Thesynergyonline Communications Bureau

NEW DELHI, JULY 23 :
TELECOM Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) will finalize it’s 2G spectrum pricing recommendations in next four weeks and subsequently submit them to the government for it’s implementation, disclosed Chairman TRAI, Dr. J.S. Sarma while inaugurating 6th ASSOCHAM organized ‘Global Telecom Summit’ here today.

Dr Sarma also disclosed that telecom regulator would release all promised spectrum as committed in 3G spectrum auctioning period by September 2010 as also finalize it’s recommendations about new broadband policy by end of August next month or else latest by September 2010.

It would be an attempt of the government to redefine definition of broadband so that broadband is declared a fundamental right of Indian citizen when national policy in this regard is laid out by UPA government, emphasized Dr. Sarma further stating that TRAI has hired services of ASSOCHAM to conduct a study on Value Added Services (VAS) in telecom sector within a deadline of next 6 months.

The TRAI Chairman indicated that since 2G spectrum pricing had landed into controversies, the telecom regulator will take another 4 weeks to wrap up afresh a new set of suggestions on this issue and submit them to the government for necessary action. Dr. Sarma said that India would require additional spectrum of 300-500 MHz to enable telecom operators and service providers to achieve India’s broadband targets for which policy initiatives would have to be approved of at the highest political level. He, however, promised that whatever best is possible, the telecom regulator will do to satisfy requirements of telecom operators as well as service providers at policy levels to meet their aspirations.

Speaking at ASSOCHAM Telecom Summit, Chairman and Managing Director, BSNL, Mr. Kuldeep Goyal said that his company has sought Prime Minister’s intervention to advice state governments to remove obstacles in company’s attempts and efforts to lay telecom infrastructure as Karnataka government has slapped a fine of Rs. 6000 crores on BSNL for removing cables and wires from Karnataka to another state.

The BSNL, according Mr. Goyal has been facing such problems in other states too and if these are not sorted out, the broadband providing commitment as undertaken by BSNL is unlikely to be accomplished. The BSNL chief also demanded that tax and levies on telecom sector needs to be rationalized to give this sector a level playing field and scope for taking on competition from it’s counterparts.

Deputy Group CEO and Managing Director, Bharti Airtel , Mr. Akhil Gupta who was also present in ASSOCHAM conference demanded that telecom services should be declared as essential services and policy makers ought not treat this sector as a mere cash crop.

Mr Gupta apprehended that allocation of spectrum as committed in 3G spectrum auctioning time is unlikely to be released to service providers by Sept. 2010 and therefore sought that delay in it should be compensated in the form of spectrum licensing period thereafter. He was critical of on-going telecom policies especially on taxation funds and described them as hostile to growth of telecom sector, demanding rationalization in telecom taxes thereby endorsing what was expressed by BSNL chief in this regard.

In addition, Mr. Gupta demanded that use of funds should be permitted to be accessed by all players in telecom sector so that projected targets are accomplished, especially for rural areas in close partnership with telecom companies in private and public domain.

Amongst others who spoke on the occasion comprised Senior Vice-President, ASSOCHAM and Vice-Chairman, Spice Corp. Ltd., Mr. Dilip Modi, ASSOCHAM Vice-President, Mr. Rajkumar N. Dhoot, it’s Chairperson and Co-Chairperson Communications Convergence Committee, Dr. Suneeta Reddy and Mr. C.S. Rao. In addition, Managing Director, South-Asia and Middle East, Frost & Sullivan, Mr. A. Rangachari, ED, Huawei Telecommunications (India), Mr. A. Sethuraman, Mr. P. Balaji, Vice-President, Ericsson India, Director, Cisco Systems India Pvt. Ltd., Mr. Harish Krishnan and ASSOCHAM Secretary General, Mr. D.S. Rawat also spoke on the occasion.
 

BROADBAND SUBSCIRBER COUNT LIKELY TO REACH 275 MILLION BY 2015: ASSOCHAM - F& S

Thesynergyonline Infotech Bureau

NEW DELHI, JULY 22 :
ASSOCHAM and Frost & Sullivan have projected that total broadband subscriber count will reach around 275 million by FY-2015 from approximately 9 million as of now as submarine cable capacity is expected to grow and supply of capacities is likely to increase significantly with adoption of wireless broadband (BWA).

