Jio Fibre to Home | No tariff cuts as Jio shifts focus to broadband services

Jio Fibre to Home - Reliance Industries’ (RIL) 41st annual popular assembly saw the complete verbal exchange concentrated around the disruption Jio turned into going to reason this time round. even as telecom players heaved a sigh modern comfort as there were no in addition tariff cuts, the motion shifted to the constant line broadband offerings. RIL’s chairman Mukesh Ambani announced the launch contemporary Jio fibre to Home or constant line broadband services known as Jio GigaFiber as well as new offers for the JioPhone clients. Following feedback to the preliminary registration, the organisation, as a way to launch the carrier (Jio Fiber to Home) from August 15, will take a call on in which the services will begin rolling out first.

“Your organisation has already invested over Rs 2,500 billion for growing digital infrastructure to offer cellular and broadband connectivity throughout the usa, with the biggest fibre footprint. we are able to now make bigger this fibre connectivity to houses, traders, small and medium organizations and massive businesses simultaneously throughout 1,a hundred towns to offer the maximum advanced fibre-primarily based broadband connectivity answers,” stated Ambani.

Read More on - Jio Fibre to Home set to disrupt broadband market, lead to consolidation

From today, Reliance Jio's 'Monsoon Hungama' to offer Rs 501 JioPhone

Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio has advanced by a day to July 20 the launch of its monsoon 'hungama' scheme that would offer its JioPhone to customers for Rs 501, a company source said.

Earlier, in the annual general meeting of Reliance Industries, Ambani had announced that the scheme will begin from July 21.

The offer will begin at 5.01 PM on Friday, the timing that reflects the Rs 501 price tag of the JioPhone. The registration for new JioPhone is already live on the official website of Relaince Jio.

"Jio will start monsoon hungama scheme from 5.01 pm on July 20. Even the timing has been kept to reflect effective price of the phone," the source told PTI.

According to the source, Reliance Jio will announce the terms and condition of the scheme on Friday.

From August 15 onward, both existing and new, JioPhone users will also get to access Facebook, WhatsApp and Youtube. The phone, however, supports Google Maps.

BSNL offer: Recharge with Rs 98, get 1.5GB data per day: What you must know

Taking on Reliance Jio, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has launched 'Data Tsunami' offer, under which users will get 1.5GB data per day for a period of 26 days with a charge of Rs 98. The state operator has also upped the FUP limit for its Rs 4,999 FTTH plan to stay put in the fibre connectivity competition. "BSNL provides efficient services at cheaper rates as per requirement of customers. This is a pure data STV which provides at a very economic rate at Rs 2.51 per GB," said RK Mittal, Director (CM), BSNL Board, in a press statement.

All you need to know about BSNL's 'Data Tsunami' offer
BSNL 1.5GB data per day pack
The new offer comes through the new data STV-98 pack that is available with immediate effect across all BSNL circles in India. Users will get 1.5GB data per day for a period of 26 days with a charge of Rs 98. With the fresh benefits that are available through the Rs 98 pack, BSNL is offering data at Rs 2.51 per GB. This is lower than what Jio is offering with its Rs 149 pack that has a validity of 28 days and offers 1.5GB data per day - which eventually costs Rs 3.5 per GB. Airtel also has a similar Rs 149 pack that brings the data benefits close to Rs 5.3 per GB. However, both Jio and Airtel are providing unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS messages per day that you won't get on the Rs. 98 BSNL pack. This Rs 98 pack offers only data, unlike the Rs 118 pack.

Apple Watch 3 LTE goes on sale: Airtel offer, Jio's new service and more

The much-awaited Apple Watch Series 3 Cellular edition is now available in India through Reliance Jio and Airtel owned platforms. The watch, which comes in several variants, can now be purchased from Jio stores and Reliance Digital outlets. Airtel users can order the watch through the telecom's online store.

The 38 mm variant of the watch is available for Rs 39,080, while the 42 mm model is being sold at Rs 41,120.

On the hardware front, the GPS only model of the watch comes with 8GB internal memory, while the GPS+Cellular model comes with 16 GB internal memory. Watch Series 3 comes with a dual-core S3 processor and a W2 wireless chip.

Airtel is giving a cashback of Rs 5,000 to its customers who buy the watch through ICICI Credit EMI transactions from May 11 to June 10. The cashback will be credited within 90 days of the transaction.

