India | Fone Arena

Indian M-learning pioneer Wizdom.In to host seminar this sunday in chennai

To demonstrate the power and potential of m-learning, a seminar is being held at Gandhinagar Club, 4th Main Road, Gandhi Nagar, Adyar, Chennai-20 at 3.30pm on Sunday June 11, 2006.

Besides students preparing for GRE , students preparing for CAT, GMAT, SAT and other aptitude tests for campus interviews, progressive parents and educationists would also find this seminar immensely valuable.

A live demonstration of m-learning will follow.

To find out more about m-learning logon to http://www.wizdom.in

Malaysian Khazanah might get Idea Cellular Stake

Malaysian interest in Indian telecom does not seem to be ending. After the Maxis – Aircel and Telekom Malaysia – Spice deals, there are reports that Malaysia?s state investment firm – Khazanah Nasional Bhd is in talks to buy a one-third stake in Idea Cellular.

Khazanah might take up a 33% stake conglomerate Aditya Birla was selling in Idea, Malaysia?s Edge weekly said.The Aditya Birla group has recently doubled its stake in Idea to 98% by buying out the Tatas. Birla has stated that it wants to cut its holding to 65%, but not through a sale to another mobile operator. Khazanah would be a good bet for Birla as it is a financial investor with government links.What is interesting to note here is that Telekom Malaysia, which recently bought a 49% stake in Spice, is controlled by Khazanah. Therefore, Idea and Spice will have a common investor in Khazanah if the deal goes through. Whether this leads to the merger of Idea and Spice is anybody?s guess.

Source: Money Control via [Mobile Pundit]

Sony Ericsson launches W700 and Z525

son Today Sony Ericsson announced two new mobile phones, the W700 and Z525.
The W700 which is the 8th addition to the Walkman series, strongly reminds of the W800 model. The tri-band phone has a 1.8″ 256K colors display with 176 x 220 pixels resolution. The main difference between the new device and the W800 seems to be the smaller Memory Stick PRO Duo card that comes in the box. In this case, it’s a 256 MB one, as in the W800 box it’s 512 MB. Otherwise, the phone has a 2 megapixel camera with LED flash, but without autofocus. W700 has GPRS Class 10 support and has Bluetooth, USB and Infrared connectivity. Stereo earphones are supplied in the original package. Sony Ericsson W700 will come in Titanium Gold color as for some markets there will be a Smooth White version. It will be available in Q2 2006.

The Z525 clamshell is aimed at the US market and succeeds the Z520 model even in design. Unlike its predecessor, it will have Push-to-Talk support. The new device will have a 80 x 101 pixels resolution external display with 4K colors. The internal display will be a 1.8″ 65K colors one with 128 x 160 pixels resolution. The internal memory remains the same as in Z520 – 16 MB. The phone still has a VGA camera, MP3 & AAC support and caller ID associated light effects. The connectivity features of the quad-band Z525 are Bluetooth, USB and Infrared. Sony Ericsson Z525 will be available in New Blue around Q2 2006.

Sify enables mobile commerce with NGPay

GPRS users can now shop on SifyMall over their phones. www.sifymall.com, the leading online shopping portal from Sify Limited, today announced that millions of mobile phone users on GPRS services will be able to buy a wide range of products and services over their phones starting today.

To enable this easy to use and path breaking initiative, SifyMall has tied up with JiGrahak, a mobility solutions provider, and will be using JiGrahak?s m-Commerce/m-Payment platform ?NGPay? (Next Generation Pay).

Speaking on the launch of this mobile shopping initiative, Surya Mantha, Senior Vice President, Interactive Services, said, ?We are happy to be working with JiGrahak in bringing secure m-Commerce services to the millions of mobile subscribers using GPRS services in India. With the Indian mobile subscriber base growing at the rate of about 2 million users a month, and expected to touch 200 million by 2007, the potential for mobile shopping is huge. We expect to grow the mobile shopping service space with this “one-of-its kind” offering, and work towards being a leader in this area.

Read

Bad News For Indian Mobile Users

The new raise in service tax could heavily affect mobile subscriptions.
Thursday, March 02, 2006:? The budget, with an increase in service tax, has brought bad news for mobile users. It is going to hit the marginal users the hardest. The service tax hike from 10 per cent to 12 per cent will see increase in the monthly telephone bills and drop in talk value for the users.