The overall broadband subscribers base stands at around 9 million in Indian market as of now and is seen to be significantly under-penetrated, says the paper on 'Dawn of the Digital Decade', jointly brought out by ASSOCHAM and Frost & Sullivan.

Releasing its findings, Chairman, ASSOCHAM Convergence Committee, Mr. C S Rao pointed out that this under-penetration in India is due to factors such as insufficient wire line infrastructure, fragmented Local Cable operators Network, lack of a broadband policy to regulate pricing of rental and usage rates and delays in awarding spectrum to wireless broadband deployments.

However, the paper claims that recent broadband wireless auctions in which operators were allocated spectrum for wireless broadband deployments comes as a much needed respite for future of broadband adoption in India. It is expected that total broadband subscribers will reach about 275 million in next 5 years.

This is due to the fact that submarine cable capacity would grow substantially and supply of capacity will shoot-up since adoption of BWA would become more popular. The two institutions expect that deployment of BWA would begin in this fiscal itself, added Mr. Rao.

Leveraging on broadband technologies, the paper says that excessively high right way charges, fragmented cable operators, non cooperation in last mile copper unbundling and low data ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) has made operators in India to realize, that Wireless is the most effective way to provide affordable broadband to masses in country. With around 43 percent of internet subscribers still using dial-up connections at the end of 2009, there is potential to migrate existing subscribers to high-speed services.

On the issue of advent of 3G to fuel Enterprise Mobility Market, the paper points out that with heightened pressures for the telecom service providers to augment their stagnating mobile voice revenues, there is a keen focus on 3G mobile services being the driver for greater mobile data applications adoption. Indeed, the major mobile players have obtained 3G spectrum in those telecom circles comprising a significant number of enterprises, which can potentially be targeted for mobile data services.

Presently, the Enterprise Mobile Data market consists of telecom service provider revenues generated via Value Added Services (VAS), Data Cards and GPRS. These three segments comprise approximately 17.1 percent of the total Enterprise Mobile Voice and Data market.
Mobile email is the most dominant application utilized by enterprises in

India today, constituting approximately 91.7 percent of the total Enterprise Mobility market of 452.94 crores in FY 10. However, with the advent of 3G networks bringing in higher speed and enhanced bandwidth, more enterprise customers are expected to adopt bandwidth intensive applications on mobile. (editor@thesynergyonline.com) 
 

WORLD PHONE UNVIELS VIDEO SURVEILANCE SYSTEM CYCOPS

Thesynergyonline Communication Bureau

NEW DELHI, JULY 19 :
WORLD Phone Internet Services has launched Cyclops, true Remote Video Surveillance System, that offers advanced remote surveillance and recording capabilities compared to legacy analog based closed circuit television (CCTV) systems. The launch of Cyclops marks the foray of World Phone into the physical security systems market in India, which is expected to touch $3.5 billion within next few years growing at a CAGR of 30 percent.

Cyclops is optimized for 24/7 surveillance and comes ready with watherproof cameras with night vision and can record over 2 years of continuous video. A user can view live or recorded footage anywhere in the world by logging onto any computer connected to the internet or even on his Blackberry or iPhone! Available as a complete packaged system with options of 4-8-16 cameras, Cyclops is available at a price starting as low as Rs. 44,999 .

 Said Mr. Aditya Ahluwalia, Chairman, World Phone Internet Services, "Security is a top-of-the-mind issue today. Be it a business setup, educational institute, religious place or an individual’s home, monitoring the activities in and around the premises has assumed paramount importance. We are proud to introduce Cyclops, which is perhaps the most affordable and feature-packed remote surveillance system in the market today. We are confident that it will find preference with the discerning customers and offer them the true feeling of security.”
 

