WHERE IS INDIA LAGGING BEHIND IN ICT AND TELECOM TECHNOLOGIES?

We import 99.99 per cent of ICT and Telecom technologies today, incurring a cost of USD 120 billion. This bill is estimated to increase to USD 400 billion by 2020.

Will we have the money to foot that huge bill? If USD 120 billion, which is Rs 800,000 crore, circulates within the country, it will generate thousands of millions of crores.

We have to strive for self-sufficiency and build technologies. Transfer of technology, licensed production or joint ventures rarely give a country any true strength and often become an addictive habit. No donor country will transfer their best technology and therefore, whole scale imports are not sustainable in the long term. All the systems are supplied by foreigners, which makes India very vulnerable.

What should be done to achieve self-sufficiency in these technologies?

We need to change the system. The world is racing ahead. We are completely at the bottom in every single metric in science and technology while China is far ahead. If we have the money to import technologies worth USD 120 billion then I am sure we can spend a couple of billion dollars trying to build technologies in India.

But, we must collaborate with the rest of the world. China did it by sheer government willpower over the last 20 years. For instance, China has sent 200,000 junior professors, PhD students and post doctoral students to the US to work in top universities. They go back and create great value at home. Thanks to the bureaucratic mindset, one of our best institutes of higher education, IIT-Delhi, is ranked 250th in the world.

The Indian government has no way of funding them other than some interaction through some Commonwealth fund. The technology base in India compared to the world is less than 1 per cent today. Why can’t we invest a few billions dollars in education, R&D and in building technologies?

Won’t Indian talent come up with innovative, indigenous technologies?

Great talent is available in Africa and Malaysia too. Give me an example of one idea or anything hi-tech that we have made in this country in Telecom or ICT.

We need more PhDs, but there are no takers for it in India as there are limited jobs for researchers today. There is enormous talent in India.

While we are very well connected in arts and literature, we live in a completely isolated system when it comes to science and technology. The government comes into the picture and bureaucrats run the show. While there is no shortage of talent, we are in a bureaucratic prison, which we must come out of. 

Read More

WHAT's HAPPENING IN TELECOM? SEE THE LATEST UPDATES BELOW

•          Telecoms Capex investment to touch $346 bn in 2015 with flat growth

Telecom service providers are expected to invest $346 billion towards capital spending (Capex) in 2015, indicating a flat growth. In 2014, Capex in fixed line telecom operations was 41 percent of $346 billion, while 59 percent was in wireless business of operators.

•         Telecoms to invest $1.7 trillion as Capex in networks during 2014-2020

Telecom service providers globally will invest $1.7 trillion in mobile network infrastructure during 2014-2020 and main focus will be 4G LTE networks, said GSMA.

4G accounts for 5 percent of mobile connections at present. 4G penetration as a percentage of connections is 69 percent in South Korea, 46 percent in Japan and 40 percent in the US, but 4G penetration in the developing world stands at 2 percent.

•          Mobile industry Capex to touch $1.1 trillion during 2013-17: GSMA

In the next 5 years, mobile industry will contribute $2.6 trillion to public funding. In 2017, companies across the ecosystem will employ nearly 10 million people globally, according to a study by the GSMA. With the number of mobile subscribers standing at 3.2 billion people, nearly half of the world’s population now uses mobile communications.

It is expected that a further 700 million subscribers will be added by 2017 and the 4 billion-subscriber milestone will be reached in 2018.

For more details visit us @www.urssystems.com

Read More

TELECOM INNOVATION: DEVELOPING WEBSITE TO SHOW REAL-TIME MOBILE TOWER RADIATION

The Department of Telecom is working on a website that will show real-time data of radiation being emitted from each mobile tower in the country and its exposure to people, a senior official said here. 

"We are working on a web portal so that a person can see how much radiation he is exposed to," DoT Member (Technology) A K Bhargava said while speaking at an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) event. 

The Department has started working with industry body Cellular Operators Association of India to develop the portal. 

"It is in early stage and yet to see proof of concept for this project. Idea is that a person should be able see in real-time how much radiation a mobile tower in his proximity is emitting. 

UN body ITU also launched its first mobile application on cellular radiation to answer all queries and concerns of people.  They are launching a new product in this area, a mobile application providing an 'EMF Guide'.