This move could also affect the Government’s target of increasing the number of mobile subscribers in both rural and urban segments.

Motorola introduce the Pink RAZR V3 in india

Motorola has introduced the Pink RAZR V3 – available through select lifestyle stores across 7 cities in the country. Like its predecessors, this new mobile features the RAZR slim shape, metallic finish and advanced technology.

At 13.9 mm thin, 53 mm wide (the width of a credit card) and 98 mm long, the Pink RAZR V3 is one of the slimmest phones in the market. Motorola holds that it provides the user with a total sensory experience – from the innovative metallic finishes and use of materials to a truly revolutionary, chemically etched keypad created from a single sheet of nickel-plated copper alloy.

Lloyd Mathias, marketing director India, Motorola Mobile Devices said, “The new, bold-yet-chic color adds a sense of flair to the RAZR family. Building on the global success of the RAZR, Motorola’s customers want to lead the pack by owning exciting, fashion-forward and feature-rich mobile phones. The MOTORAZR Pink is the latest robust offering that empowers our customers to talk, message and download with style”.

The Pink RAZR V3, also known as the “Maria Sharapova RAZR”, is being introduced only as a limited edition and is being touted as a collector’s item.

The Motorola special-edition Pink RAZR V3 is priced at Rs 13,700.

Nokia selected for 5-year Managed Services deal with Hutchison Essar Limited

Nokia has reached a 5-year managed services agreement to run Hutchison Essar’s network operations in 9 circles in India.

Espoo, Finland – Nokia has reached a 5-year managed services agreement to run Hutchison Essar’s network operations in 9 circles in India. Nokia will assume the operation of Hutchison Essar’s networks in Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Chennai, Uttar Pradesh (East and West), Rajasthan, Haryana and West Bengal, thus allowing the operator to better focus on its customers and core activities.

The agreement, for which documentation is being finalized, calls for Nokia to provide an array of solutions from its extensive services portfolio, including network planning, project management, configuration and optimization, network operations and maintenance and the administration of third party vendor contract management. Nokia will also welcome over 600 Hutchison Essar staff into its Services business unit.

“Nokia’s Managed Service know-how, plus its proven track record when it comes to operating and enhancing networks worldwide, were key drivers in helping us make this decision,” says Asim Ghosh, Managing Director, Hutchison Essar Limited. “We are happy to be working with a leader in this area.”

“We are delighted to extend our cooperation with Hutchison Essar to managed services,” says Rajeev Suri, Senior Vice President, Networks, Nokia. “The services business has become increasingly important for Nokia. Our managed services will improve Hutchison Essar’s cost structure and further enhance their service offerings.”

The contract deepens already strong ties between the two companies — Nokia is the supplier of GSM network equipment to nine of Hutchison Essar’s 13 circles, making it the largest network vendor for the operator.

Nokia’s Managed Services business is a key part of its Services business unit, and a core part of the company’s drive to help operators enhance their service offerings and reduce costs. To date Nokia has 36 managed services contracts in 28 countries, and it expects this figure to grow in the coming years.

Nokia’s operations in India include networks and terminals sales divisions, three Research and Development facilities and an upcoming manufacturing facility in Chennai that will produce both terminals and GSM infrastructure equipment.

Bharti Tele-Ventures to be renamed as Bharti Airtel

Bharti Tele-Ventures Limited, one of India’s leading telecommunications services provider, is to be renamed Bharti Airtel Limited.

Bharti Tele-Ventures Limited, one of India’s leading telecommunications services provider, is to be renamed Bharti Airtel Limited. The proposal has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Company and will come into effect post approvals from the shareholders and statutory / regulatory clearances.

Source:Televisionpoint.com

Bluetooth SIG for Bluetooth adoption in India

Early adoption of Bluetooth wireless technology in India will begin with the mobile phone and headset application

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) is a trade association comprised leaders in the telecommunications, computing, automotive, industrial automation and network industries that is driving the development of Bluetooth wireless technology and bringing them to market.

Read this article at CIOL

Jamdat Launches Games on Hutch

Jamdat Mobile announced the launch of its game titles on Indian cellular service provider Hutch.

Mobile users in India can go bowling, wakeboarding or pitfalling wherever they go, whenever they want. Jamdat Mobile announced the launch of its game titles on Indian cellular service provider Hutch.