The 500 GB hard drive budled with Cyclops can hold up to 2 years of continuous video and is optimized for 24/7 surveillance. The hard drives used in the Cyclops Remote Surveillance Systems are specifically designed for high capacity writing, which ensures long product life and accurate video data storage. Cyclops allows seamless transfer of recorded footage directly to a PC using the included USB cable and view and archive video effortlessly with the included software. The Cyclops’ DVR utilizes H.264 compression - the latest and most advanced compression level available for a DVR system. It ensures an amazing picture quality while saving 50 per cent on storage space versus DVRs with MPEG-4 compression and thus, maximizes the use of hard drive space.
 With Cyclops, finding a specific event in the recorded footage is extremely easy. One has to simply choose the desired date and time range, and the requested video clips will appear on the screen. Clips can also be labeled by event, which makes it easy to find footage that was captured by motion detection.

 The cameras included in the Cyclops Remote Surveillance Systems are built for the outdoors with professional grade Weatherproof housings and sunshades. They have multiple infrared (IR) LEDs that allow you to see even in the dark. The LEDs are activated automatically when it gets dark and are deactivated during the day to save energy (CDS sensor).
 Another noptable feature of World Phone’s Cyclops Remote Surveillance Systems is its Advanced Motion Activated Recording. The user can set the DVR to record only when motion is detected and alert with an audible alarm. One can even set individual cameras to detect motion, and only video from those cameras will be recorded. Motion Mask allows the user to block areas with constant motion, ensuring that only suspicious activity is recorded.
 
“Cyclops offers clear advantages over legacy CCTV solutions that provided just basic monitoring and recording capabilities and had several operational drawbacks such as lack of remote accessibility and storage, scalability, collaborations, support & maintenance etc.” concluded Mr. Ahluwalia.  (editor@thesynergyonline.com) 
 

MOBILE CONNECTIONS IN INDIA TLO GROW BY 27.3% IN 2010

Thesynergyonline Communication Bureau

NEW DELHI, , JULY 19 :
MOBILE connections in India will grow by 27.3 percent in 2010 to reach in excess of 660 million, according to Gartner Inc. Mobile service revenue in India will reach $19.8 billion by the end of the year, up 19.7 percent from 2009.

“The arrival of new players in the Indian mobile sector has led to fierce competition which has sustained the strong subscriber growth we saw in 2009,” said Neha Gupta, senior research analyst at Gartner. “Furthermore, with mobile penetration standing at 44.5 percent at the end of 2009, there is still ample room for growth in 2010 and beyond.”

In 2010, mobile penetration in India is projected to grow 55.9 percent, and Gartner expects the Indian mobile industry to grow at double-digit rates till the end of 2012 with mobile penetration increasing to 72.5 percent in 2012. Mobile market penetration is projected to increase further to 82 percent by 2014, mainly due to the service providers increasing their focus on the rural market and lower handset prices.

By the end of 2014, total mobile services revenue in India is forecast to exceed US$23 billion, and India is expected to remain the world’s second largest wireless market after China in terms of mobile connections.

Nevertheless, despite the healthy overall outlook, Ms. Gupta explained that the Indian mobile services market is going through a state of flux, with the arrival of many new players leading to a decrease in price points for the industry. Analysts believe that some market consolidation will happen over the next 18 months as the launch of 3G services enables service providers to distinguish themselves on services offered rather just on prices.

Further uncertainty has also resulted from the recently completed government auction of 3G and Broadband Wireless Access licenses which have lead to an increase of capital expenditure by several operators, which in turn will increase the net debt at the industry level. However, strong growth in subscriber base and revenues is expected to increase the operating cash flows which will absorb its impact.

“The increase in competition in the Indian mobile market has led to price wars which have in turn led to a decline in voice Average Revenue per User (ARPU), and we expect this trend to continue as service providers increasingly shift their focus to rural areas,” Ms. Gupta said. “Expect a dramatic decline in growth of voice revenue from 2010 until the end 2014, although this will be balanced by increased revenue from data services which will significantly contribute to the overall growth of mobile services in India.” (editor@thesynergyonline.com) 

OSCAR FORAYS INTO MOBILE PHONE SECTOR

Thesynergyonline Corporate Bureau

NEW DELHI, JULY 03 :
CONSUMER electronics brand Oacar announced its entry into the Rs. 70,000- crore cellular phone markets. To begin with Oscar mobiles will be launched in North and East India where Oscar has a strong presence and will be subsequently launched in rest of India.