Jio has launched a new service called JioEverywhereConnect, especially for the watch. The service will allow users to use the same Jio number on both their iPhone and Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular).

RJio new postpaid plan effect; Idea hits 52-week low, Airtel down 6%

Shares of telecom services provider are under pressure with the Idea Cellular hitting a fresh 52-week low, while Bharti Airtel falling 6% in intra-day trade on Friday after Reliance Jio Infocomm (RJio) announced a new unlimited postpaid plan on Thursday with national roaming, international calling and international roaming plans among others.
The all new JioPostpaid will be available for subscription starting 15th May, 2018. JioPostpaid marks a paradigm-shift in the way postpaid services are offered and consumed, just like Jio did with its prepaid services, Reliance Jio Infocomm (“Jio”), a subsidiary of Reliance Industries said in a press release.

Jio’s Rs 199 plan offers 25 GB of data along with free calling and free subscription of Jio apps. The plan, at almost half the price of what others are offering, is going to hit the old operators further.

“Airtel’s plan that can be matched with Jio starts at Rs 399, which offers 20 GB of data, unlimited calling and free subscriptions to Airtel TV and Wynk music. Vodafone’s plan, too, starts at Rs 399, which gives 20 GB of data and unlimited calling along with Vodafone Play services. Idea Cellular offers similar benefits for Rs 389. In case, the other telcos follow Jio, postpaid average revenue per user will come down,” the Business Standard report suggested. 

Reliance Communications gets bondholders' nod for asset sale to Jio

India's Reliance Communications Ltd (RCom) said on Wednesday its bondholders had approved their asset-sale plan, that includes the sale of certain assets to upstart rival Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd.

Holders of the debt-laden telecom operator's $300 million bonds have also approved the monetisation of other real-estate assets, RCom said in a statement.

RCom also got approval for the partial release of noteholder collateral to help the sale get underway, the company said, adding the proceeds would be used for partial redemption of notes.

RCom last week had moved the Supreme Court in a desperate attempt to complete the asset sale and to also avoid going to the National Company Law Tribunal, according to a report in The Economic Times.

Earlier this month, the firm lost its appeal in the Bombay High Court against an arbitration tribunal ruling in the Ericsson case, where the Swedish company sought payment of unpaid dues.

Anil Ambani-controlled RCom got shareholders' nod in February to sell its wireless assets to Reliance Jio, the telecom unit of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd.

How Jio was born: Tired of poor internet speed, Isha Ambani mooted the idea

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's telecom venture Jio, which catapulted India as the world's largest mobile broadband data consuming nation in less than two years, was first seeded by his daughter, Isha Ambani, in 2011.

This was revealed by Ambani, the richest Indian, in his acceptance speech last night after his oil-to-telecom conglomerate, Reliance Industries was presented with the 'Drivers of Change' award at the Financial Times ArcelorMittal Boldness in Business Awards.

Since the idea first cropped up, Reliance, which owns and operates the world's largest single location refinery complex at Jamnagar in Gujarat, has spent more than $31 billion to break into India's mobile-phone market. The 2016 upstart, called Jio, dislodged rivals and has emerged as the nation's No. 4 carrier by offering call services free for life and data transmission at dirt cheap rates.

Jio is also gearing up for newer data-heavy services that can connect homes, businesses, and cars to the internet.

Here's why Mukesh Ambani's first Jio profit is 'too good to believe'

Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd.’s first-ever net income is “a bit too good to believe” for Sanford C. Bernstein analysts, who examined how the phone carrier accounts for some costs.
Jio’s “unique approach” results in a slower pace of recognising depreciation and amortisation, which led to a Rs 12 billion ($187 million) charge in the December quarter, according to a February 2 Bernstein report. Using a rate similar to local rivals would have quadrupled that number and turned Jio’s reported profit into a loss of Rs 24.1 billion, analysts led by Hong Kong-based Chris Lane estimated.

The carrier, controlled by India’s richest man and a unit of Reliance Industries Ltd., posted a net income of Rs 5.04 billion last quarter, about 16 months after its debut sparked an industry price war that crashed revenues. The result was boosted by Jio’s policy, linking depreciation charges to “its own assessment” of usage and economic benefit, while other Indian carriers amortize telecom assets at a fixed rate over time, Morgan Stanley said in a Jan. 21 report.

