Samsung Electronics has expanded the Galaxy S20 Series by launching S20 FE. FE stands for Fan Edition. The South Korean electronics added both 4G and 5G variants to this new model.

The Galaxy S20 FE promo video has been going viral starting its launch. Though it’s a small video, the tech giant has got members of BTS and British actress Millie Bobby Brown.

Youtube Video

Endorsed by BTS K-pop band & Millie Bobby Brown:

If you are a serious follower of Netflix’s science fiction horror series Stranger Things, then you could easily recognize Brown. Similarly, one could spot the Bangtan Boys BTS K-pop band.

Generally, K-pop band stars endorse iPhones for the bling factor like all the other stars worldwide. The new endorsement could definitely tilt the audience preference towards Samsung.

Regarding the new Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition smartphone, it’s a remix of the S20 spec sheet with an affordable price tag. Truly, an abode of flagship specs to counter the Chinese OnePlus 8T.

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE Specifications:

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE will be a global smartphone as it has got both 4G and 5G support. The core difference is the inclusion of Exynos 990 (7 nm+) in 4G and Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset (7 nm+) in 5G units respectively.

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE sports a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with 1080p+ panel (407 ppi density) and runs fluid 120Hz refresh rate. Powered by Snapdragon 865 SoC and 6GB RAM, it has 128GB inbuilt space that can be further expanded up to 1TB.

Got Wireless Charging & Reverse Charging Support:

Backed by a 4500mAh battery and 15W fast charging (wireless charging and reverse wireless charging support as well), the handset boots One UI 2.5 (Android 10).

On the optics side, it has got triple-camera-setup (12mp wide + 8mp telephoto + 12mp ultrawide) on the back and 32mp front camera. Responsive optical in-display fingerprint scanner for security.

To keep pricing under control, Samsung went with a plastic body build but still, it gets IP68 certification. Following a new trend, Samsung Galaxy S20 FE gets cloud rainbow colours.

Galaxy S20 FE 5G Ready:

As discussed earlier, it has got both 4G and 5G variants supporting sub-6 networks as well. Starting October 12th, the affordable flagship device Samsung Galaxy S20 FE will be available in the US for $699.

By going through the response, Samsung plans to bring next FE iterations in the high midrange category.

Let’s wait and watch whether Samsung will give a counter to OnePlus 8T (at least in India) with much affordable price tag.

Do you agree with my opinion? Share your thoughts.

Also Read: Apple India Online Store is Open (with Apple Trade In Option)

One might be aware of how Reliance Jio transformed the telecom sector in our country. If you consider the launch of Jio on 5th September 2016, then one can say that the Mukesh Ambani-owned company created a remarkable effect of the digital revolution in India.

The introduction of 4G services by Reliance Jio brought down the pricing of data and subsequently 4G handsets got wider acceptance.

However, the launch of JioFiber on 5th September 2019 couldn’t recreate the magic. Though it brought 100Mbps high-speed broadband as the minimum speed, JioFiber didn’t live up to its expectations due to its non-aggressive pricing strategy.

This lower penetration of JioFiber is mainly attributed to the fact that India is a price-conscious market. But the latest announcement of JioFiber where the pricing starts at ₹399 could really storm the market.

JioFiber Unconditional 30-Day Free Trial:

The USP of the new announcement is a 30-day free trial for all new users. The fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband will now come with a 30-day free trial. Officially, the Reliance Jio has termed it as “Naye India Ka Naya Josh”.

Under this offering, JioFiber FTTH broadband plans will start at just ₹399 per month with unlimited data, symmetric internet speed and unlimited free voice call anywhere in India.

With this, JioFiber has launched 4 new plans namely ₹399 plan, ₹600 plan, ₹999 plan and ₹1499 plan offering a speed of 30 Mbps, 100 Mbps, 150 Mbps and 300 Mbps respectively.

As said earlier, the latest announcement says that these plans provide a truly unlimited internet and symmetric internet speed. That means you will get the same upload and download internet speed. Generally, we do observe higher download speed and lower upload speed.

But this could be a game-changer.