Backed by 25 years of trust, brand Oscar has been credited in the consumer electronics industry for opening up the value-for-money market and for introducing a perfect mix of features with the right price points. Oscar today remains a significant player in this segment across product categories like CTVs, DVDs, Home Theatre Systems and Multi-media speaker systems. Synonymous with good quality products that provide years of value to consumers, brand Oscar was the first in the market to introduce CTV`s, VCD Players, DVD`s and multimedia speaker systems at real value prices, in the last decade.
“Our foray into the telecom vertical is in keeping with our vision to provide consumers with high quality products at unmatched prices by following a no-frills policy. Our vision is to introduce the most affordable handsets in India keeping in mind the features to price ratio” said Mr. Satish Verma, Chairman, Oscar Group.

“Currently, about 50 percentf Indians are on ULCH (ultra low cost handsets). We therefore saw a great opportunity for OSCAR which has a strong track record in the Value for Money (VFM) segment. We will look to build a strong presence in the semi-urban and rural market, where the prominence of both subscribers and operators is rapidly increasing, besides the burgeoning urban market” he added.

On the brand’s expansion plans, Mr. Suresh Wadhwani Executive Director said, “By end of first year, we hope to sell one lakh mobiles per month in North & East India with a turnover of Rs. 250 crores and thereafter grow at 15-20% annually. In five years, we are aiming to reach a turnover of 1000 crores.”

On the technology issues , Mr. Karan Verma who heads the mobile activity at Oscar said, “Oscar Mobiles are subjected to vigorous testing on all functions, in order to deliver quality at an affordable price. The models offer value through additional features across the range to provide a higher level of consumer satisfaction with special emphasis on providing additional features like enhanced network connectivity and superior audio and video quality in the models (All models have high audio output so that the phones can be used for communication even while in crowded areas where the noise level is high; the models have been upgraded to ensure minimum signal loss or call drops so that communication remains uninterrupted. The multimedia models have the distinction of video without breaks or jerks which provides the best viewing experience) and long life battery (some of the models have up to 30 days of standby because of the special 1800 - 2000 mAh battery used”.

“Oscar is investing heavily on product quality and reliability of its mobile phones to quickly raise it’s consumer base, in the shortest possible time, by giving the user advanced features through superior technology at a price that shall make him or her smile” he added.

All Oscar mobile phone support Dual SIM GSM connectivity to allow customers to manage their personal and professional numbers efficiently, and come with a 1 year warranty and backed by a comprehensive after- sales service with an existing network of over 250 service centres. Available at 1,500 retail shops across East and North India, the network will touch 8,000 retail points by year end

Oscar will launch a total of 10 handsets priced between Rs. 1700 to Rs. 4500 in the next 2 months. All the models will offer some additional feature that no other brand currently offers at that price point. Of the 6 that have been already launched, the base model N1 has a vibration speaker, a first for an entry level phone at that price point.

The higher- end model currently on offer, Z1 which is an aspirational Qwerty Keypad Handset is based on a very fast processor and comes with a front and back camera, unheard of at that price point! Apart from the entry level N1, most Oscar mobiles will come loaded with plethora of multimedia options including FM Radio, MP3, MP4 player, access to various social networking sites, excellent quality 1.3 MP camera among others giving distinctly superior pictures.

As per industry estimates, mobile handset industry has grown exponentially with 108 million mobile phones sold in the country in 2009-10, resulting in sales of Rs 27,000 crore as against Rs 25,910 crore during the previous year. Faster growth is expected in the coming years as the mobile replacement market that currently stands at 55 percent, is expected to reach 70% by 2010 . (editor@thesynergyonline.com) 

TRAILBLAZING TELECOM INDUSTRY LEADS M & A ACTIVITY IN Q1 FY'10

Thesynergyonline Communications Bureau

NEW DELHI, JULY 03 :
CUTTING massive M & A deals valued at US$ 22,732.26 million during just the first quarter of financial year 2010, the Indian telecom industry has set the stage for taking on the global markets, according to findings of an ASSOCHAM (The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India) research study on the country's financial pulse.