New Year disruption plan: Now, Reliance Jio moves to broadband, TV space

After its success in mobile telephony, Reliance Jio is preparing to disrupt the market once again. This time in the fixed broadband and television (TV) space.

The Mukesh Ambani-led company will launch high-speed fibre to the home (FTTH) broadband in more than 30 cities early next year, to offer TV as well as internet to subscribers, it is learnt.

Jio has mapped out a plan to address over 100 million TV households across these cities, including Tier II and III, by ensuring dense fibre presence for last-mile connectivity to homes. In the first phase itself, at least 50 million households will be offered the service, according to sources in the know.

Jio has already spread out over 300,000 kilometres of optic fibre (half of which is through a long-term contract with Anil Ambani’s Reliance Communications).

In fact, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, in his annual general meeting speech this year, indicated that Jio was on track to offer high-speed broadband services. The infrastructure was in place and it would be the next big monetisation opportunity for the company, he had said.
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RCom shares fall 5% as the company plans to shut down 2G operations

Continuing to fall for the second straight session, shares of Reliance Communications today fell by nearly 5 per cent amid buzz that the debt-ridden company is planning to shut down its wireless telephony business.

After a weak opening, shares of the company further lost 4.55 per cent to Rs 15.70 - 52-week low - on BSE.

On NSE, the stock lost 4.86 per cent to hit a one-year low of Rs 15.65.

The stock had fallen by over 3 per cent yesterday. On Tuesday it had declined by 3.95 per cent.

RCom plans to shut down its loss-making wireless telephony business by November 30 and concentrate only on 4G Internet services, according to sources.

"As already announced on October 1, 2017, RCom has decided to adopt a 4G-focused strategy for profitable growth of its wireless business. Accordingly, RCom will be optimising its 2G and 3G footprint, and related infrastructure and human resources, with effect from November 30, 2017," the company said in a statement yesterday.

RCom said its "4G-led strategy will be executed, as at present, on the back of capital-light access to Indias most extensive 4G mobile network, through already operational spectrum-sharing and ICR arrangements with Reliance Jio".

Bharti Airtel slips post 75% drop in Q1 net profit

STOCK MARKET - Bharti Airtel fell as much as 1.3% after the price war with Reliance Jio led to a 75% drop in net profit for the company at Rs 367 crore for the three months ended June. Net profit in the January-March quarter was nearly Rs 373 crore.

Reliance Jio’s attractive offers forced the incumbent operators to match the new entrant's schemes, resulting in 34% lower realisations from the voice segment on a year-on-year basis. Pricing pressure on the data front was even worse. Data realisations were also down by 73% over the corresponding period last year. Click Here for detailed earnings

Profit on a consolidated basis, which includes the company's Africa operations and its Indian satellite TV business among others, also fell to Rs 367 crore ($57.01 million) in the three months to June 30, while revenue fell 14% to Rs 21,958 crore.

ARPU of Bharti Airtel slipped 2% on a quarter-on-quarter basis to Rs 154 per month.

At 10:40 am, the scrip was trading 0.56% lower at Rs 425.2 as against 0.2% rise in BSE Sensex. Shares of the company opened at Rs 428.50 and touched a high and low of Rs 430 and Rs 421.65, respectively, in trade so far.

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100 GB broadband data for Rs 500: Reliance Jio may launch JioFiber by Oct

Reliance Jio Infocomm, which has been testing its fibre-to-the-home (FTTH)-based JioFiber broadband in select cities, is expected to commercially launch its services by October, according to a report in the Economic Times.

Under its base plan, Reliance JioFiber might offer a whopping 100 GB of broadband data for as low as Rs 500. In terms of bandwidth, the JioFibre services are speculated to offer 100 Mbps speed.

Recently, Business Standard reported that the Reliance JioFiber broadband services would launch with a preview offer – similar to how the company launched its Jio services -- with free access to JioFiber services for 90 days. Under the complimentary offer, the JioFibre broadband services will offer a blazing speed of 100 Mbps and a monthly free data of 100 GB, besides free access to Jio premium applications. The user will continue to get 1 Mbps of speed after 100 GB data cap.

Though the services would be offered for free, Reliance Jio would charge Rs 4,500 as a one-time refundable installation charge that will be returned if JioFibre users choose not to continue with JioFiber.

