Month: May 2025
DTH Sector Under Pressure as Government Seeks ₹16,000 Crore in License Fee Dues
The Indian government has served demand notices worth ₹16,000 crore to four major private DTH operators for unpaid license fees—a sum that exceeds their total annual revenue. The dues include ₹6,735 crore from Dish TV (including interest), ₹3,628 crore from Tata Play (with ₹1,401.66 crore in interest), and ₹1,051.84 crore from Sun Direct (excluding interest). […]
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Delicensing of 6 GHz Band to Accelerate Wi-Fi 6E and 7 Rollout in India: Scindia
Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced on May 27 that the Central government’s decision to delicense the lower 6 GHz spectrum band (5925 MHz to 6425 MHz) will act as a major catalyst for innovation and digital connectivity across India. The move paves the way for deploying next-generation Wi-Fi technologies such as Wi-Fi 6E and […]
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Jio AirFiber Drives Digital Transformation Across Punjab
Reliance Jio claims its Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) service, JioAirFiber 5G internet, is spearheading the digital revolution in Punjab by enhancing connectivity in both urban centers and remote rural areas. Citing data from Statista, Jio noted that India’s internet penetration rose to over 52% in 2024, up from just 14% in 2014. The telecom giant […]
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Airtel Unveils All-in-One OTT Entertainment Packs for Prepaid Customers
Bharti Airtel has introduced new All-in-One entertainment packs for its prepaid customers, offering access to over 25 leading over-the-top (OTT) platforms. With this launch, Airtel becomes the only telecom operator in India to provide such a wide-ranging digital entertainment experience under a single plan, as highlighted in the company’s announcement. The plans begin at a […]
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Rural India Drives Surge in Fixed Wireless Access Adoption
Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) broadband is rapidly gaining traction in rural India, challenging the long-held notion that it is a premium service suited only for urban metros. According to the latest data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), nearly 44% of Reliance Jio’s FWA users—around 2.5 million—are from rural areas. Jio currently has […]
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Satellite Telecom to Complement, Not Compete with Terrestrial Networks, Says Scindia
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has stated that satellite telecommunications will complement existing terrestrial networks—such as those provided by Airtel, Vodafone Idea, and Jio—instead of competing with them. He expressed strong confidence that India will achieve the fastest satellite communication rollout in the world, with the sector expected to grow into a $20 billion market by […]
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Premium OTT Content Drops 12% in 2024 as Platforms Shift Focus to Profitability
Premium content on Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms saw a 12% decline in 2024, as streaming services scaled back on high-budget productions in pursuit of profitability, according to the latest EY-FICCI report on India’s media and entertainment sector, as reported by ANI. Premium Content Shrinks, Cost Efficiency Takes Priority The report indicates that cost pressures are set […]
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Starlink Bangladesh Launched. Will it be a Hit or Flop?
Starlink has officially launched its satellite internet service in Bangladesh. While a rollout in India is expected soon, the pricing in Bangladesh offers valuable clues about what Indian consumers might expect. Unfortunately, the cost structure suggests that Starlink may remain out of reach for most middle-class users, particularly in the residential segment, where fiber broadband […]
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Airtel Puts Brakes on Smart Home Push to Focus on Core Broadband Growth
Bharti Airtel is scaling back its expansion into smart home segments like home surveillance and security, choosing instead to double down on its core home broadband business. During the Q4 FY2025 earnings call, Gopal Vittal, Vice Chairman and MD of Bharti Airtel, said the company’s foray into home security solutions had seen limited success and […]
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The Role of Advanced Wi-Fi in the 6G Era: A Perfect Partnership
As the world gears up for the arrival of 6G wireless technology, it’s evident that advanced Wi-Fi will play a pivotal role in supporting this next-generation network. While 6G promises to deliver ultra-high speeds, extremely low latency, and seamless connectivity across a vast array of devices, achieving these ambitious targets will require more than just […]
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