Three major outbound and domestic M & A deals took place in the telecom sector during April-June 2010, valuing US$ 22,732.26 million, which represented 67.19 per cent share in the total valuation of the M & A deals that occurred during that period. This was also 51.73 times up from last year's value of US$ 439.4 million during the same period.

"The M & A activity in the past three months clearly indicate that the Indian telecom industry is all set to take on the global markets", said the study called 'Trend of Merger and Acquisition- India' (Q1 FY'11) prepared by the ASSOCHAM research bureau.
Other sectors including pharmaceutical, banking and finance, metal and mining, energy, steel, cement, media and entertainment, aviation, real estate, IT and ITES, consumer durables, and hospitality witnessed 57 M & A deals pegged at USD 11102 million, contributing a total share of 32.81 per cent, the study said.

During the first quarter of 2010, the volume of merger and acquisition deals involving Indian firms increased by about three folds. The M & A activity during this period registered an increase of 256.72 per cent in value terms to USD 33.83 billion (April-June 2010) from USD 9.49 billion (April-June 2009). The number of deals also recorded an increase to 60 from 43 during the corresponding period.

The cross border outbound, domestic and inbound M & A deals occupied a 48.55 per cent, 39.43 per cent and 12.02 per cent share with 28, 27 and 5 number of deals respectively, during the period April-June 2010, the study pointed out.

In the telecom sector, the biggest M & A deal was cracked by Anil Ambani group's flagship company Reliance Communication Ltd. which merged its telecom tower business with GTL infrastructure Ltd. for USD 11,000 million (USD 11 billion). Among others, Bharti Airtel signed a deal to acquire Kuwait based Zain telecom's African business for USD 10,700 million (USD 10.7 billion) and Reliance Industries acquired Infotel broadband for US$ 1032.26 million.

In the pharmaceutical sector, a total of 4 deals occurred during April-June 2010 valued at USD 3,728.29 million, representing 11.02 per cent share of the total deals that took place during the period. The biggest deal in this sector was the acquisition of the generic drug unit of Piramal Healthcare by USA based drugmaker Abbot Laboratories (ABT) for US$ 3720 million, the study said.

In the BFSI (Banking, Financial Services and Insurance) sector, a total of five deals took place in the first quarter that were valued at US$ 2651.54 million, representing 7.84 per cent share of the total deals struck during the period. The major BFSI deal was the acquisition of Luxembourg based KBL European private bankers SA by the Hinduja group for US$ 1690 million (US$ 1.69 billion), finding in the ASSOCHAM study said adding that it was a bid by the Hinduja group to expand its wealth management business in Europe. In another big deal, India's largest private sector bank ICICI. acquired Bank of Rajasthan for US$ 648 million.

In the metal and mining sector, four outbound and one domestic M & A deals took place valuing USD 1483.15 million that represented 4.38 per cent share of the total deals that occurred in the first quarter. According to the study, the biggest deal was struck between India's Vedanta Resources Plc and London based Anglo American Zinc as the former acquired the latter for US$ 1338 million. Among others, India's JSW steel first acquired Coking Coal mines in West Virginia, the USA for US$ 100 million and then made a bid to acquire a majority stake in South African Coal Mining Holdings (SACMH) for US$ 11.45 million.

In the energy sector, four outbound and one domestic M & A deals took place valuing US$ 1320 million that represented 3.90 per cent share of the total deals that occurred in the first quarter. The most important deal in energy sector was witnessed when India's Reliance Industries picked up a 45 per cent stake in Texas, the US- based Pioneer Natural Resources for US$ 1320 million.

Out of the 60 domestic, inbound and outbound M & A deals that took place in India during April-June 2010 for US$ 33834.25 million, sectors like steel, cement, media and entertainment, consumer non durable, aviation, real estate, IT and ITES, consumer durables, hospitality, healthcare and auto/auto components recorded 40 deals amounting to USD 1919.01 million, contributing a share of only 5.67 per cent.

