Vodafone 3G Network Goes Live Over Places

After Airtel and Reliance (RCOM) 3G Signals in various parts of states, Now TelecomTalk readers from Noida and New Delhi telecom circle have started spotting Vodafone 3G Signals/Test Signals which acquired 3G spectrum in 10 circles – Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh (E) and West Bengal.

According to the official statement by Vodafone, The operator will launch 3G Mobile and Data services in the first quarter of 2011 (expected in end of January 2011). “Our approach is to give our customers a world class experience and hence we will launch when a significant part of the cities is covered by our 3G network”, said Marten Pieters, MD, Vodafone Essar.

We’d like you to let us know if you have also come across Vodafone 3G signal in your area. Just follow the simple steps to find out if there is 3G services awaiting for you.

Get a 3G handset and go to phone settings > set Network Mode to WCDMA/UMTS > then search for Networks Manually > It is expected that u will have BSNL/Cellone/Dolphin (thats BSNL/MTNL) and Vodafone 3G if available.You can also email us screen-shots with your area name and we’d be happy to post them in this post.

In Noida, Vodafone 3G signal

MTS Launches Mobile Telephony Services In Gujarat

Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited (SSTL) today announced the launch of its mobile telephony services under the MTS brand in Gujarat.

The launch extends the company’s national footprint to 13 telecom circles including the entire Western region of India. With the launch, MTS customers in Gujarat will now have access to the nationally successful ½ paisa per second prepaid tariff plan enabling them to connect anywhere within the state.

In addition MTS mobile users will also have the benefit of ‘Timeage’. This innovative concept enables MTS customers to derive best mileage for the money invested in mobile services and handset bundled offers. The concept of ‘Timeage’ is unique and unmatched by any other competing options currently available in the market.

Timeage is all about providing added mileage to a customer’s mobile phone. Simply put it is the actual extended value derived from an MTS mobile, expressed as a function of time.

For e.g., a recharge of Rs 100 done by an MTS mobile user would last for 67 days as compared to just 32 days being offered by any other operator (under standard talking conditions – 4.1 minutes a day).

Additionally MTS customers can also avail the added advantage of 25 % extra talk time with the First Recharge (FRC) of Rs 55 on all future recharge vouchers valid for a year.

MTS Gujarat Launch (L-R) Navid Rashid,COO, Gujarat Circle,SSTL & Vsevolod Rozanov, President & CEO, SSTL

BSNL Enrolled 20 Lakh New GSM Subscribers Under Payari Jodi Plan

Pan India 3G mobile service operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) today announced that its has crossed the landmark of 20,06,411 new GSM subscribers under its newly launched Pyari Jodi Plan(Home Unlimited Plan) in all telecom circles across India.

Initially BSNL launched this plan dubbed as Home Unlimited Plan only in Kerala telecom circle in August 2010, after getting tremendous response in Kerala, the operator extended this plan to some more circles in October 2010 and further the plan was rolled out for all circles dubbed as Pyari Jodi Plan by Mr Sachin Pilot, Minister of State for IT and Communications from 4th November 2010.

According to the exclusive circle-wise data details provided by BSNL,  Kerala Circle added highest number of new GSM subscriber 13,32,267, while in Tamilnadu 2,82,301 and in Karnataka the operator added 74,108 new GSM subscribers in this plan.

TelecomTalk Exclusive : BSNL circle-wise details of GSM connections activated in "Pyari Jodi Plan"

With the “Pyari Plan” all BSNL landline subscribers in any telecom circle across India can get one free 2G Prepaid SIM card with Pay per Second plan along with Free 2000 Local/National SMS and 1000 MB Free Data usage. With this offer subscriber can make Unlimited Free Local calls from this new BSNL mobile number to his registered home land line phone with in the respective telecom circle (Only from Home LSA).

While all other local and STD Calls (except Home land line number) shall be charged as per ‘Pay-Per Second’ tariff. After the expiry of initial validity of 180 days, further validity can be extended by using any of the recharge coupons and continue to enjoy the Unlimited Free call facility forever.

TRAI Announces New Regulation to Curb Unwanted Calls and SMSes

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today announce a new mechanism to effectively arrest pesky commercial calls and empowered consumers against unwanted calls and SMSes.