To counter JioFibre, India’s leading broadband service provider Bharti Airtel recently upgraded its plans and is now offering almost 100 per cent of additional free data on every plan. Under the new plans, the company is offering 60 GB of high-speed broadband data at Rs 899, up from 30 GB offered earlier. Similarly, the updated Rs 1,099 plan dishes out 90 GB, compared with 50 GB earlier. The higher Rs 1,299 plan offers 125 GB, compared with 75 GB, while the premium Rs 1,499 plan offers 160 GB, against 100 GB earlier.

For Airtel broadband customers in the Delhi-NCR region, the company is running a promotion and offering additional 1,000 GB of broadband data on select plans.
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Reliance Jio is offering 100% cashback on JioFi: Here's how to avail of it

Reliance Jio is currently offering 100 per cent cashback on its JioFi portable Wi-Fi device, which connects to 10 devices at the same time. The cashback offer is valid for those buying JioFi in exchange for an old dongle, router and 4G data card.

According to the terms and policies of the cashback offer available on Reliance Jio's online portal, customers seeking to avail of a 100 per cent cashback on JioFi need to exchange their old dongle, router or 4G data card. In exchange, Reliance Jio provides additional data worth Rs 2,010 – 5 GB data worth Rs 210 per month for 10 months – that equals 100 per cent of the device amount.

jiofi There also is another scheme where users who do not wish to exchange can get an offer worth Rs 1,005 on purchase of JioFi online. In purchases made without exchange, Reliance Jio provides additional data worth Rs 1,005 – 5 GB data worth Rs 210 per month for 5 months – that equals to 50 per cent of the device amount.

Step 1: To avail of 100 per cent cashback, you need to purchase JioFi device through Jio online portal by paying Rs 1,999.

Step 2: You have to visit a Reliance Jio store with original invoice, JioFi Box with or without old dongle or other device for exchange

Step 3: You need to purchase a Reliance Jio SIM card, which can be done at a Jio Store or any other partner store by furnishing identity proof, address proof and passport size photograph or Aadhaar card...  READ MORE

The 2017 agenda: Reliance Jio to soon venture into DTH, broadband services

Reliance Jio stormed into the telecom industry with the launch of ultra-affordable high speed 4G internet services combined with free voice calls, SMS and Jio apps. To keep the momentum going, Reliance Jio Infocomm is reportedly gearing up to expand the company’s product portfolio by venturing into diverse areas such as broadband services and Direct-to-Home (DTH) TV services.

Things to expect from Reliance Jio in 2017

Reliance Jio FTTH broadband services

Reliance Industries plans to spend a further Rs 18,000 crore additional investment required for its fibre network as it expands Jio's 4G reach, reports Business Standard. The Reliance Jio fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband services has already been offering trials at a few locations and the services will expand to more cities soon.

Based on the information posted by users on social media networks, the Reliance Jio FTTH broadband services offers speed ranging from 70 Megabits per second (Mbps) to 100 Mbps. This is way faster than what the competition is currently offering in the market.

As with Reliance Jio, pricing would be a key factor for the success of Reliance Jio broadband services.

Reliance Jio DTH service

Reliance Jio is expected to launch direct-to-home (DTH) TV services, which will broadcast native TV channels and stream online content with the help of Jio’s broadband services.

The Reliance Jio DTH service would offer more than 350 channels – with at least 50 high-definition (HD) channels. Also, the DTH services will make use of Jio’s cloud capabilities to store content for later viewing purpose and therefore the user will get the flexibility to save the program directly on cloud, therefore, eliminating the need of external storage device.

Reliance Jio 4G VoLTE feature phone

Reliance Jio is reportedly working on a feature phone that will support 4G VoLTE services. The feature phone also purportedly sports hardware buttons to use the suite of Jio apps. The phone will be subsidized by Reliance and might retail at a value ranging from Rs 999 – Rs 1,500.

ALSO READ: Reliance lifts Jio investment above Rs 1.9 lakh cr after record year

BSNL gives Reliance Jio a run for its money, offers 270 GB for Rs 333

To counter threat from Reliance Jio, state-run telecom firm Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), is the latest to join the bandwagon after Idea Cellular and Bharti Airtel as it has announced three new schemes ranging from Rs 333 to Rs 395.

Here are the three new offers — Triple Ace, Dil Khol Ke Bol and Nehle per Dehla that have been launched for existing pre-paid users.

