in 2 colours namely Noble Black and Champagne Gold.

Coolpad Note 5 Specifications:

The Coolpad Note 5 runs on Google’s Android 6.0 Marshmallow based Cool UI 8.0 and sports a 5.5-inch full HD display with 2.5D curved glass. The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 617 octa-core processor, coupled with 4GB RAM and 32GB storage space, further expandable up to 64GB via microSD card.

On the Camera front, the Coolpad Note 5 sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with a dual flash and an 8-megapixel front camera with LED flash and smart beautification feature. Connectivity wise, Coolpad Note 5 supports all 4G bands in India including the latest 4G VoLTE support as well. It bears a hybrid dual-SIM card slot where the users can either use a second SIM or a microSD card to further expand its storage space.

Special Additions:

The Coolpad Note 5 is equipped with a fingerprint scanner at the back. The best thing about Note 5 is its Dual Space System through which one can have dual accounts of WhatsApp, Facebook Messanger etc on the same phone. And another highlight feature is its mammoth 4010mAh battery with quick charging technology.

What’s Your Take?

By looking at the similar set of specifications, one can clearly say that Coolpad Note 5 has to compete against the likes of old horse Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 and the latest Lenovo Vibe K5 Note.

HTC has launched its mid-range smartphone HTC Desire 10 Lifestyle in India at ₹ 15990. Though the new smartphone looks like its flagship phone HTC 10 but is equipped only with ordinary specifications to cater mid-range segment. It will be available from September 30 on Amazon India and HTC e-store in four colour options – Stone Black and Polar White, Royal Blue, and Valentine Lux. HTC

HTC Desire 10 Lifestyle Specifications:

HTC Desire 10 Lifestyle sports 5.5-inch 720p super LCD display with Gorilla Glass protection. It is powered by Qualcomm’s 1.6GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor coupled with massive 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage and is further expandable up to 2TB via microSD card.

On the camera front, the latest smartphone from HTC bears a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and the front camera sports 5-megapixel camera with BFI sensor. The selfie camera lens also supports innovative features like auto selfie, voice selfie and live make-up feature.

4G LTE Support for Band 40:

Connectivity wise, HTC Desire 10 Lifestyle supports dual Nano SIM, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS, and Bluetooth v4.1. 4G LTE Cat. 4 with support for Band 40 used by some LTE networks is a big addition to its otherwise ordinary specifications.

The handset runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow-based HTC Sense UI and is backed by 2700mAh battery rated at up to 7 hours of internet use on Wi-Fi and up to 28 days standby time on 3G network. On similar lines to HTC 10, this mid-range smartphone bears a 24-bit high-Res audio with built-in DAC certification.

Fully customizable HTC freestyle layout where one can drag icons, stickers and widgets anywhere are a big attraction. Dimensions-wise, it measures 156.9x76.9x7.7mm and weighs 155 grams.

What’s Your Take?

At ₹ 15990, HTC Desire 10 Lifestyle will have a tough competition against Lenovo’s Z2 Plus and Moto G4 Plus in the Indian market. Many other Chinese stalwarts are offering value-for-money phones at a much lesser price tag.

Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus can be pre-ordered via Flipkart starting from midnight. The e-commerce company Flipkart, the official online retailer in India, will accept the pre-orders of the latest Apple iPhones.

Exclusive Web Page:

Apple’s newest online partner, Flipkart, has already set up an exclusive web page for pre-orders. The Cupertino, California-headquartered company will launch iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in India on October 7th. The latest models will be available in 5 colors including its high demand Jet black color.

Apple iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus Prices:

To recap, Apple has already released the prices of its all variants. To recall, Apple iPhone 7 with 32GB inbuilt storage costs ₹ 60,000 and iPhone 7 Plus ₹ 72,000 for the same storage capacity. The pricing of other variants (128GB and 256GB) are as follows:

As per the leaked reports, the Indian e-Commerce giant Flipkart will charge the full payment for the latest Apple iPhones instead of a token amount. There is nothing to question as Flipkart will be directly procuring the handsets from Apple, instead of the partners.

High Demand Jet black:

If you are pre-booking and get hands on the Jet black Apple iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, then make sure that you order a case to hide the beautiful glossy black as it is prone to scratches quite easily.

Aircel has come up with an innovative offer to its customers in Uttar Pradesh (East) telecom circle. Now, the Aircel subscribers can avail unlimited local voice calling feature across all networks at just ₹ 449 with a validity of 28 days.

