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The UK buys a 45 percent stake in broke satellite startup OneWeb
It's part of the government's post-Brexit plan to replace the EU's sat-nav system.
Facebook begins selling low-cost WiFi in India
Facebook's internet.org is on a mission to bring connectivity to the most remote communities on Earth. And while moonshot projects like Aquila are still in early development, the company is pushing forward with a different strategy: empowering local entrepreneurs to resell internet hotspots through its Express WiFi program, which just officially launched in partnership with Indian telecom Bharti Airtel.
Google will help mobile carriers run their networks better
If you didn't think that Google was into everything before, wait until it's providing the infrastructure for your mobile network. The company has announced that it's building tools for cellular carriers to use to run their businesses. Businesses such as India's Bharti Airtel and South Korea's SK Telecom have both signed up to use Google's new platform for network services.
Live from the 'Connecting the Next Billions' keynote with Stephen Elop, Gary Kovacs and more
Mozilla's Gary Kovacs has been harping on this idea of connecting the next billion or so people to the internet all week -- it's one of the driving philosophies behind Firefox OS. Nokia is looking to bring down the cost of entry to the mobile web with the 105 and 301. Then there are operations like Qtel and Bharti Airtel, that provide cellular service across the developing world and in emerging markets. These companies are all looking to put the democratizing power of the web in the pockets of people across the globe, and they're all here at Mobile World Congress 2013 to discuss just how they plan to do that and why it's so important. To find out what these CEOs, including Stephen Elop, Dr. Nasser Marafih (Qtel) and Sunil Mittal (Bharti Airtel) have to say, check back in at the time below. February 26, 2013 3:00 AM EST
Indian government tells carriers to end 3G roaming pacts, doesn't stop to explain why
For those of us on the outside, India's telecommunications setup can seem a little murky. While the country has 900 million mobile connections, for example, every 2G license issued after January 2008 were cancelled in February. Now, authorities are asking 3G carriers to suspend the practice of allowing customers to switch between different operators as they roam across the country's 22 wireless regions -- with no explanation as to why. Roaming was originally outlawed back in December, but a number of networks appealed -- a move which only seems to have postponed the final ruling until today. Update: Plenty of our commenters have shared their knowledge to help further explain this situation. No network other than BSNL purchased a nationwide 3G license during the auction. The other carriers each bought smaller (and cheaper) access -- but teamed up to offer a virtual national-network. They then started to sell services in regions (or "circles") that they had no license for, causing the Government to try to clamp down on the process by outlawing the agreements.
Bharti Airtel first to deploy LTE in India, launching in Kolkata this month
It's beginning on a very limited basis, but Bharti Airtel is achieving a rather significant milestone in India: it's set to become the very first operator to deploy LTE service within the country. Having won spectrum for four markets nearly two years ago, the company will debut its ZTE-built 2300MHz next-gen network in Kolkata (Calcutta). There's no word on when the coverage will expand to the other three circles -- the operator's announced that Nokia Siemens will be heading up the effort in Maharashtra later this year, followed by Punjab and Karnataka -- but we imagine the initial deployment will be a good test to make sure Bharti's network is up to the task first.[Thanks, Shweta]
iPhone 4 to hit India via Bharti Airtel Ltd, Aircel
The iPhone 4 may land in India in the coming months according to a report from Reuters. Both Bharti Airtel and smaller rival Aircel confirmed they would soon carry the iPhone 4. Unfortunately, residents of India who want to mark a launch date on their calendar will have to wait as neither carrier announced an exact availability date for Apple's popular smartphone. The iPhone is not new to this country; previous versions of the iPhone are available from Bharti and Vodafone Essar. Apple's move to bring the iPhone 4 to India should help boost sales as the Indian mobile phone market is prime for growth in the upcoming years. Carriers are rolling out high-speed 3G networks, and smartphones account for a mere 5 percent of all mobile sales. A staggering 95 percent of cell phone owner are prospective future iPhone and smartphone owners. Overall, India boasts 800 million mobile phone subscribers. Bharti alone has 159 million, while Aircel has 53.5 million.