As per the study, M & A activities in India recorded great progress during April-June 2010 but cross border outbound deals witnessed higher growth against the decline seen in inbound deals. This represented a strong position of Indian companies in the world. A total of 28 outbound and 5 inbound deals were recorded in India during April-June 2010, for the value of US$ 13342.37 million and US$ 4065.61 million respectively. (editor@thesynergyonline.com) 

MVAS INDUSTRY LIKELY TO HIT RS 280 BILLION BY 2013

Thesynergyonline Economic Bureau

NEW DELHI, JUNE 30 :
THE Indian Mobile Value Added Services (MVAS) industry is projected to register a turnover of Rs 280 billion by 2013 from the current Rs. 97 billion after the rollout of 3G services in India, according to The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) ASSOCHAM.

The ASSOCHAM Financial Pulse (AFP) Study titled "Emerging Landscape in Mobile VAS Industry" pointed out that VAS which constitutes 10-12 per cent of the total revenues for telecom operators would also see a rise of 20 per cent during the same period. High speed data services like mobile TV, video calls which have been in their nascent stage so far are going to be the main contributors to this growth, the study said.

ASSOCHAM president Dr Swati Piramal, points out "growth of MVAS is based on 3G rollout on a serious scale. This involves in huge investments in network equipment and network construction. However, very high 3G license bids are likely to result in under investments in networks. To add to this, 3G licensees in India are the incumbent mobile service providers. There are chances that the incumbent operators are likely to resort to non competitive practices and the nation will derive business and social benefits from the allotted spectrum".

AFP analyzed that 3G will open new horizons for the telecom operators and the companies engaged in value added service. Competitive strategies of the players will unlock the true market potential of the segment. Effective bundling and packaging of services, innovative practices and extension of coverage areas will also augment the market size.

The Study highlighted, India is the world's second largest mobile market after China in terms of mobile subscriptions. At the end of April 2010, the total mobile subscriber's base was more than 600 million. Out of which only 18 to 20 per cent of the users use 3G- enabled handsets, of which mostly are from the urban area.

In terms of market share, 87 per cent of the subscriber base in India is on pre-paid connection, with the remaining 13 per cent on post-paid subscriptions. This has also given rise to opportunities for generating increased revenue, through exploring potential Value Added Services (VAS).
After roll out of 3G services mobile users will access high speed data services such as web browsing, mobile TV, video calls, music & video, applications download are on the top of the list which mobile users use frequently.

The youth segment that makes up 30 per cent of the total handsets market in India seeks entertainment on mobile. Currently, about 51 per cent of MVAS revenue in India is driven by short messaging service applications. The youth segment will also continue to drive the market, particularly after the 3G rollout.
In spite of this growth in the mobile subscriber base, the operator margins are declining quarter on quarter. Though the minutes of usage is increasing however the same is being offset by the lowering tariffs of operators. This could be attributed to the major subscription growth that is coming from bottom of the pyramid.

As ARPU declines, the challenge for operators is to increase revenues by differentiating their offerings and develop alternative revenue streams by offering more value added services to the existing subscribers.
The decrease in average revenue can also be attributed to the structure of the Indian mobility market which is largely prepaid (87 per cent). This means that most of the subscribers added are from the bottom of pyramid with low usage resulting in low ARPU.

Now the telecom companies have to identify the need of the rural user segment, which is not yet penetrated as compared to the urban users. For generating more revenues telecom players have to generate awareness among the rural population about the benefits of the value added services, concluded the AFP Study. . (editor@thesynergyonline.com) 

KIRLOSKAR BROTHERS ' CASCADE' WINS AWARD

Thesynergyonline Communication Bureau

NEW DELHI, JUNE 30 :
'CASCADE', an in-house publication of Kirloskar Brothers (KBL), a global water management solution company, has won the In-house Communication Excellence (ICE) award. Ms. Pallavi Kharade, Managing Editor, Cascade received the award on behalf of KBL.

'Cascade' gives an overview of the growth of KBL and the path it aims to traverse in times to come as a global leader in water business. It contains articles on milestones of KBL and contribution by its employees, channel partners, vendors and other associates who play an important role to accelerate growth of the company.