Jamdat Bowling, Jamdat Pool, Pitfall! and Wakeboarding are available now on Planet Hutch, Hutch’s data services platform.

Players can choose to play a single game or a 3-game series and maneuver their aim, power and pin meter for maximum control. Jamdat Pool gamers can play eight and nine ball on their mobile phones. Pitfall! is the wireless version of the classic title as players guide Pitfall Harry through more than 200 jungle screens. Wakeboarding features Shaun Murray and other top pros.

“India is a growing market for mobile gaming and Hutch is one of the leading cellular service providers in that market,” Minard Hamilton, Jamdat’s executive vice president of sales and marketing, said in a press release. Hutch’s core consumer base is the urban population, which is the ideal target for Jamdat’s titles, he added.

Maxis and Reddys buy out Aircel

Malaysias largest telecom company Maxis Communications, in partnership with Apollo Hospitals promoter Reddys will buy Aircel for 1.08 billion dollars

Malaysia?s largest telecom company Maxis Communications, in partnership with Apollo Hospitals promoter Reddys, will buy Aircel for $1.08 billion. Maxis plans to list Aircel.

Maxis will take a direct 65% stake in Aircel by spending $702m. It will hold the remaining stake indirectly through a joint venture, owned 74% by Apollo and 26% by Maxis.

This implies an enterprise valuation of $800m for Aircel. With Aircel?s mobile subscriber base of over 2.2m, the payment per subscriber will be around $364. Vodafone paid $1,000 per subscriber for Bharti while $570 a subscriber was paid by Hutchison Essar for BPL.

Mr Sivasankaran?s Sterling Infotech has been lucky in its fourth attempt to sell Aircel. It had earlier held discussions with Idea Cellular, AFK Sistema of Russia and Hutch.

via [MobilePundit]

Mobile Tsunami Detector for Nokia phones

Python programmer developed a new software that can analyse live data from the United States Geological Surveys and predict a Tsunami

Python programmer developed a new software that can analyse live data from the United States Geological Surveys and predict a Tsunami. Probability and impact time of Tsunamis are assessed and reported immediately for countries bordering the Indian Ocean.

You will need an internet connection (GPRS/CSD) to obtain the data from USGS. The Mobile Tsunami Detector can be downloaded here and is compatible with these Nokia handsets: Nokia 3650, 7650, N-Gage, 6600, 6620, 6630, 6680, 7610, N70 and N90.

via [MobileGuerilla]

New Hutch shop at Parrys Chennai

Subscribers are to benefit from value-added service offered by Hutch in the wake of a new shop inaugurated at Parry’s recently.

Subscribers are to benefit from value-added service offered by Hutch in the wake of a new shop inaugurated at Parry’s recently. Sankara Narayanan, chief operating officer launched the shop located at Armenian Street. With a subscriber base of over 3 lakh, Hutch’s retail presence in Chennai now covers six exclusive Hutch shops and a mobile shop that reaches customers at their convenience across the city wherever they are. The new colours of Hutch have been successfully incorporated in all elements of the new shop starting with the branding to all client service team uniforms. ‘The Hutch shop is a one-stop shop aimed at addressing all customer needs and providing superior customer service and enhanced user experience at a next door location. Our objective is to offer our customers a bright. friendly and comfortable helpdesk at a convenient location’, said the COO.

Motorola launches Made in India phone

Motorola has finally launched a Made in India phone, which will be marketed through Hutch at below Rs 1,700

NEW DELHI: Motorola has finally launched a ‘Made in India’ phone, which will be marketed through Hutch at below Rs 1,700, bundled with free talk time of around Rs 700, taking the effective price to sub-Rs 1,000.

Launching the C115 model, Motorola officials said although this model would not be available in the retail market, there were more phones in the C11x series that would be available over the next year and they would all be in the sub-Rs 1,700 range.

Although the company did not say who was making C115 in India, it is believed that Flextronics is doing it.

Motorola to launch 15 new handsets in india

Motorola has a big plan on the cards for indian mobile market.It plans to bring out nearly 15 models next year

The company is coming up with 15 new models of mobile handsets ranging between Rs 2,000 to Rs two lakh. The company is also planning to hire more people here and will also be expanding its network of dealers and distributors.

[Read More ]