Free Subscription to 10 Paid OTT Apps:

The JioFiber ₹999 and ₹1499 plans that offer 150 Mbps and 300 Mbps internet speed respectively will give free access to 11 paid OTT apps.

That means JioFiber connectivity will enable free OTT app subscription including Disney Hotstar, Zee5, Sony Liv, Voot, Sun Nxt etc.

Starting September 1st, all the new customers of Jio Fiber will now get a free 30-day trial to try 150 Mbps internet and 4K Set Top Box (STB) with a subscription to 10 paid OTT Apps.

It’s been said that existing JioFiber customers will also be rewarded with upgraded plans as a voucher in MyJio app.

In a separate statement, the Jio Director, Mr Akash Ambani said that JioFiber will provide broadband services to 1600 cities and towns across India. This JioFiber Free 30-Day Trial is purely unconditional.

The company says, “If you don’t like it, we take it back. No questions asked”.

Summarizing, the JioFiber 30-Day Free Trial:

• 150 Mbps truly unlimited internet (No FUP limit)
• Symmetric internet speed (same upload and download speeds)
• 4K Set Top Box
• Free Voice calling
• No questions asked trial
• ₹2500 - One-time refundable amount
• Exclusive to the new customers

Truly Unlimited ₹399 Plan:

The new addition of JioFiber ₹399 plan has surprised the telecom analysts. Till now, Jio maintained that its minimum speed is 100 Mbps. But with ₹399 plan, the Jio has to curtail its minimum speed to 30 Mbps.

The user will get 30Mbps truly unlimited internet with unlimited voice calls at just ₹399. There’s a catch here. The user will not get free access to OTT app subscription.

Interestingly, the ISPs like ACT Fibernet do provide 30 Mbps broadband plan at ₹500 with a monthly data FUP of 500GB. Post FUP, the speed will be decreased to 512 Kbps.

Similarly, the state-owned telecom company BSNL has also got a 30 Mbps plan at ₹430. The FUP limit is 150GB. Beyond FUP, the speed will fall down to 2 Mbps. Here, the user will get unlimited calls to any network.

What’s Your Opinion?

By comparing it with the established players (like Airtel Xstream, ACT, Tata Sky, BSNL), JioFiber has the advantage of claiming itself as truly unlimited internet.

Let’s wait and watch how the customers will react to the new ₹399 plan offered by JioFiber. Do you think that they will get attracted to the marketing promotions of Jio and switch their loyalty to the new JioFiber?

Also Read: Jio - India’s Largest Telecom Operator

In a new development, the Union Telecom Minister Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad has unveiled the Next Generation Network Telephone Exchange in Bihar.

Upgrading the infrastructure, the BSNL has come up with the Next Generation Network (NGN) Telephone Exchange replacing its existing Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The Minister of Communications and Electronics, IT and Law & Justice, Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad has inaugurated the new facility through video conferencing from New Delhi.

Next-generation Network Connecting Remote Areas:

This next-generation network (NGN) will provide reliable wireline and broadband services through an optical fiber. This is a packet-based network commonly built around the Internet Protocol.

The Bharat AirFibre works on the unlicensed spectrum. It is easy to deploy and requires less maintenance while providing wireless technology to the non-feasible areas including remote villages and difficult terrains.

Bharat AirFibre in Bihar:

Inaugurating the new facility at Bihar Vidhan Mandal, Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad also commissioned Bharat AirFibre. This will facilitate completely wireless connectivity to the rural areas in Bihar.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad said that Bharat AirFibre will help us to scale-up faster and meet the target of covering 6 lakh villages in 1000 days.

He also added that this will play a crucial role in the times of COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the Union Telecom Minister also announced that 50 more Bharat AirFibre sector antennas will be deployed exclusively in Bihar within the next 6 months.

The Danapur Telephone Exchange in Bihar will now get Bharat AirFibre service. As a result, the adjoining 6 km area covering RK Puram, Anandpur, Danapur Market and Danapur Cantonment will now get faster Bharat AirFibre broadband internet services.

High-Speed Internet @ ₹349 per month:

The subscribers of Bharat AirFibre can avail high-speed internet at an affordable price of ₹349 per month. This brings high-speed internet connectivity quite economical to the users in villages.