Tata DoCoMo, Airtel bringing 3G to India this year
It's been a long, brutal road, 2010 finally saw the long-overdue conclusion to India's nationwide 3G spectrum auction -- and in its wake, we're starting to see the winners make some firm commitments for getting services live. Two of the country's big operators, Tata DoCoMo and Bharti Airtel, are actually saying that they'll have their deployments up and running before the year's out; Airtel hasn't given a date, but Tata DoCoMo has pegged November 5th for its phase-one rollout in nine markets. Considering the size and complexity of India's spectrum license landscape, nationwide usability is definitely a concern -- but Airtel's saying that it's on the cusp of signing some roaming agreements that should keep things on the up and up. Oh, and Vodafone Essar? They're in the mix, too, though they'll be trailing a bit -- look for 3G from their towers in the first quarter of next year.
India's 3G auction draws to a close
It's been a long time coming, but after countless delays in getting the auction underway, bidding on nationwide 3G spectrum in the world's second most populous market has ended -- and four companies appear to have come out on top. Most of the Indian markets only had three licenses available, so you'll likely be doing some roaming if you travel much, but Reliance, Bharti, Aircel, and Tata have all come away with significant swaths of airspace. And how much did it end up costing for the privilege of delivering high-speed wireless 'round these parts? After kicking off India-wide bidding for one slot at 35 billion rupees (about $773 million), the auction wrapped up at 167.51 billion rupees ($3.7 billion) after some 183 rounds of bidding in just over a month. Now, the hard part: actually building those 3G networks. Chop chop, guys!
Bharti Airtel will sell iPhone 3GS in India
Bharti Airtel has announced that it has reached an agreement to sell the iPhone 3GS in India. Bharti Airtel is the largest cellular service provider in India, with more than 124 million subscribers. In a statement, Bharti Airtel said the agreement would allow Bharti to bring the latest iPhone to India "in the coming months" without setting an exact release date. The iPhone 3G has been sold in India by both Bharti Airtel and Vodafone since August 22, 2008, but the iPhone 3GS has yet to go on sale. Most Indian service providers struggle to ensure decent call quality and while the rest of the world is preparing to adopt 4G, India is gearing up to welcome 3G. The announcement came a day after Bharti submitted its bid in a bandwidth auction for 3G mobile telephony services in India. The successful bidders will be allowed to offer 3G services on a commercial basis from September 1st. At present, no deal has been announced for the iPhone 3GS at Vodafone.
Bharti Airtel launches Airtel Digital DTH satellite TV service in India
Bharti Airtel, India's largest private sector telecommunications company, is getting set to dabble in the crazy world of DTH satellite service. Beginning today, it will offer television to 62 cities in India, and according to Atul Bindal, president, Bharti Telemedia Services, the outfit will be "aggressively marketing its DTH service by offering superior quality at competitive prices." Additionally, the carrier will be utilizing the MPEG-4 standard with DVB-S2 technology in order to broadcast more content using less bandwidth, making it ripe for HD delivery. Initially, at least, packages will start at Rs.2499 ($52) in northern India and Rs.1499 ($31) in southern India, which includes the price of an STB and installation. There's no high-def content on tap just yet, but we'd be shocked if that's still the case a year from now.
iPhone 3G starting at $700 in India, lines to be nonexistent
Though we can't definitively say this will end up being the priciest iPhone 3G this side of eBay, there's a good chance it will be. Word has it that Vodafone will be offering up Apple's latest 8GB handset for a mind-boggling Rs 31,000 ($712), or Rs 36,100 ($830) for the 16 gigger. Why so serious high? Because neither Vodafone nor Airtel will subsidize the phone, and to add insult to injury, there's not even a 3G highway up and running in India. Grey market operators to capitalize in T-minus 3, 2, 1...[Via Cellpassion]
Google's mobile phone in two weeks? Not likely
According to reports out of India, Google is currently in talks with country's first and third largest telecos, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Essar, concerning everyone's favorite mobile rumor: the Google Phone. Based on information coming from Rediff's India Abroad, an exclusive launch -- happening in a highly questionable two weeks -- is being discussed between the companies, and would tie into a simultaneous debut of the Gphone in both the US and Europe, coupled with announcements in India and other parts of the world. The only hurdle, they say, is approval from regulatory agencies (such as the FCC, we would assume). The report goes on to suggest that Google has plans to invest $7-8 billion in its telephony plot, though there has been practically zero confirmation from the company. When asked about the possibility of the Google mobile phone making an appearance soon, a spokesperson for the search-portal-giant said, "We don't comment on market rumour or speculation. However, Google is committed to providing users with access to the world's information, and mobile becomes more important to those efforts every day." So, while you can never, truly rule out a sudden showing of the Gphone, definitely don't go banking on it either.[Thanks, Binil]
