Telecom News
Reliance AGM 2024: Mukesh Ambani unveils Jio AI-Cloud, AI brainchild 'Jio Brain' and much more
Speaking at RIL's 47th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday, chairman Mukesh Ambani unveiled Jio AI-Cloud, AI brainchild 'Jio Brain' and many more new plans. Jio is developing a suite of tools and platforms that span the entire AI lifecycle, called Jio Brain. He also announced a Diwali offer for its Jio AI-Cloud service, offering 100GB of free storage for Jio users.
Isha Ambani unveils Reliance Retail's plans to foray into luxe jewellery
Isha Ambani, Director of Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL), announced the company's entry into the luxury jewellery market with a focus on curated, design-led experiences. Reliance Retail is also exploring fashion jewellery and accessories to broaden its market reach.
Ambani calls Jio world's largest mobile data company, India the world's largest data market
Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani announced Jio's major impact on global data traffic, carrying nearly 8% of it. He highlighted Jio's affordable services, noting data costs are just 10% of those in developed countries. With 490 million users, Jio is expanding its digital home services across India.
Ambani unveils 'Diwali Welcome' offer for Jio AI-Cloud with 100GB free storage to support AI ambitions
At the 47th Reliance Industries AGM, chairman Mukesh Ambani revealed a Diwali offer, offering 100GB of free cloud storage for Jio users via the Jio AI-Cloud service. This initiative aims to democratize AI, making it accessible to all devices while ensuring data security within India's borders. The service will cater to users across socio-economic backgrounds.
Mukesh Ambani unveils AI brainchild 'Jio Brain' at Reliance AGM; know all about it
Jio Brain AI: At Reliance Industries' 47th Annual General Meeting, Chairman Mukesh Ambani announced that Jio is creating a comprehensive AI toolset called Jio Brain, which will cover the entire AI lifecycle. He also revealed plans to establish large-scale, AI-ready data centers in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
AGR case: Supreme Court to hear telcos' curative petition on Friday
The Supreme Court will hear curative petitions from telecom companies, including Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel, regarding Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) dues on Friday. A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and other justices will review these petitions.
Trai plans more action to check spam callers
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is exploring differential punitive tariffs for spam callers using personal numbers. Analysis found nearly 14 lakh SIM cards making between 50 to 1000 calls daily in early 2024. Trai has also proposed new message categories to curb the misuse of service and transactional messages.
TRAI leads joint committee of regulators to strengthen measures against spam and telecom fraud
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) held a meeting of the Joint Committee of Regulators (JCoR) to discuss measures against spam calls and messages. Key suggestions included whitelisting URLs, moving promotional calls to the 140 series, and full disclosure of telemarketers. Collaborative strategies to combat telecom fraud were also explored.
Indus Towers set to become Airtel subsidiary post-buyback exercise
Bharti Airtel will soon hold a 50.005% stake in Indus Towers, thereby making the telecom tower company its subsidiary. The decision, approved by the board on August 27, entails a buyback of 56.7 million equity shares priced at Rs 10 each. Shares of Indus had closed 1% higher at Rs 437.40 on BSE on Tuesday. Airtel shares, in turn, had also close marginally (0.58%) higher at Rs 1522.50 on the exchange.
There is no need for voice or SMS-only packs, say telecom companies
Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea opposed the introduction of separate voice or SMS-only packs, emphasising that current tariff plans cater to all users. They highlighted the shift towards data-centric communication, citing increased usage with bundled voice and data offerings. The operators stressed that unbundling plans may lead to complexity and higher costs for consumers, potentially widening the digital divide. SMS packs have lost relevance due to messaging apps and reduced SMS usage.
Must Watch
Equity funding helps Vi clear its entire ₹700 cr statutory dues for Q1
Vodafone Idea (Vi) has settled its ₹700 crore statutory dues for the April-June quarter, marking the first time in over two years the telecom operator has met its obligations on time. The payment includes licence fees and spectrum charges, a significant improvement from past partial repayments. Boosted by recent equity funding, Vi's cash reserves rose to ₹18,150 crore as of June 30. The company is in discussions with banks to secure up to ₹25,000 crore in debt and has begun securing network deals for 5G and 4G upgrades.
Airtel, Apple sign pact for content
As part of the partnership, Airtel XStream customers can now watch Apple TV+ content as part of the telco's video streaming platform. The service is included for premium Airtel WiFi customers and postpaid plans, the company said.
Call, messaging apps must comply with rules for nation's security like telcos, COAI says
Indian telecom operators, through COAI, urged that OTT apps like WhatsApp and Telegram should comply with the Telecommunications Act 2023. They emphasized that these communication services must align with security directives and regulatory oversight, similar to telecom operators, to ensure an equal playing field and curtail security risks.
Jio spent least on dealer commissions, branding in FY24
The telecom market leader spent 3% of its FY24 sales on dealer commissions as against Bharti Airtel’s 4% and Vodafone Idea’s 8.4%. Jio also benefited from group company Reliance Retail’s infrastructure and in-house media properties for advertising, analysts said.
No DoT plan to regulate WhatsApp, similar communication OTTs
The Department of Telecommunications has indicated that apps like WhatsApp and Telegram will not be regulated under the new Telecommunications Act, despite telecom companies' push for such measures. The Act is aimed primarily at licensed telecom operators, and future guidance on app regulation may come from the Ministry of Electronics and IT.
Indian telcos aim for 10% share in 6G patents in next 3 years
Indian telecom companies aimed for 10% of 6G patents and substantial global standards contributions within three years, aligning research to national needs. This was discussed in a meeting chaired by telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. Industry leaders also highlighted the necessity for a supportive policy framework to achieve full broadband coverage in the country.