It has to be noted that GoI has allowed the public sector entity BSNL to lay optical fiber connectivity across India. Recently, it has commissioned submarine optical fibre cable between Chennai and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

One can expect the connectivity to the Lakshadweep Islands from the mainland. Similarly, Bharat Net project for connecting more than 3000 Gram Panchayats in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh union territories.

Also Read: TATA Sky Broadband Starts 300 Mbps Unlimited Data Plan at ₹1470

The Chinese telecom major Xiaomi has announced a massive discount offer on its Android One smartphone in India. Starting today, one can grab the Xiaomi Mi A2 at a price of ₹13,999.

The Xiaomi has made the special announcement on its Twitter handle and also revealed that the company would make more such announcements. Undoubtedly, this has been a big surprise to Mi Fans.

Xiaomi Mi A2 Starting at ₹13,999:

To the unaware, the Android One handset Mi A2 is available in 2 variants - 4GB RAM/64GB ROM and 6GB RAM/128GB ROM. During the launch, these variants got a price tag of ₹17,499 and ₹20,500 respectively. Now, after the massive discount pricing, these two variants can be grabbed at ₹13,999 and ₹15,999 respectively.

Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 660 processor, Xiaomi Mi A2 has got the best Sony dual rear-camera setup of the 12-megapixel sensor and 20-megapixel sensor with f/1.75 aperture. The selfie camera of the 20-megapixel sensor has an inbuilt AI bokeh mode. Best of all, you can’t go wrong with unlimited Google photo storage.

The 5.99-inch Full HD+ display and Android-One brand made it the best under $20k segment. However, the lack of 3.5mm headphone jack gave a big shock to the Mi fans.

With the best camera sensor and lucrative pricing, the Xiaomi Mi A2 is back in the business. Though the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 and RealMe 2 Pro has the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset and bigger battery, Xiaomi Mi A2 seems to be a front-runner after the latest price revision.

The Xiaomi Mi A2 runs the stock Android 9.0 Pie. Moreover, there’s a guaranteed security update for the next 2 years. The latest news is that even the Xiaomi Mi A1 has got the Android 9 Pie update.

What’s Your Opinion?

Definitely, there would be a slight inclination in favour of the stock Android experience of Mi A2. Will you be loyal to Xiaomi or consider its competitors? Just let your opinion.

Also Read: Redmi Note 6 Pro Goes on Sale, Special Price ₹12999 Only for Today

The state-run telecom operator is now on a revision mode. After the recent revision of Broadband plans, the BSNL has set its strategy to offer additional talk time and data up to 4GB on certain combo STV recharges.

Starting from the popular ₹175 STV, the BSNL has packed extra talktime on ₹219, ₹252, and ₹402 STV. The ₹175 STV recharge pack will now include ₹200 talktime along with 0.5GB of data. Similarly, the ₹219 STV recharge will get ₹250 talktime and 0.5GB of data with a validity period of 60 days.

BSNL ₹402 STV Offers ₹600 Talktime:

On a similar note, the ₹252 STV recharge pack will now get ₹350 talktime (earlier ₹200) and 2GB of mobile data. This is really a good deal for BSNL subscribers.

The largest pack to get a revision by BSNL is ₹402 STV recharge pack. It now offers a whooping ₹600 talktime and 4GB of high-speed data with a validity of 60 days.

Additional 10% Talktime on Top-Ups:

Leaving combo STV’s aside, the BSNL has also offered extra ₹30 talktime on ₹300 top-up. Similarly, in a bid to encourage top-ups, the BSNL has started providing additional 10% benefit on selective days.

For example, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday one gets an extra 10% talktime on ₹250 top-up. Similarly, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the BSNL offers an extra 10% talktime on ₹500 and ₹600 top-ups.

