5G network to generate $27 bn revenue potential for telcos by 2026: Report

The retail sector in India will offer potential 5G-enabled revenue of up to $1.15 billion by 2026: Report

5G network is estimated to create a $27 billion worth revenue opportunity for Indian telecom operators by 2026, as per Ericsson 5G Business Potential Report.

The largest opportunity will be seen in sectors like manufacturing, energy and utilities followed by public safety and health sectors. This will be over and above the revenue generated from traditional services which is expected to grow up to $63 billion by 2026, the report noted.

"5G is expected to play a major role in digitalization of industries. 5G network will bring new level of performance and characteristics to the telecom networks enabling new services and creating new ecosystems. New revenue streams will open for operators as they go beyond being Connectivity and Infrastructure providers to become service enablers and service creators," said Nitin Bansal, managing director, Ericsson India.

Further, the report stated that agriculture will open-up revenue opportunities up to $400 million for telecom operators. The application of 5G will be in areas like field monitoring and mapping, livestock routing and monitoring, on-field applications, and related services.

It added that the retail sector in India will offer potential 5G-enabled revenue of up to $1.15 billion by 2026, the report obsereved.

Meanwhile, Ericsson on Friday showcased the first live 5G end-to-end demonstration in India using its 5G test bed and 5G NR Radio, demonstrating extremely high throughput and ultra-low latency.

The technology exhibit at Ericsson Connect 2017 also featured 5G use cases and live demonstration of essential technologies on the road to 5G like Gigabit LTE (1 GBPS download speeds) with License Assisted Access (LAA) technology. (more)

Taking on Jio: Now Vodafone to offer 4G smartphones for Rs 2,899

Vodafone has forged a partnership with Micromax, wherein customers can own a 4G smartphone for Rs 999

As the incumbent operators look to take on Reliance Jio and retain their customer base for feature phones, they are forging partnerships with handset makers so as to make smartphones affordable and within reach of a large section of society.

After Airtel, which has tied up with Karbonn to come out with a smartphone for an effective price of Rs 1,399, Vodafone has also forged a partnership with Micromax, wherein customers can own a 4G smartphone for Rs 999.

According to the Vodafone offer, existing and new Vodafone customers will have to buy the Micromax Bharat-2 Ultra smartphone by paying Rs 2,899 and if they recharge at least Rs 150 per month for 36 months, Rs 1,900 will be returned as cashback.

Also Read : Micromax launches budget smartphone

At the end of 18 months, users will receive a cashback of Rs 900 and after another 18 months, a cashback of Rs 1,000, in their Vodafone M-Pesa wallets. Vodafone has not provided a specific plan for the Micromax offer and people buying the device can recharge with existing offers of the company.

As the company is targeting feature phone users, who usually recharge with amounts starting at Rs 10, Vodafone has allowed the flexibility for users to choose recharges of any denomination but to avail the offer, a minimum of Rs 150 should be spent in a month, or Rs 2,700 in 18 months.

Avneesh Khosla, associate director — Consumer Business, Vodafone India, said, “Through our partnership with Micromax, we have democratised 4G smartphones at a price of under Rs 999. This will help fulfill the aspirations of several million phone users across the country who desire a smartphone but couldn’t afford one.”

Ways to use 4G data while paying 3G rates

Ways to use 4G data while paying 3G rates

With mobile companies offering faster 4G data service at 3G rates, many customers are shifting to the newer technology. After all, who does not want more speed at the same price? But here’s a catch — faster speed means quicker usage of data packs.

However, just because 4G consumes more data, one does not have to stick with 3G to save on data consumption. Checking emails, sending and receiving messages over WhatsApp, checking Facebook and Twitter doesn’t eat much of your data. Usually, streaming media services like videos and games dries up a large chunk of data.

If you can change settings of your apps and proactively manage their data consumption, you can reduce your 4G bill. For example, if you go to YouTube app’s settings, you can choose to stream HD videos only when the phone is connected to Wi-Fi. Similarly, in video conference apps such as Skype, you can opt for lower quality video.Read more.

Trai may issue fresh paper on WhatsApp, Skype

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is contemplating issuing a fresh consultation paper for regulation of over-the-top (OTT) messaging services like WhatsApp and Skype in accordance with recently announced net neutrality principles.

"The issues have changed over the past year when the consultation paper was first announced. We have to look at the OTT industry together with net neutrality as many aspects are interlinked," a Trai official told Business Standard. No decision has yet been taken on whether there should be a fresh paper on the issue. "It is in the very initial stages," the official said. Mobile users can access OTT services via the Internet but these ride on telecom networks and are not bound by any regulations.

The availability of affordable Smartphones has led to the growth of OTT services, which in turn increases data volumes for telecom companies. But for increased traffic, telecom companies need to invest in upgrading their networks.

The Trai paper was issued in March 2015 and comments were received under the earlier chairman Rahul Khullar. Khullar retired in mid-May and the regulator got a new chairman, RS Sharma, in August 2015. But final recommendations are yet to be announced.

The major contention in the OTT paper is voice calls offered by WhatsApp,Skype and others, which telecom operators allege is eating into their revenue. Voice calls on telecom networks are 12.5 times more expensive than those through OTT services; in the case of messages, the difference is 16 times. A one-minute phone call costs 50 paise, while a one-minute call made through the Internet costs 4 paise, according to Trai.

"Technology can't be stopped. We can't kill innovation but we need to address the regulatory arbitrage between telecom operators and OTT players. One is under a licensing regime, while the other is not. No doubt OTT is driving the data revenue of telecom players, but one has to look at the security aspect as well," another Trai official added.

Vodafone launches 4G in Mumbai on 1,800 Mhz

Vodafone, country's second largest telecom operator, launched its fourth generation broadband services in Mumbai. The service was unveiled by chief minister Devendra Phadnavis, a Vodafone customer himself. The company launches its services months after Bharti Airtellaunched its 4G services across 300 towns in India.

At the launch, Chief Minister Phadnavis said mobile was a key aspect of its JAM trinity (Jandhan, Aadhaar, Mobile) which was transforming governance. He said that he would have liked if Vodafone had launched 4G in Mumbai first as it was the commercial capital of the country.

Regulator chains Free Basics

The telecom regulator on Monday struck down differential pricing for internet services offered by telecom players to mobile users, in a bid to uphold the principles of net neutrality.

This will be a big blow to Facebook’s Free Basics — and other zero-rated platforms such as Airtel Zero — for which the social media giant had launched an aggressive campaign in December last year.