Truly an AmazUnlimited Local Calls ing Offer:

This is truly an amazing offer that enables the customers to enjoy unlimited local voice calls without any rate cutters. Aircel’s new unlimited locals offer helps the customers to put a limit to their monthly mobile expenditure instead of frequent top-ups to stay connected with their near and dear ones.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Prabhat Aggarwal, Regional Manager - Aircel Uttar Pradesh (East), said that the customers are now bound to enjoy unlimited seamless calling mobile experience. Aircel is delighted to add many value-for-money packs to make out the ever growing needs of the customers. The new unlimited local calls at ₹149 across all networks are truly relevant in the fast moving world.

Aircel being one of India’s innovative telecom players launched some attractive offers for the coming festive season. For the intensive data users, Aircel has come up with value for money data recharge pack – RC 333 that would offer 5GB of 3G data with 28 days validity.

5GB 3G Data @ ₹ 333:

RC 333 that provides 5GB 3G data would definitely disrupt the Indian data market. Though Aircel is a small player (if one compares with Idea Cellular) but after its deal with RCom, the new entity will be a potent threat to Idea in terms of its market share.

This unlimited 5GB 3G data pack can be accessed from your mobile using the USSD code *121*33300#. Make a note that post 5GB 3G data, the speed will come down to 64 Kbps. But still, 5GB 3G data at ₹ 333 is quite cheaper if one compares it with Vodafone’s 5GB ₹ 650 recharge.

Jodi Pack with Unlimited Calling:

Aircel also launched an exciting and unique ‘Jodi Pack’ of two SIMs with consecutive numbers with unlimited calling benefits for 12 months. Under this starter pack, the new customers can avail unlimited free calling benefits between the two numbers for the first 3 months. From 4th to 12th month, the customer has to pay for the first 60 seconds of the day at 1p/sec and the remaining calls for the day would be absolutely free.

Apart from this, the customers can enjoy Aircel to Aircel Local & STD calls at 15p/min and Aircel to local and STD on other networks at 25p/min. And the customer can access 500MB 3G data for a period of 3 months at 167MB per month.

Addressing the launch, Mr. Venkatesan - Aircel Circle Operations Head (AP & Telangana) said, “This Jodi Pack is ideally for family and friends with twin benefits of voice calling and data”.

Samsung just announced Samsung Galaxy On8 in India. It will go on sale from October 2nd as a part of Flipkart’s Big Billion Days Sale. The successor to the Galaxy On7 is priced at ₹ 15,900 and would be available in three colors - Gold, Black, and White.

Samsung Galaxy On8 Specifications:

The new smartphone from Samsung comes with a 5.5-inch full HD super AMOLED display and a brushed metal finish. The Galaxy On8 is powered by an octa-core processor clocked at 1.6GHz coupled with 3GB RAM and 16GB inbuilt storage. The onboard storage can be further expandable up to 128GB via microSD card.

Camera wise, Samsung Galaxy On8 sports a 13-mp rear camera and a 5-mp selfie camera with LED flash. Wide angle selfie and beautifying effect make selfie taking a pleasure. The phone is powered by a 3300 mAh battery giving an amazing battery juice.

Connectivity wise, the smartphone supports 4G VoLTE and other necessary variants. It is also packed with Make for India initiatives - Ultra Data Saving mode and an S-bike mode like any other mid-range Samsung phones.

Sale from Big Billion Day Sale:

As Flipkart is the exclusive partner, it will definitely come up with interesting offers for Samsung Galaxy On8 for the Big Billion Day Sale.

Vodafone India launched a new data scheme where a customer can enjoy 10GB 4G data at the cost of 1GB recharge. Under this offer, Vodafone customer with a new 4G smartphone will get additional 9GB 4G data when recharged with 1GB data voucher.

Unlimited Freebies:

As per the statement, this data offer can be availed by both prepaid and postpaid customers till the year end. The customers can enjoy a free subscription to over 100 Live TV channels, 18000+ movies and TV show titles and all genres of music on Vodafone Play in association with Hungama Play and Hooq. This offer is applicable in all the circles where it has own 3G and 4G services.

Tempting But …?

This Vodafone 10GB 4G SuperNet data offer looks to be tempting but with various riders. Let us know them in detail. This offer is applicable only on new 4G smartphones where Vodafone network is not used in the last 6 months. Make a note that this promotion can be used only when the subscribers recharge with a 1GB 4G data pack that costs ₹ 250 or more with minimum 28 days validity period up to 31st December 2016.