Rs 333 Triple Ace plan: Offering unlimited 3G data with a per day cap usage of 3 GB, this plan has a validity of 90 days. This amounts to 90 GB a month and 270 GB 3G data for three months. While the cheap rates at Rs 1.23 per GB is a catch, other operators offering 4G speed can be a drawback for BSNL.

Rs 349 Dil Khol Ke Bol plan: Enticing customers with unlimited local and STD calling, this plan offers high speed 3G data with a daily cap of 2GB, valid for 90 days as well. However, whether the unlimited calls are valid across other networks except BSNL is not known yet.

Rs 395 Nehle pe Dahla plan: Apart from offering unlimited data with a limit of 2GB data per day, users will also get 3,000 minutes free calls within BSNL network, and 1,800 minutes free for calls to all other networks. Upon exhausting the daily download limit, the speed will drop to 80 kbps. Unlike the other two plans, this one has a validity of 71 days, which equals to nearly 10 weeks.

The above-mentioned data plans are meant to take on Reliance Jio’s plans priced at Rs 309 and Rs 509 that offers unlimited calling, national roaming, free SMS across India. For the Rs 309 plan, a user gets 1GB 4G data per day valid for 84 days, whereas, the Rs 509 plan offers 2GB 4G data valid for 84 days as well.

Additionally, BSNL also revamped the benefits of STV339 plan.

Reliance Jio has become the largest broadband service provider in the country within three months of its commercial launch. It has 52.23 million broadband customers.

BSNL continues to dominate the broadband market in fixed line services segment with 9.95 million customers and ranks fifth in mobile broadband space with 20.39 million subscribers.
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Reliance Jio commentary to be highlight of RIL's Q4 results on Monday

Dalal Street will be eyeing management commentary on telecom venture (Reliance Jio) as Reliance Industries reports its March quarter performance on Monday, April 24. Analysts at J P Morgan say that “Reliance should report another strong quarter, though core business has become less relevant from a stock perspective, as all focus is on the telecom segment (RJio).”

Meanwhile, the March quarter performance will still be driven by performance in its core refining and petrochemicals segment as contributions from Telecom venture will only be to the extent of prime membership enrollments.

Analysts estimate quarter ending March to be strongly led by core refining and petrochemicals segment only. Analysts at Jefferies expect Reliance to report further earnings improvement in the quarter with standalone Ebitda up three and five per cent on year-on-year and sequentially basis respectively, helped by better refining and petrochemicals performance.

Petchem profitability is expected to increase year-on-year, led by improved deltas. Monoethylene Glycol and Butadiene continued their strong performance and were up more than 50 and 75 per cent sequentially according to analysts at BNP Paribas who add that Paraxylene (PX) margins continued their steady recovery and were up seven per cent sequentially. The refining margins, however, may be slightly lower looking at Weakness in Benchmark Singapore GRM’s in the back of weak demand. Reliance is expected to report GRM of $10.2 per barrel versus $10.8/bbl in 3QFY17 and $10.8/bbl in the year-ago quarter say analysts at Motilal Oswal who however expect Petchem Ebitda per tonne to increase to $300 compared $271.6 seen in the year-ago quarter.

The company’s investments in Refining and petchem segment are ripe to reap results. The process has already begun with the commissioning of the first phase (50 per cent capacity) of its 2.2 million metric tonne per annum paraxylene (PX) expansion project at the Jamnagar petrochemicals complex. While this commissioning is a key milestone, it was to be followed by the refinery off-gas cracker with 3.3 million tonne per annum capacity which is lined up for commissioning soon. The updates on the same will also be looked at by the street as also commissioning of a pet-coke regasification project that was to come on stream by mid-2017. These expansions are to accrue further benefits from the Q2FY18 post stabilisation of expansions and third quarter of FY18 may be a stronger quarter for RIL.
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Reliance Prime users get 448 GB data free on purchase of Galaxy S8, S8+

Launched in India on Wednesday amid much fanfare, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are two top-tier flagship smartphones. The sale of the smartphones will begin on 5 May, 2017 for Rs 57,900 and Rs 64,900, respectively on Flipkart as well as Samsung online store. To make the deal even sweeter, the smartphones come bundled with Reliance Jio exclusive offer that provide ‘Double Data’ to the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ customers.