Additional 10% Talktime on Top-Ups:

The popular Plan Vaarshika 1699 gets an extension. It offers unlimited calling (local, STD and roaming) daily 100 SMS and unlimited data with speed restricted to 80 kbps after 2GB per day. Similarly, the Plan Vaarshika Plus 2099 offers 4GB daily data and the above-mentioned benefits with 365 days validity.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr V Sundar, CGM, Telangana Telecom Circle, said that the state has more than 487 Wi-Fi hotspots. By the end of February, one can expect an additional 423 hotspots in the state. Through these Wi-Fi hotspots, the BSNL subscribers can access daily 4GB data with a max speed of 10 Mbps.

Incidentally, the state-run telecom operator is very keen on establishing itself with the best value for money tariff plans. However, the lack of a 4G network is troubling it a lot. Hope the BSNL 4G commercial launch happens soon.

Also Read: BSNL Broadband Plans Starts from ₹99 with 1.5GB Daily Data Benefit

Telecom companies are struck at tariff revision. The state-run telecom operator BSNL is no exception. Till now the telecom companies tried different permutations and combinations with respect to the mobile data. BSNL has gone ahead by revising its unlimited broadband plans.

Surprisingly, the BSNL has introduced GB/day plans by withdrawing unlimited broadband plans. This revision will take place starting 1st December 2018 across all the telecom circles except Andaman & Nicobar Telecom circle. The most popular Unlimited Broadband Plan ₹249 will also get the tariff revision.

The latest revision will be applicable to all the new broadband users. The existing BSNL subscribers who had opted 6-month promotional, annual, 2-yr and 3-yr plans will be spared. They would be brought into the new tariff after the expiry of their current subscription.

BBG Combo ULD 600GB Plan:

Of all the GB/day broadband plans, BSNL BBG Combo ₹491 monthly plan offers a whopping 20 GB per day. It translates to 600GB of data in a month. Apart from the data, it offers 24-hour unlimited free calls (both local and national) to any network in India.

It is to be noted that one can access broadband at 10 Mbps speed with a limit of 20 GB/day. Post the FUP limit, the speed will be reduced to 2 Mbps. The data calculation would restart daily at 00.00 hours.

The BSNL has launched this plan on a promotional basis for a period of 90 days. Upon the expiry of the promotional period (90 or 180 days), the subscriber will be migrated to the regular Broadband plans. Remember, the written consent would be taken while filling the CAF form. No separate calls would be made during the phase of the migration.

BSNL GB/Day Plans Comparison:

	BBG Combo ULD 150GB Plan	BBG Combo ULD 300GB Plan	BBG Combo ULD 600GB Plan
Bandwidth (Download Speed)	Upto 20 Mbps	Upto 20 Mbps	Upto 20 Mbps
FUP	till 5 GB/day	till 10 GB/day	till 20 GB/day
Post FUP Speed	Upto 1 Mbps beyond	Upto 1 Mbps beyond	Upto 1 Mbps beyond
Monthly Charges	₹199	₹299	₹491
Download/Upload Limit (MB/GB) per month	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Free E-mail IDs/Space (Per E-mail ID)	1/1 GB	1/1 GB	1/1 GB
Security Deposit	₹500	₹500	₹500
Telephone fixed monthly charges	Nil	Nil	Nil
24-hr Free Calls on any network	Unlimited calling	Unlimited calling	Unlimited calling

What’s Your Opinion?

Don’t know what made the PSU implement daily FUP in landline (wired) broadband segment. Sometimes it may be necessary to download large files. In such a scenario, if the daily FUP gets exhausted then the subscriber should wait till the next morning or else should continue with 1 Mbps speed.

This is really a disappointing movie by the BSNL. Being a PSU, the BSNL telecom operator should be customer-centric and provide value for money plans. When the users are moving away from wired broadband, the latest tariff revision by BSNL is a setback.

Also Read: BSNL Broadband Plans Starts from ₹99 with 1.5GB Daily Data Benefit

If the reports are to be believed the existing TV channels will not go off-air on December 28th or 29th. However, one should contact the DTH operator or MSO operator and verify the same.

One thing is for sure, the unsubscribed channels will go off air after a certain time. This will enable you to pay only for the channels want to watch. Certainly, the new move will help the subscriber to pay less than the current bill.

Individual Channels or Bouquets, Which is Better?