One more catch, this delightful offer is available to the customers in Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata telecom circles only. However, the customers in Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, North East states, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (East), Uttar Pradesh (West), Tamil Nadu and West Bengal telecom circles can get this benefit only between 12 AM to 6 AM.

Moreover, this promotional 4G benefit is usable only on 4G network. If the 4G network falls back on to 3G or 2G where there is no 4G coverage then you’ll be charged at base tariff. That means you should have a back-up of 3G or 2G data balance in your account.

How to Get Extra 9GB 4G SuperNet Offer?

1. Pre-requisites: 4G smartphone, new Vodafone network connectivity less than 6 months (both prepaid and postpaid).
2. Visit [https://shop.vodafone.in/shop/Offers/HandsetOffer.jsp](link url)
3. Enter your Vodafone mobile number and generate a four digit OTP.
4. OTP will be sent to your mobile number as an SMS.
5. Enter the OTP in the website for confirmation.
6. Insert 4G SIM in your 4G smartphone for the offer to get activated.
7. Recharge with 1GB 4G data pack (for prepaid customers) or subscribe to add-on a 1GB 4G data pack (for postpaid).
8. Within minutes, your promotional 9GB offer for new 4G smartphones will be activated.
9. You can use this offer till December 31st, 2016.

Price Reduction:

Apart from this extra 9GB 4G data offer, Vodafone India also reduced the cost of regular data packs.

Reliance Jio Effect:

This clearly shows Vodafone wants to retain their customers and want to neutralize Reliance Jio Effect. But, this is a disappointing offer from the second largest telecom operator in India. Want to know the reason?

Share your Inputs:

Here it is! First, you should purchase a new 4G phone. A decent one would easily cost a minimum ₹ 4,000. And Vodafone 1GB 4G data recharge costs ₹ 250. If you happen to be in a non-4G coverage area, then you should have a backup data balance or else your will be charged at the base tariff 4p/10KB.

What’s your opinion on the new Vodafone offer? Would you go for it? Let us know your thoughts.

The state-run telecom company, BSNL, is all set to cut tariffs from the New Year. As per the top official, BSNL is setting the stage for a price war by offering lifetime free voice calling and cheaper plans than the new entrant Reliance Jio.

Free Voice Calling for 2G and 3G Users Only:

If the reports are to be believed, BSNL would launch zero-voice tariff plans cheaper than Reliance Jio’s 149 entry plan. However, the BSNL would be able to offer free voice calling for 2G and 3G users only. This move will definitely trigger the price war in Indian telecom market. Eventually, it will benefit the customers as the other telecom operators will be under pressure to slash the tariffs.

BSNL has a strong market penetration and widest coverage in areas such as Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha, Punjab, and UP. However, the state-run telecom company is absent in key market zones such as Mumbai and Delhi. If it could provide good operations in crowded market areas, then BSNL can easily shed its losses.

How BSNL can Provide Free Voice Calling Facility?

According to BSNL CMD Mr. Anupam Shrivastava, the strategy is to combine the broadband and the mobile and offer free voice call. In simple words, the free voice calling feature would be offered to BSNL’s mobile customers who also have a Broadband connection at home. By using the untapped technology, outgoing mobile calls would be routed through the BSNL landline that is offered as a combo with the home broadband connection.

With its magnificent wire-line operations, BSNL can easily route the outgoing calls through its landline network. However, if you are outside the residence, BSNL App will connect the calls to landline and gets routed through it. It is to be noted that BSNL had earlier launched app-based calling service that allows customers to make landline calls from their mobile phones. The state-run telecom operator would be soon coming out with a subdued version of that App.

Better Days Ahead?

Though some Industry stalwarts object it terming the service would violate license norms, but surely this innovative move will put further pressure on private operators including Airtel, Vodafone, and Idea to cut down their tariffs.

The New Year 2017 looks promising and Indian consumers see better days ahead!!

As per the latest sources, Google is likely to launch $129 home Wi-Fi router on October 4th. This launch will be alongside Pixel phones, 4K Chromecast Ultra, and Google Home speaker.

If you compare the latest version with that of the previous models built by TP-Link and Asus, Google claims to provide enhanced range and smart features. Price wise, this is definitely cheaper than OnHub.

In Line with Eero & Luma:

Google’s new home Wi-Fi router is very much like Eero or Luma. It can link multiple Google Wi-Fi access points and create one larger wireless network so that you don’t have any weak spot in a house in terms of networking capabilities.

The folks at Android Police first reported that Google will be unveiling its own brand dual band home Wi-Fi router and typically, the big day would be October 4th as Google is set to launch a lot of new gadgets.