"It offers an introduction to EMFs and their relationship with health, as well as various internationally agreed guidelines and standards designed to ensure safety in the use of mobile phones and other wireless technologies.

The government has an ambitious target to spread broadband and mobile telephony and for this it is important to address concerns among public about mobile radiation. 

India allows only 10 per cent of radiation level to be emitted from mobile towers as compared to international norms preferred in most of the countries. DoT has decided to conduct an awareness campaign to remove perception of health hazard from mobile tower radiation as there is no scientific evidence to prove any ill-effect on health at levels permitted globally. 

A World Health Organization study in 2011 had pointed out that there are possible health risks associated with electromagnetic fields which need to be properly considered and reported during the roll-out of mobile-wireless technologies if the electromagnetic radiations are beyond certain limits. 

Following protest from civil groups, India has reduced permissible level of radiation from mobile towers by 90 per cent as compared to radiation norms released by global body The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). 

For more details visit us @http://www.urssystems.com

Read More

ERA OF SMARTPHONES AND MOBILE INTERNET

"The Internet has changed the digital economy in India". Earlier, VAS customers used to be charged by carriers. Now, consumers are charged by the app makers. The revenue share proportion between VAS providers and Telcos has changed dramatically. It's gone from being skewed towards the Telcos to favoring the app makers or content providers, creating a flutter among mobile phone operators, which are demanding a greater share, citing their investments in telecom networks. 

The relationship between Telcos and content providers has changed in the process to the off-net model. Telcos have begun to offer billing, collection and customer care to Internet companies that provide technology and platforms.

Telcos now want a share of the revenue from over-the-top (OTT) players, or app makers- Facebook, Google, Whatsapp - that use their networks to reach consumers. Telecom operators the world over have been pushing for a regulatory framework around OTT players or a mechanism for differential pricing - pay for better access to a Telco’s network. However, Internet companies globally have opposed such moves, saying that it would lean toward censorship. The Internet should be free for all, they reason, saying Telcos anyway charge consumers for using data. India's telecom regulator has said that while it continues to watch developments in this area, it has no intention of regulating OTT players as of now. 

"There has to be something more than data usage that customers are paying for, since it is in their interest too that customers experience is always optimum.

In our portfolio for telecom operators and CSP’s, we have the know-how, the skills and the solutions you need to tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow. We are a platform and product agnostic services company comfortable working with a wide range of vendors and technology environments. At the heart of everything we do is a drive to deliver tangible business results to our clients. 

For more details visit us @www.urssystems.com

Read More

TELECOM TRENDS: GROWING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES!

Taking advantage of the growing demand for broadband services by small and medium enterprises, financial institutions and defence forces in the underpenetrated areas, it's time to leverage on these opportunities. VSAT(Very Small Aperture Terminal) services are proving to be an important response solution for government agencies in ensuring telecom connectivity in the affected regions, thereby opening up a new area of opportunity.

As more banks and financial institutions expand their reach in underbanked areas in order to achieve their financial inclusion targets, the demand for VSAT services is bound to increase. Another major business driver for the VSAT segment is the educational services industry. Many educational institutes are demanding VSAT services to provide tele-classroom facilities to their students on campus.

Various government agencies are offering or planning to offer e-governance services in the fields of health care, finance and education in rural areas, creating significant demand for VSAT services. Apart from the rise in demand for VSAT services, the fall in VSAT prices by nearly 20 per cent over the past three years has helped the industry grow. Many small enterprises with limited budgets are now considering opting for VSAT services owing to the price reduction. Most of these enterprises are located in areas with poor or limited broadband connectivity. 

Going forward, the BFSI, government and defence sectors are likely to dominate the demand for these services. Leveraging its expertise in providing 24x7 broadband connectivity to financial institutions and government agencies, VSAT can help strengthen the market position.

Visit us @www.urssystems.com

Read More

UNLEASH INNOVATION WITH OSS / BSS TOOLS

Software Defined Networking (SDN) is currently a widely discussed topic in the telecommunications industry. There are high expectations regarding the technology, including reducing network maintenance costs and unleashing innovation, thus opening the way to new revenue sources and better network monetization. SDN is a concept where the main principle is to separate the control plane from the data plane, and to move the controller function out from today’s routers.