If you want a better deal then it is recommended to get a pre-packed bouquet instead of the individual channels. Say, STAR Maa value pack that includes 10 channels is being offered at ₹39. Isn’t it a better deal?

However, if you want to watch only a few select channels then it is always better to get them individually as it will be cheaper for you. Do remember that TRAI has capped the MRP of a channel at ₹19 it has to be included in a bouquet.

Similarly, the TRAI has facilitated the customer to pay just ₹25 in case of restarting the suspended connection. If the duration is more than 3 months, then just pay ₹100 to get reconnected. In this case, you don’t need to repay the installation or monthly subscription cost.

Incidentally, there are over 600 Free-to-Air channels and the users can select 100 free channels out of them. The list so exhaustive that it is advisable to group them according to the regional language.

Free-to-Air Channels in Telugu Regional Language

1-10	11-20	21-30	31-40	41-50
DD Yadgiri	V6 News	AP 24/7	Shopping Zone	Bhakti Sagar
DD Sapthagiri	At News Republic	TV 9	Hindu Dharmam	Aradhana
Jeevana Margam	V1	Maha News	Sai TV	Rakshana TV
Vanitha	Raj News	CVR News	SVBC	Divyavani
Studio ONE	Sakshi TV	Jai Telangana	Jaya Jaya Sankara	Calvary Temple
Vissa TV	TV 5	1 One Voice	Bhakti TV	Gospel TV
Raj Music Telugu	HMTV	T SAT Vidya	CVR Om	Tollywood
T News	10 TV	CVR Health	Divya TV	Aaj Tak
ABN Andhrajyothy	N TV	Shopping Zone	Sri Sankara	NDTV 24x7
Bharat Today	Mojo TV	CVR Health	Vedic	CBeebies

In an effort to improve ARPU, the leading telecom companies including Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel suspends lifetime validity plans. It restricted prepaid users from making any outgoing calls without unlimited combo packs.

Though there’s an increased usage of unlimited prepaid packs, many subscribers are still relying on the very old talk time plans. With the recent strategic decision of removing talk time plans, the telecom companies have once again shocked the users by barring outgoing and incoming calls on prepaid numbers.

Airtel Vodafone Idea Forces Users to opt Unlimited Combo Prepaid Plans:

When Reliance Jio is being credited for free incoming calls (data being charged), the incumbent private telecom operators gave a rude shock by charging subscribers for the incoming calls. It’s a known fact that these telecom companies are blooding heavily after the introduction of free unlimited calling services by the new entrant Reliance Jio.

It’s a known fact that these companies are trying desperately to improve their ARPU after showing losses in the balance sheet for the last 2 years. Unless the user is on unlimited prepaid combo plan (including ₹149, ₹199, ₹209, ₹249, ₹295, ₹349, ₹399, ₹499, ₹558 and so on), the outgoing call facility will be barred.

To be precise, the outgoing facility will be barred on the 15th day after the expiry of the unlimited pack. Similarly, the incoming facility will also be restricted on the 30th day. This means, that the user can’t make or receive a call even if he/she has a balance of ₹1000 as talk time in the account. This is simply a ridiculous move by the telecom operators. Of course, a smart move to increase their ARPU!

Affects Rural & Old Folks:

With the advent of dual-SIM handsets and ultra-affordable Reliance Jio unlimited packs, paying at least ₹35 every 28 days may not be a costly affair. However, this new pricing strategy will definitely affect the rural subscribers.

In most of the cases, the rural users do engage their handsets only for incoming calls. The same can be seen in the older generation. With the new pricing strategy, the telecom companies are forcing these subscribers to pay at least ₹35 every 28 days just to receive incoming calls.

Also Read: BSNL Takes On Jio with ₹1699 and ₹2099 Annual Plans

Just for the sake of a marginal increase in ARPU, the telecom companies are ruthlessly burdening their loyal subscribers. Yes, I admit that the above-mentioned users are loyal subscribers in contrast to the younger generation who port their number for the benefits.

Live Case Study:

Here’s an example to prove my point. Today, my dad who’s been sticking to Idea Cellular from a decade was unable to make outgoing calls in spite of having ₹852 talk time in his account. After recharging with ₹35, a talk time of ₹26 plus 100MB data got credited with an outgoing validity of 28 days.