As a promotional offer, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ customer will get a Double Data offer on the Jio network. On a monthly recharge of Rs 309 users will enjoy 448 GB of 4G data over 8 months. This translated to 2 GB high-speed 4G data per day for next 8 months.

To recall, under Reliance Jio’s Dhana Dhan offer the subscribers are offered 1 GB 4G high-speed data per day for 3 months at a monthly recharge of Rs 309. Also, on a recharge of Rs 509, the subscribers get 2 GB 4G high-speed data for 3 months.

Effectively, the Reliance Jio ‘Double Data’ promotional offer that comes bundled with Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ offers much more than double the data to Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. At Rs 309 recharge, the prime users get 2 GB data per day – already double to what existing users get In Dhana Dhan offer – for 8 months.

The sale of Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ devices will begin on 5 May, 2017 and therefore the benefits of Reliance Jio ‘Double Data’ promotional offer for the flagship smartphones buyers will continue till January 2018.

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Jio Prime membership numbers ring in summer surprise for Reliance investors

The Street has welcomed the strong customer response to Reliance Jio’s offer and the company’s plan to extend its Prime offer by 15 days. As analysts were anticipating Jio to retain 50-60 million customers after the end of its free period, the Prime membership number of 72 million customers also surprised the Street. Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), whose subsidiary is Jio, ended at Rs 1,371.20 on BSE.

This extension will help the company increase its telecom subscriber base from 72 million to its target of 100 million, say analysts. Further, subscribers to the Rs 149 plan have got additional time to migrate to the upgraded Rs 303 plan, which should lead to a higher base of Prime subscribers. The extended period, according to analysts at CLSA, allows for gradual transiting from free to paid services and further cement high-data usage habits.

Jio, they add, could have well over 100 million paid subscribers by March 2018, which could drive an upgrade to the earnings estimate for FY19 and rerate the stock (RIL) significantly.

There are, however, some concerns. The first is delay in monetisation on the back of significant upfront investments, given the three more months of complimentary service, while the other is the indication that the ‘Summer Surprise’ offer is the first of many surprises for RJio’s Prime subscribers. (READ MORE)

Reliance Jio beats Idea, Airtel with almost double 4G download speed: Trai

Amid a tussle between leading telecom firms over broadband speed, data published by telecom regulator Trai shows that Reliance Jio tops the chart with almost double the download speed of those offered by its nearest rivals — Idea Cellular and Airtel.

The monthly average mobile broadband speed data published by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) for February shows that the download speed on Jio network declined marginally to 16.48 mbps from 17.42 mbps in January but it still remained the fastest network during the month.

At this speed, a user can download a movie in less than five minutes.

The speed of Jio was almost double of its nearest rivals Idea Cellular (8.33 mbps) and Airtel (7.66 mbps).

According to Trai data, there have been a marginal decline in download speed of Idea and Airtel as well compared to their performance in January.

Among other networks, download speed on Vodafone and BSNL also dipped marginally to 5.66 mbps and 2.01 mbps from 6.13 mbps and 2.89 mbps, respectively.

The data showed average download speed on Reliance Communications, Tata Docomo and Aircel network at the end of February was 2.67 mbps, 2.52 mbps and 2.01 mbps respectively.

Average download speeds of other networks were not available.

Trai collects and computes speed of mobile data from subscribers across the country with the help of MySpeed application on real-time basis.(READ MORE)

Telecom wars: Bharti Airtel ramps up 4G data with Rs 1,600-cr Tikona deal

In the midst of an aggressive war in the telecom sector, leading operator Bharti Airtel on Thursday made public its plan to go big on data. The telco announced the acquisition of Tikona Digital Networks’s 4G business, including broadband wireless access (BWA) spectrum and 350 sites across five circles. With the deal, which values Tikona at Rs 1,600 crore, Sunil Mittal-led Airtel is gearing up to face Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio with a stronger data offering and faster customer addition. The deal is subject to requisite regulatory approvals.

The company’s total mobile data customers are around 54. 9 million, of whom 37.6 million are only 3G and 4G users. Jio crossed the 50-million mark for data customers in November 2016.

Bharti gets 22.8 per cent of its total mobile revenue from data. Tikona currently has 20 MHz spectrum in the 2,300 MHz band in the Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh (East), UP (West), Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh circles.  

Airtel plans to roll out high-speed 4G services on the newly acquired spectrum in those five circles, immediately after the closure of the transaction. (READ MORE)