At first this definition does not sound very exciting, but placing the controller function centrally should enable much more “intelligent” network traffic control and, as a result, efficiently deliver new, innovative services for customers. The problem is that for now SDN is still only a concept, and currently the only tangible specification is OpenFlow, but it only defines the protocol between a controller and a switch.

To make the promises of SDN technology come true, there is a need for a platform, enabling a business application that will help opening up telecom networks. The specifications and APIs for this kind of a business application need to be defined to shape the network according to what is required and make it “smarter”. In order for the latter to happen,  a controller needs a comprehensive end-to-end view of the network and all connected services. However, the SDN concept does not define, how to provide such an end-to-end view.

One idea is to leverage the operators’ existing assets like the BSS/OSS ecosystems and prove that SDN won’t make BSS/OSS investments obsolete. IT architecture, where BSS/OSS investments can not only be saved, but even act as a significant enabler for the SDN “revolution”. This means that telecom operators will be able to provide significant added value to the SDN ecosystem.

The Software Defined Networking (SDN) technology is very promising and expected to help operators in reducing costs and boosting service innovation. The cost reduction factor  derives naturally from centralizing the network control functions. Following the Network  Function Virtualization concept, it ensures that the control function can be implemented  on standard equipment (even PCs).

But the real strength of this technology is in its potential to speed up innovation and open up the network. The “smartness” of the SDN controllers comes from the ability to access a complete end-to-end view of the network. Instead of implementing a completely new infrastructure for an SDN controller, the end-to-end view can be delivered by the existing BSS/OSS systems.

For more details visit us @ www.urssystems.com

Read More

LETS TALK TELECOM..HOW DIFFERENT WILL THE 4G BE AND DOES IT COMMAND A PREMIUM OVER 3G?

The industry has experienced a massive shift from traditional mobile services such as voice and SMS to value-added services such as CRBT, WAP, m-gaming, m-utilities and infotainment, along with data-intensive services such as browsing, social networking, apps and video streaming. Today, what a consumer desires is a seamless, always-on, high-speed data service.

While 3G adoption is still picking up three years after its launch, the focus has now shifted to 4G technologies, especially LTE (Long-Term Evolution). 

But how different will the 4G be and does it command a premium over 3G? Well, 4G is expected to deliver speeds of 10-15 Mbps, 10 times faster than those of 3G, enabling users to download more content than 3G in the same amount of time. This makes data-intensive, on-the-go downloads such as music or HD video streaming a reality. Further, 4G promises faster connection times, assuring an always-on service experience. It offers less round-trip latency, making real-time applications such as VoIP, video calls, online gaming and multimedia content sharing quite practical. While 4G promises an improved user experience, the key question is will 4G be a game-changer and when can operators expect to break-even? And these concerns are amplified due to the various challenges that exist right now.

•      4G ecosystem: Currently there is a lack of affordable 4G-enabled phones in India. The availability of $100 handsets suitable for LTE band 2300 MHz in India—which can help users in voice, data and video—could result in faster adoption of the service.

•        Quality of service: 3G coverage in India is much below the levels needed to provide superior customer experience associated with high speed data technology, as cash-strapped operators face an investment dilemma. Here, 4G is a possible panacea if it delivers seamless and high-speed connectivity.

•        Pricing: In the recent past, competitive 3G tariffs have helped increase its adoption. A key question for operators is how to price 4G services to encourage demand for early adoption while ensuring returns on investment.

•       Product/service offering: Consumer interests and demands are shifting towards video calling, mobile gaming, HD content streaming, multi-tasking and seamless data connectivity.

Additionally, the Quality of Service models and Key Performance Indicators are different in the case of 4G. Operators need to be well prepared for delivering seamless experience backed with robust technology and network coverage of 4G services. Due to shift of consumers towards data-centric applications, 4G operators need to focus not only on Quality of Service but also on Quality of Experience as perceived by the user.

Read More

Lets Hear The Buzz of Telecom - 4G Rollout Is a Tough One for Telecom Operators in India!

Telcos are taking a very cautious approach as fully monetizing network investments involves launching compelling new applications and services while India lacks the ecosystem that include insufficiency of 4G-capable devices.

Network deployment for 4G LTE is a complex and expensive task for telecom operators, especially in emerging economies such as India which have low average-revenue-per user (ARPU).