If the reports are to be believed Vodafone has gone one step ahead and even blocked incoming messages. Thus, if you don’t want to miss OTP’s from bank to complete financial transactions, then go-ahead and recharge now to unblock your number.

Why should one recharge in spite of having a talk time balance? Just to feed the top telecom companies?

Possible Implications of the New Pricing Strategy:

If one happens to analyze the current telecom industry scenario, there are only a few options to consider. Either stick with your current telecom operator by recharging at least ₹35 every 28 days or to port out.

If the subscriber wants to stick with the present telecom operator (Airtel Vodafone Idea), then what are the recharges available apart from ₹35?

Prepaid Plan	Benefits	Outgoing Validity
₹35	₹26 Talktime + 100MB Data	28 days
₹65	₹55 Talktime + 200MB Data + 1 p/s Tariff	28 days
₹95	₹95 Talktime + 500MB Data + 1p/2s Tariff	28 days
₹145	₹145 Talktime + 1GB Data + 1p/2s Tariff	42 days

Right, what if I want to port out of Airtel Vodafone Idea Cellular service? Here, one can opt either Reliance Jio or BSNL.
It is to be noted that Reliance Jio allows its subscribers to receive incoming calls even after the expiry of its validity. In case of BSNL, one can enjoy 180 days validity with a single recharge.

With the entry of Reliance Jio, most of the subscribers made it a second SIM. This is mainly due to the fact portability was not allowed during the initial days. Later on, users ported into Jio without changing their primary number.

What’s Your Opinion?

If you already own a Jio 4G SIM then the next best alternative is getting a BSNL or MTNL SIM. Just visit a nearby BSNL office with a port request, pay 108 and get the First Recharge done. Undoubtedly, the state-run telecom operator BSNL will be the biggest gainer in this situation. This will help the users to get rid of monthly fixed minimum commitment.

Though it may not happen immediately, I strongly believe that a single SIM era will pick-up slowly. Or the dual SIM handset will have Jio and BSNL combo or Airtel/Vodafone/Idea and Jio combo. Whatever may be the configuration, both BSNL and Reliance Jio will be there to serve across the nation.

Also Read: Airtel Adds Another 1.4GB Daily Data Plan with 75 Days Validity at ₹419

Indian global telecommunications services company Bharti Airtel has rolled out VoLTE technology across all markets in India services except Jammu and Kashmir.

According to Mr Gopal Vittal, Managing Director & CEO (India & South Asia), Bharti Airtel, the company will launch VoLTE services later this year in Jammu & Kashmir. With this, Bharti Airtel will be the only second company after Reliance Jio to roll out 4G VoLTE services across India.

Airtel VoLTE Across PAN India by the 2018 Year End:

As per the latest reports, Bharti Airtel is conducting trials in 5 cities in Jammu & Kashmir and hope to make the VoLTE services live there by the year-end.

Currently, the Reliance Jio is the only telecom network to provide VoLTE services across India. In fact, the company has launched the telecom services only through LTE. Next, to Reliance Jio, Airtel has got 4G services in 21 telecom circles.

Starting September 2017, Bharti Airtel has launched VoLTE services. However, after August 2018, the company expanded its VoLTE services at a faster rate. During August Airtel VoLTE was just limited to 12 telecom circles but now it has gone up to 21 telecom circles.

On the other hand, the leading telecom operator Vodafone India has VoLTE in 18 telecom circles while its partner Idea Cellular has VoLTE presence in 20 telecom circles leaving Kolkata and New Delhi telecom circles.

The state-run telecom company BSNL is yet to start its 4G coverage. Though parts of Kerala, Nagpur and Andhra Pradesh new capital city have got BSNL 4G, it is yet to start full-fledged operations.

Why VoLTE? What are the Benefits of VoLTE?

By launching VoLTE services, the telecom operators will be able to offer HD voice calls, instant call connection and efficient multitasking without interruption of 4G internet sessions.

For all this to happen, the user should possess VoLTE enabled handset. Bharti Airtel has got an exclusive service to check whether your mobile number has Airtel VoLTE or not.