Re: Huawei is All Set to Make in India Phones by Month-end

As reported in the last post, Huawei is all set to Make in India phones by month-end. Now, as per the latest information, Huawei will be manufacturing one of the Honor smartphone models from the Flextronics Technologies manufacturing plant in Chennai starting from the first week of October 2016.

The company reported that these made-in-India handsets will hit the Indian market as early as next month. The Flextronics Technologies Plant will have the manufacturing capacity to make 3 million units by the end of 2017.

Expansion of Distribution Network:

In addition, Huawei is also looking at expanding its distribution network nationwide by adding over 350 distributors, partnering with more than 50,000 retail outlets across India.

Speaking on inaugurating the facility, Minister for IT, Law & Justice Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the Indian government is pleased to see the enthusiasm for ‘Make in India’ initiative and would work towards making India an electronic manufacturing hub. As India is set to become the second largest smartphone market, technology leaders should eye this as an opportunity and start local manufacturing.

Committed to do Business with India:

Mr. Jay Chen, CEO - Huawei India, added, “The Company has been in India for the last 16 years and it will consistently expand its footprint in the Indian market. As per its expansion strategy, the company will strengthen it’s after sales services over 200 service centers including more than 30 exclusive Huawei service centers across the nation.

Microsoft has started pushing out a new update to its budget smartphone Lumia 550. However, this unlocked Windows 10 mobile doesn’t include ‘Double Tap to Wake’ update. Moreover, the new firmware doesn’t come up with an official change log.

Fixed Bugs & Minor Changes:

It is to be noted that Lumia 550 Windows 10 mobile smartphone carries a firmware version number 01078.00042.16352.50012. Though there were a lot of expectations on ‘Double Tap to Wake’ functionality, Microsoft remained silent and just fixed some bugs including camera improvements related to auto-focus and living images. Some users even reported advancements connectivity including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS.

Apart from general bug fixes and stability related improvements, Microsoft didn’t touch any other issue. There were a lot of expectations over ‘Double Tap to Wake’ feature as it was included in the recent updates of Microsoft Lumia 650, Lumia 950 and Lumia XL.

To check whether, your Microsoft handset is ready for an upgrade, go to Settings -> Update & Security -> Phone Update -> Check for updates. If eligible, you’ll notice MICROSOFTMDG update.

No ‘Double Tap to Wake’ Update:

It may be possible that the budget priced Microsoft Lumia 550 cannot support the long cherished Double Tap to Wake functionality in the new firmware. However, Microsoft should come with an open statement.

If you happen to own this budget phone Lumia 550 and have received the update, let us know your comments on it.

The state-run telecom company, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, has expressed its interest in securing 5 MHz spectrum in the super premium 700 MHz band across the country. Thus, it has written to the government seeking financial support for the same in the upcoming spectrum auction in October 2016.

The Only Option for BSNL:

BSNL will not be participating in the spectrum but instead will ask the government to reserve one slot for it. And will pay the auction-determined price to the government at a later date. According to BSNL CMD Mr. Anupam Shrivastava, procuring 700-MHz is the only option to take on private telecom operators including Reliance Jio.

“We have 20 MHz spectrum in the 2,500-MHz band in 14 circles but that gives us only the capacity. If you talk about coverage, we don’t have spectrum in 800-MHz, 900-MHzor 1,800-MHz bands. That’s why our strategy is to get 700-MHz, which is the best band to give coverage,” added BSNL CMD Anupam Shrivastava.

Mr. Shrivastava said if the price of 700 MHz band reaches too high, then BSNL might have no other option except to go for the spectrum in select few circles. The devices supporting 800 MHz can easily support 700 MHz and once 700 MHz is auctioned 70% of the handset manufacturers will immediately go for it.

Unviable & Time-taking Ecosystem:

As 700 MHz band is being auctioned for the first time at a base price of ₹ 11485 crores, it would alone fetch ₹ 4 lakh crore for the government. However, the private operators feel that the reserve price for 700 MHz as unreasonable as it needs minimum 3-4 years to develop 700 MHz ready handsets.

In a bid to take on Reliance Jio, Airtel has launched a special internet pack with long validity. Though the company claims to offer free 4G data for 90 days at ₹ 1495, this is a clever marketing gimmick with a little asterisk of terms and conditions. In reality, Bharti Airtel’s new data pack brings down the per GB cost to below ₹ 50 as advertised by Reliance Jio during its launch.