In order to find a solution to this problem, a separate numbering series 70XXXXXXXX will be allocated for telemarketers, so that all telemarketing calls can be easily identified.

Any call that comes from any number beginning with “70″ will be a commercial call and the customer has the choice of receiving or not receiving the call. Therefore, even a customer who chooses not to register at all, has a choice. Likewise, a unique SMS header has been mandated for easy identification of commercial SMSs.

The New Regulations will be will be effective from 1st January, 2011 and it also mandate that no commercial communication, even for unregistered customers, shall be sent between 9.00 PM to 9.00 AM, so as not to disturb the customers at night.

According to the new regulation by TRAI, the defaulting telemarketers will be liable to pay heavy penalties. The telemarketers are required to enter into an agreement with the service provider before they get telecom resources. As part of the agreement, the telemarketers are required to commit that the following amounts would be deducted from the security offered by them. First offence Rs. 25,000; Second offence, 75,000; Third offence Rs. 80,000; Fourth offence Rs.1,20,000; Fifth offence Rs. 1,50,000 and Sixth offence Rs. 2,50,000.

The Service Providers/Telecom operators are required to deduct these amounts and deposit the same with TRAI. In addition to being liable for deduction of security as indicated above, the telemarketer will be blacklisted on commission of the sixth offence. The telecom resources of the blacklisted telemarketer will be disconnected by all the service providers and will not be restored for a period of two years.

Videocon and Ducati Launches Co-branded Sports Phone V6200

Videocon Industries today announce the launch of first ever Ducati brand licensed mobile phone V6200 in India for Rs. 11995.

The Videocon’s Ducati V6200 is a rugged mobile phone with Sports Design and features. The handset equipped with Screw framed body chassis and Sports Features like GPS, Thermometer, Barometer, Pedometer, Altimeter, UV Rays Sensor, Digital Compass, LED Pulse Indicator and Rubberized Panel with Steel Side Skirting.

It has 2.4-inch display Screen with 3 modes – Phone, Fun & Sports Dual LED Torch, Dedicated keys for – GPS, LED Torch, 2 Mega Pixel Camera. It comes with customizable back OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) Screen, 4GB MicroSD Card with Preloaded life time valid GPS (Map MyIndia).

Videocon V6200 mobile phone specifications :

Network: Dual-Band GSM (900/1800 MHz.
Display : 2.4-inch , 240×320 OLER Screen with 262K Colors.
Dimension : 118 mm x 53 mm x 15.3 mm

Battery : 1030 mAH battery
Talk-time : Upto 6 hrs
Standby Time : upto 400 hrs

Remote controlled access and private security feature.

Entertainment: FM with Scheduled FM Recording, FMRadio on loudspeaker

Camera : 2 MP Camera with Video Recorder.

Sports Features : GPS, Thermometer, Barometer, Pedometer, Altimeter, UV Rays Sensor, Digital Compass and LED Pulse Indicator.

BSNL Slashes STD Rates For Landline– Now STD Calls Just 80p/3 min

India’s National Telecom Back Bone Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has today comes with another groundbreaking Pan India offer for its Landline subscribers. Now the STD Calls from BSNL Landline to any  Landline or Fixed Wireless Phone (any network) across India will cost just 80 paisa per 3 minute !!

The new STD tariff is effective from today  and applicable to BSNL’s all Landline customers across all the circle as default tariff- without any Add-on pack or cost as earlier we shared on Telecom Talk on November 23rd, 2010.

According to BSNL announcement , from today (1 December 2010), All BSNL Landline subscribers (except PCO) can enjoy STD Calls to any Landline or Fixed wireless phone of any network across India just at Local rates, i.e. 80 paisa  to Rs. 1.20 (depends on customers Land-line Plan) for 3 minute (180 seconds) as by default tariff. However the STD Calls to Mobile Phone (10 Digit) will be charged as per 1 minute pulse rate.

The STD facility (zero Dialing) with dynamic locking system will be provided to all BSNL customers by default with whom 95 facility is available except in those cases where the customer expresses his unwillingness (in writing) to take ‘0’ facility.

The existing customers will get this facility without taking any additional security deposit while for new customers, Security Deposit will be Rs. 500 for Local plus STD facility .

For more details on Landline Tariff Plan call 1500 (toll free from BSNL) for more info visit this site http://www.bsnl.co.in/service/tnc/basictariff.htm