Deploying LTE networks in India and globally is a hugely complex and expensive task for mobile network operators. Enhanced capabilities and benefits like bandwidth-on-demand require complex go-to-market and customer management strategies.

Emerging competitive threats from Over-the-Top (OTT) applications and services threaten to further reduce already low ARPUs and continue to mount a sustained challenge to the long-term revenue generation potential of 4G services.

Speed advantages are not very useful as a differentiating factor. "Network speeds cannot be guaranteed, and are usually temporary, highly regionalized, and easy for the competition to replicate and outside the operator's control".

The prioritization of 4G-technology rollout would be towards the main metropolitan areas as it would be initially seen as a premium service.

Operators would be mindful of the significant role that pre-existing 2G and 3G technologies, particularly in areas where the limited return on investment opportunities make 4G rollout a less attractive proposition for the network operators.

"The availability of high-speed mobile data communication through 4G-LTE networks and capabilities will continue to be an essential enabler of India's ongoing economic development and growth.

Many of the well-established 4G device providers are targeting lower-cost products specifically towards the Indian market as they seek to consolidate and expand their position within the rapidly developing space.

Visit us @ www.urssystems.com

Read More

In the midst of extraordinary change, a simple frame of reference will enable TELCOS to win...Lets hear some News and Facts happening in Telecom Industry.

According to a white paper named ‘India 2020: Bringing the networked society to life’ released by Ericsson, the overall revenue of Indian telecom operators is expected to grow from $28 billion in 2013 to $46-49 billion by 2020. The mobile broadband subscriber base in India would grow from 100 million in 2013 to 600 million by 2020. Further, around 20 per cent of them would use 4G services by 2020.

CAG has said that despite DoT's technical committee specifying that spectrum up to 6.2 MHz was sufficient to support a subscriber base of 9 lakh in Delhi and Mumbai, the telecom department decided to allot additional 1.8 MHz airwaves to Bharti Airtel and Vodafone India after they clocked 4 lakh subscribers. However, neither the Telecom Commission, the highest decision-making body in DoT, nor the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) were consulted before the department took a final decision.

DoT didn't consider efficiency, effectiveness and scarcity of bandwidth of 900 MHz spectrum in fixing revenue share. These operators, however, charged more from their rivals while allowing roaming on the lower frequency band compared to the 1800 MHz band, the auditor said. Consequently, the government lost close to Rs. 6,000 crore by not charging more for the more efficient frequency band.

The share of data revenues in total revenues of the telecom operators will rise from 10-12 per cent in 2013 to 35-40 per cent in 2020. However, the revenues from SMS and other traditional services would remain stable at $2 billion during 2013-2020. Also, the prices of smartphones will fall by 40-50 per cent over the next three years. As a result, the number of subscribers who are able to afford smartphones and services would increase from 110 million in 2013 to reach over 700 million by 2020.

Ericsson is of the view that to fulfill the Digital India initiative, telecom operators should be able to access more spectrum from the government, and work to build new network capabilities and revenue models.

www.urssystems.com

Read More

Is Your Smartphone Smart Enough To Save your Time!! Lets get updated on the Telecom and Networking Buzz...

The study revealed that Smartphone usage in the country is not only leading to proliferation of entertainment and social networking but also creating a buzz around things such as productivity and achieving more. "Smartphones are becoming a tool for driving productivity".

• IT SAVES TIME: Indian users perceived smartphones as enablers of productivity by saving time, enhancing communication and collaboration with colleagues, providing more flexibility and simplifying their lives and thus saves time. According to the study, 77 per cent of smartphone users in India find that their device saves time. Globally, one-third of business smartphone users said their devices save them more than 5 hours during an average working week. “Smartphones have made a major impact on the way we conduct business and communicate with friends and family, driving our ambitions to be productive in order to change the way we contribute to work, our communities and society”.

• MOTIVATED USERS: Rather than simply ploughing through a to-do list, modern productivity means consciously creating more time to focus on the things that matter most. The study found that 67 per cent of business smartphone users globally indicated they are “always looking to improve their productivity” and 69 per cent are “constantly looking for new ways to get things done as efficiently as possible.”

Smartphone reflects their status, helps them manage communications, is secure, helps them achieve more, is durable, gives them flexibility and simplifies their lives as against other smartphone users. 

Read More