Yes, apple have released a WiFi-less iPhone, something that I consider very important since the iPhone’s software is kinda designed to always work best on WiFi networks. But if you Chinese guys(and ladies) can live without WiFi then you can always pick them up at 4,999 yuan($730) and 6,999 yuan($1,025). This pricing is quite strange since a regular iPhone 3GS(with wifi) can easily be bought for $835 in the black.

But this WiFi-less version of the iPhone may soon disapear considering that this initial batch was built when the Chinese government had it’s WiFi ban in force and since this was recently lifted I guess it won’t be soon before we see WiFi coming to these chinese iPhones. Maybe this is why the folks over at 163.com are reporting that there aren’t many people rushing to buy the iPhones.

Sources:
http://mashable.com/2009/10/30/china-iphone-wifi/

• Apple iPhone China launch on 1st October
• Apple iPhone 3G and MacWorld coming in 2008
• China Unicom and Apple bring iPhone to China , India is still waiting for 3GS
• iPhone Flops in India now onto China
• 3G iPhone Coming

• Poll : Mobile Internet Usage in India
• How many phones do you carry ?
• Vote for the Nokia Cityman of the Year

Here are the winners of the MyPhone contest. The winners walk away with a free copy of MyPhone software !

Thanks to all for the awesome response  . The really lucky winners are ,

1. Aishwarya
2. Arjun Parsi
3. Aviator (Linu George)
4. Bindhu Madhuri
5. Elkie
6. Gaurav Gupta
7. Kalpesh Vedant
8. prateek agarwal
9. Satya
10. TJ (Tarun)

Winners – We have already emailed you about the prize and how you can claim it.

And to the those who din’t win . Better luck next time !

• Contest : Win 10 Free Copies of MyPhone Application

To encourage your participation in the community and also to reward valuable information. We are going to give away a lot for freebies starting from now.

Commenter of the week

We are going to give away a pen drive/memory card each week to the top commenter .

No comments No Winners

User of the month

This award is to reward users who help other fellow users on the site.

We have still not decided on the prize . We will let u know soon.

Rules

• Please don’t comment on this post alone . There are tons of posts on the site we are bring more news every day .
• We Hate Spam !
• Do not abuse other users.

• Nokia Music Store launches Twitter Contest
• Win a free Nokia N95 N81

Reportedly, seeing its good response and customer interest towards one such mobile payment processing service, TATA Indicom too have recently roped in MChek services for its valued customers.

So, I would say, if you are with TATA Indicom, you have got yet another reason to stick with the TATA’s CDMA network. According to reports, TATA has initially launched MChek service only for mobile bill payments and prepaid mobile recharge, but I am optimistic that it would shortly be supporting other service as in Airtel.

If you are with TATA and want to start using this service immediately, then just send an SMS “PAY TATA” to 59909 and follow their instructions.

For those who don’t know how exactly this service works, its a service that uses either your service provider’s data services or SMS service of the service provider. Airtel has both the facilities supported (SMS & GPRS), but the GPRS based MChek application is truly very convenient to use. Infact, I have personally tested it out and it works like charm.

If you too want to upgrade yourself to the modern way of processing payment, then just try it out once. Its safe and convenient!

Link: MChek

• Finally TATA too Introduces Missed Call Alert Service
• TATA Tele Orissa Circle Tops Customer Satisfaction Survey
• Airtel GPRS plans
• Independence Day offer from Airtel
• India Can Wait; Airtel To Launch 3G Services In Seychelles Soon

With the launch of its services in NCR region, the company now claims to have its presence in 13 telecom circles out of 23 total circles in India. The company is also optimistic of getting a pan-India 3G license.

Also in a press release, the company officials claimed that it would be rolling out its services to all the 23 circles over the next 24 months. In case you are from Delhi, and want to try out the newly launched services, then here is a quick list of Aircel resellers in your region.

If you happen to try out its service, then feel free to drop your valuable comments about its services and plans here.

• After Bangalore, Aircel Rolls Out its Services In Hyderabad!

In a recent press conference held by the CMD of BSNL, Mr. Kuldeep Goyal, he informed that “We have got the required approvals from the government and will launch BlackBerry services by next month”.

So, all one needs to be assured that, these new offers, promotions and tariffs are not a pre election trick or some thing similar to it. Also I hope, BSNL would improve its network quality in the pace it’s heading towards launch of new products and services.

(Via)

• Blackberry Usage Tariff Announced by BSNL
• Blackberry Services Goes Live in BSNL; Launched before Schedule!
• Make BSNL to BSNL Calls for Free With Special Tariff Vouchers
• Celebrate Women’s Day with BSNL SMS Booster Plans!
• BSNL to launch sub 1000 rupee handsets under BSNL phones banner

According to reports, this move has been initiated because of the expiry of its brand-name use agreement with TCP Nambiar-owned BPL Group.

Another interesting point to note about this transformation is the tag line by loop mobile, it reads “Mumbai’s newest network is already 20 lakh customer strong”.. Doesn’t it sounds interesting.

Hope, with this change in name, they would also take some steps to improve their brand image and presence in other telecom circles.

Link: Loopmobile

• Loop Mobile Launches Operations in Orissa Chennai Circle

But, recently, Citi Bank has moved a step forward by introducing a special mobile banking application for its mobile phone users. This move by Citi Bank may be introduced keeping in mind a clean chit provided by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for processing mobile banking by various financial institutions.

Who can use this Application?

Any Citi bank customer with access to Citi bank internet banking a/c having a java supported and GPRS enabled mobile phone can use this mobile banking application.

How to get the App?

A customer willing to use this mobile banking application need to send an SMS “MBANK” followed by last 4 digits of their Citi Bank Debit/Credit card number to 52484. The customer will immediately receive a URL via SMS, opening which will divert him/her to the mobile banking application download page.

What next?

Once you download and start using the application, you will be asked with various information providing which will help you start using the application including various simple features like checking a/c balance, making and receiving payments, etc.

PS: This post is for information of Fonearena subscribers. If you are a Citi Bank customer and need to use this application, just confirm about the availability of this mobile service at your branch before providing any financial information to any application.

• Nokia Announces Nokia Money- Its Own Mobile Banking Service

Also, according to reports, it has been made clear that the reduction in domestic IUC would be affective for all types of calls such as Fixed to fixed, mobile to fixed, and fixed to mobile. And the above changes would be made effective 1st of April onwards.

For those who don’t know what exactly is Interconnection usage charges, it is the charge levied by the telecom company to whom a call is being terminated to. For example a call is being made by a Vodafone customer to Airtel customer, then Vodafone will have to pay some amount of IUC (as fixed by TRAI) to Airtel .

In the previous years, as and when there were changes in the IUC, the call tariff by the mobile phone operators also affected accordingly. According to TRAI, even this time, it expects this initiative to reduce domestic call charges in India as domestic IUC has been reduced to about 33 percent.  Hope this step by Indian Telecom watch dog (TRAI) will bring down domestic call tariffs (specially in mobile phones).

Via

• Mobile Users to soon get per second pulse option now
• TRAI fixes MNP Mobile Number Portability charges at Rs.19
• Operators must provide hard copy of bills to postpaid subscribers for free says TRAI
• India added a whooping 8.3 million mobile users in November 2007
• Hutch logo will be replaced by Vodafone soon