All the higher-end handsets have inbuilt VoLTE feature. However, the Airtel VoLTE compatibility is rolled out in a phased manner. Currently, more than 198 smartphones have Airtel VoLTE support. You can check whether the handset has Airtel VoLTE or not by visiting the Airtel website.

The popular handsets that has got Airtel VoLTE compatibility include Apple iPhone Xs, iPhone X, iPhone Xs Max, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, Samsung Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy S9, OnePlus 6, OnePlus 6T, Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, Mi A2, Xiaomi POCO F1, Gionee A1, Honor 8X, etc. Surprisingly, Google has not yet added Airtel VoLTE support to its flagship Pixel handsets.

Also Read: Airtel Adds Another 1.4GB Daily Data Plan with 75 Days Validity at ₹419

The state-run telecom BSNL is the country’s only authorized service provider for satellite phone services. Under the title of “Global Satellite Phone Service (GSPS)”, the user gets connected through direct linkage with the satellite.

BSNL GSPS in Association with INMARSAT:

Interestingly, this facility works even in remote areas where there is no traditional mobile/landline network or any signal from the mobile tower. Speaking technically, these satellite phone services will be provided by UK-based INMARSAT’s fourth generation technology which has 14 satellites.

To the unaware, INMARSAT stands for International Mobile Satellite Organization. This was set up under the sponsorship of the United Nations in the year 1979.

In India, these are presently provided by Tata Communications Ltd which inherited the license from Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited.

BSNL Satellite Phone in High Demand:

Earlier, these BSNL satellite phone services were extensively used by Government agencies (including Border Security Force and Disaster Management Agencies) while handling relief and rescue operations during emergency situations.

Later on, these satellite phone services are now extended to the general public and private enterprises. The new technology satphones are in great demand. Apart from the fishing industry which engages in multiday deep-sea stay fishing, the state governments of Kerala and Tamil Nadu are the biggest users of satphones.

As the new generation satellite phones are capable of handling GPS, Bluetooth, and high-quality voice with an extended battery capacity of 8 hours talk time and 100 hours standby, these satphones are attracting great business from Navy, hotels, and fishing trawlers.

BSNL Satellite Phone Tariff Plan:

In order to avail the BSNL Global Satellite Phone Service, one has to submit the completely filled in Consumer Acquisition Form (CAF) along with a sum of ₹1180 as registration money. Of course, you’ll be asked for the Photo ID and Address proof.

Apart from this initial deposit, one has to pay ₹1000 per connection as registration charges and ₹500 per connection as activation charges. The cost of a single handset is ₹70,000 plus GST. The WPC charges are ₹14,250 per annum per handset.

Starting December 1st, the BSNL has slashed the call charges for both government agencies and the general public. In the case of the general public, the call charges have been reduced from ₹60 to ₹35. The Government users will now have to pay ₹25 instead of ₹45. Similarly, the SMS charges are ₹35 and ₹25 for the general public and government users respectively.

Prepaid Plans for Commercial Users:

GSPS Prepaid Plan	Mandatory Charges	Charges
Plan C1 (Monthly)	₹2000	Free Calls worth ₹1320 per month
Plan CA (Annual)	₹22,000	Free Calls worth ₹1320 (per month) / Free Calls worth ₹15840 (per annum)
Outgoing Calls to PSTN/PLMN/GSPS		₹35 per 60 Sec
Incoming Calls from PSTN/PLMN/GSPS		₹30 per 60 Sec
Outgoing International/Roaming Calls to PSTN/PLMN/GSPS		₹260 per 60 Sec
Incoming International/Roaming Calls from PSTN/PLMN/GSPS		₹260 per 60 Sec
SMS Charges (Local)		₹35 per SMS
SMS Charges (International)		₹265 per SMS

What’s Your Opinion?

Though the prices seem to be on a higher side, the satellite phone service is the only option when other modes of communication are not feasible. Definitely, the reduction is tariff will further boost business for BSNL in this new vertical.

Also Read: BSNL Takes On Jio with ₹1699 and ₹2099 Annual Plans