The two decade old quarterly publication was the winner of gold award among 380 other participants across India. The crystal trophy, cash award and a certificate, awarded at a grand ceremony in Mumbai, stand testimony to the dedication of the editorial team - Mr. Avinash Purandare, Editor-in-Chief, Cascade and Ms. Pallavi Kharade, Managing Editor, Cascade.

The ICE awards are presented every year by Shailaja Nair Foundation in memory of the Late Managing Director of FEI Cargo Limited. The Chief Guest, Mr. Sudheer Joglekar - resident editor of Loksatta, Mumbai; Guest of Honor, Mr. Gopinath Muthukad - the magician with a social message from Kerala and Ms. Mala Biswas, General Manager International, DNA - Head Jury declared the winning names and handed over the glittering ICE Trophy, Cash Prize and Certificates to the winners.
Mr. Avinash Purandare, Editor-in-Chief, Cascade and Vice President Corporate Global Marketing & Strategy (CGMS), KBL, said, "This is a very proud moment for us. Our magazine 'Cascade' is designed with an objective to provide a platform for KBL employees to express their creative selves and further strengthen their sense of belonging to the company. The award gives us another reason to cheer during the ongoing Centenary year celebrations. I would like to appreciate the effort put by the team and am sure that they will keep up with the good work."

Mr. Sanjay Kirloskar, Chairman and Managing Director KBL, Mr. R.K. Srivastava, Director KBL and Mr. J. R. Sapre, Director KBL congratulated the editorial team on this remarkable achievement.

KBL Sales in 2009-2010 exceeded US $ 439 Million with a market capitalization of more than US $ 453 million. KBL is India's largest manufacturer and exporter of pumps and also the largest infrastructure pumping project contractor in Asia. (editor@thesynergyonline.com) 

WORLDWIDE WIRELSS E-MAIL USERS TO REACH 1 BILLION BY '14

Thesynergyonline Communication Bureau

NEW DELHI, JUNE 30 :
STANDARDIZATION, interoperability and growing competition from e-mail servers and services are accelerating the commoditization of wireless e-mail, according to Gartner Inc. Vendors are responding by pursuing differentiation in the areas of collaboration, applications and the cloud.

Gartner predicts that worldwide wireless e-mail users will reach 1 billion by year-end 2014. Worldwide business wireless e-mail accounts were estimated at more than 80 million in early 2010, including large, midsize and small organizations, as well as individual professionals - corresponding to about 60 million active users.

"Productivity gains with wireless e-mail are driving adoption beyond executives," said Monica Basso, research vice president at Gartner. "In 2010, enterprise wireless e-mail is still a priority for organizations, whose mobile workforces are up to 40 percent of the total employee base. Most midsize and large organizations in North America and Europe have deployed enterprise wireless e-mail already, but on average, for less than 5 percent of the workforce."

Wireless e-mail makes an individual's e-mail account accessible and usable via mobile networks on mobile devices, within a local client application or through a Web browser, through a software gateway connected to (or part of) the e-mail server.

An enterprise wireless e-mail deployment has a software gateway that is behind the corporate firewall, possibly connected through a network operations center (NOC) to a mobile client. Most products support Microsoft Exchange Server. IT administration, security and remote device management are supported to a different extent. A consumer wireless e-mail deployment has a software gateway that is deployed by carriers and service providers. The offline e-mail client on the device can be native or downloaded separately. Alternatively, a mobile browser connects to Internet e-mail accounts.

As wireless e-mail begins to integrate with social networking and collaboration, social networking is increasingly complementing e-mail for interpersonal business communications. Gartner predicts that by 2014, social networking services will replace e-mail as the primary vehicle for interpersonal communications for 20 percent of business users.

"People increasingly want to use mobile devices for collaboration to share content, information, and experiences with their communities," Ms. Basso said. "Social paradigms are converging with e-mail, instant messaging, voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and presence, creating new collaboration styles."

Cloud e-mail and collaboration services by Microsoft, IBM, Google and other players already include mobile support, but are very early in adoption. However, Gartner predicts that adoption will grow significantly in the next three to five years. In 2009, only 3 percent of e-mail accounts were in the cloud but by the end of 2012, that number will increase to 10 percent.