Post Data Limit, 64 Kbps Speed:

As per the company, existing Airtel subscribers can enjoy the benefit by recharging with ₹ 1495. Whereas the new users should make the first recharge of ₹ 1494 and enjoy 4G data. Here catch is after crossing the 30GB data limit. Post the data cap of 30GB, the fair usage policy will be applicable and speed will be throttled to 2G level. That means you get unlimited browsing at a speed of 64 Kbps.

First NCR Circle, then PAN India:

At present, this new 30GB 4G data pack of 90 days validity is available in the NCR circle. However, in the coming days, the company is bringing this unlimited data offer to other circles to counter Reliance Jio. The Bharti Airtel in a press release stated that 4G handsets consume large amounts of data and this special 30GB 4G data will help the customers not to worry about exhausting their data limits.

Bharti Airtel 4G Plan 1495 Vs Reliance Jio 4G Plan 1499

To recap, Reliance Jio post Welcome Offer, you will get 20GB for ₹ 1499 with 28 days validity. If your mobile data usage isn’t that high, then you’ll end up paying ₹ 75 per GB incase of Reliance Jio. However, the new internet pack of Airtel 30GB 4G data costs ₹ 1495 with 90 days validity. It works out to be ₹ 500 for 30 days and less than ₹ 50 per GB of 4G data.

What’s Your Take?

Though Airtel’s new special data pack seems to be economic, it is to be noted that we are not surfing websites on dial-up era speeds. Share your thoughts on the latest story.

In an attempt to expand its presence, Apple has teamed up Indian online retailer Flipkart to sell its latest iPhone 7 handset. And Infibeam is it’s only authorized online reseller.

Apple & Flipkart Team up:

As per the strategic partnership, Flipkart will sell all Apple products including iPhones, iPads, and Macs. However, Infibeam will be a bulk seller of iPhone and iPad devices. This clearly mentions that Infibeam doesn’t deal with the consumers directly.

Unlike previous Apple iPhone releases sourcing it from third-party sellers, the Bengaluru-based e-Commerce giant Flipkart will be directly procuring the handsets from Apple.
Similarly, this is a win-win situation for Apple. The tech giant doesn’t have the license to sell products directly in India. So, the customers are directed to third party retail stores. With this strategic partnership, Apple will sell its products through authorized resellers for internet or catalogue sales in India.

Apple for a Bigger Footprint in India:

Thus, Apple for the first time has partnered with a consumer-facing online store to sell its latest iPhone 7 and iPhone Plus. If one considers India’s fastest growing smartphone market, Apple is still a small player. Established international brands such as Microsoft, Sony, Blackberry, and LG are the biggest losers as the market shifted towards value for money handsets. At the other end, phones running on Google’s Android software are dominating the market.

In his recent visit, Apple CEO Tim Cook has set his sights on India for future growth. He said, “We’re looking forward to opening retail stores in India down the road, and we see huge potential for that vibrant country.”

Advantage Flipkart:

On the other hand, Flipkart with 45% market share in gross merchandise value, is ahead of Snapdeal (26%) and Amazon India (12%) as per a research report by Morgan Stanley.

Re: Motorola Moto E3 Power with 3500mAh battery Priced at ₹ 7999

Lenovo’s Motorola Moto E3 Power has made history with 100,000 units of sale on day 1. It has set a new record of selling most number of smartphones on day one through its exclusive partner Flipkart.

Record Sale:

The third generation Moto E3 Power smartphone which went on sale on the launch date itself made a record sale on September 19th on Flipkart. This is the highest single device sale on the first day in eCommerce giant Flipkart’s history.

Apart from the decent specifications of Moto E 3 Power, the company has also announced pretty cool offers that no customer can give it a miss. Though it is an entry level smartphone, Moto E3 Power claims some interesting features like waterproof nano-coating, mammoth battery life, and quick charging.

Moto E3 Power Specifications:

To recap, Moto E3 Power sports a 5-inch HD IPS display powered by 1GHz quad-core MediaTek chipset coupled with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB via microSD card. On the camera front, it supports an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and 5-megapixel selfie cam with a beautification mode. The phone runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow and features front-facing speaker.

With a mammoth 3500mAh battery, 10W charger and quick charging feature, the phone boasts of giving standby of 5 hours in just 15 minutes charging. Connectivity wise, Moto E3Power comes with 4G LTE connectivity with VoLTE support and the customers can enjoy Jio Welcome Offer on the handset.

Breadwinner Model?

By going through the record first day sales, Lenovo India has a got a winner in Moto E3 Power. This budget phone along with Lenovo K5 Note will definitely increase the market share of Lenovo in India.