"Thanks to ease of access, the cloud will generate indirect competition in the wireless e-mail software market and will transform it in the long term," Ms. Basso said. "Cloud e-mail offerings from software and service players, such as Google's Gmail, will begin to be adopted, pulling wireless e-mail implementations into the cloud as well. Research In Motion and other wireless e-mail vendors will build partnerships with cloud providers to address their customers' cloud strategies."

"Through 2012, wireless e-mail products and services will be interchangeable, shipping in large volumes at reduced prices. Wireless e-mail will be highly commoditized and on any device. This commoditization will, in turn, drive standardization and price reductions on service bundles from mobile carriers," he added. . (editor@thesynergyonline.com) 

INTEX UNVEILS IN 6633 WITH PUSH MAIL, WI- FI , FACE- TO- FACE 2G CHAT

Thesynergyonline Corporate Bureau

NEW DELHI, JUNE 29 :
PUSH Mail in mobile phone is a current fad. But when it comes with Wi-Fi, Face-to-Face chat, Dual SIM, and QWERTY keypad and many other features, the phone is bound to woo a wide cross-section of customers. Model Intex IN 6633 brings to the users all these features and many more. The phone scores on three fronts - performance, features and looks.

It is a Dual SIM (GSM+GSM) handset packed with a soft and attractive QWERTY keypad.

The 'netizens' (people hooked on to Internet) can make the best out of "Intex Zone" having Nimbuzz- the instant messaging /chat tool, Java, Facebook, and games like M -Sudoku, 5- Sudoku, etc.

The users can also have a face-to face video chat on a 2G platform, facilitated by Dual Camera .The Wi-Fi feature further gives them a faster net-surfing, download and chatting experience. Push Mail feature allows access to 10 mailboxes (on different portals) without logging in and out, again and again.

The phone is very dapper with a wine-red and black exterior and a 5.8 cm screen with TFT display. Wireless FM radio with antenna, audio player, an internal memory of 78MB expandable memory up to 8 GB, web camera, Java, Bluetooth wit A2DP, motion sensor, answering machine, auto call record are other interesting features to write home about.

Adding a further dash of uniqueness is the Black List feature- which allows you to block 10 callers of your choice without shelling out anything extra to your service provider. Last but not the least, it has a mobile tracker, long lasting battery, security lock for SMS, MMS, Phonebook & call history and four language support - English, Hindi, Urdu, and French.

Shailendra Jha, DGM-Telecom, Intex Technologies (India) Ltd. said, "A feature-packed phone has always been a favorite amongst ever-increasing base of Indian consumers. Their wish-list keeps demanding more. We strive to meet their aspirations by offering contemporary features in a stylish yet affordable package. Intex IN 6633 represents a fine balance between features and performance while enhancing the ease of use."

Intex mobile phones are available through its vast network of more than 400 channel partners in India . The street -price tag for INTEX IN 6633 is Rs 4500. (editor@thesynergyonline.com) 

WORLDWIDE MOIBLE PAYENT USERS TO RFEACH 108.8 MILLION IN 108.6 MILLION IN 2010

Thesynergyonline Communications Bureau

NEW DELHI, JUNE 21 :
THE number of mobile payment users worldwide will exceed 108.6 million in 2010, a 54.5 percent increase from 2009, when there were 70.2 million users, according to Gartner, Inc. Mobile payment users will represent 2.1 percent of all mobile users in 2010.

"We continue to see strong growth in developing markets in Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa for mobile payment, while adoption in North America and Western Europe lags behind due to the plentiful choices of payment instruments that consumers have," said Sandy Shen, research director at Gartner. "Developing markets have found the right formula for mobile money services - functions that users want and an ecosystem that can sustain the service."

"The answer for developed markets, however, remains elusive. The offerings for developed markets will take a different format," Ms. Shen said. "Instead of a point offering for mobile payment, the service needs to be built on top of the existing payment behaviour and infrastructure so that users can choose any channel - retail, phone, online or mobile - that suits their context at the moment of payment."

Asia/Pacific is the leading region with mobile payment users. In Asia/Pacific, mobile payment users will surpass 62.8 million in 2010, and represent 2.6 percent of all mobile users. In Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), mobile payment users will total 27.1 million and represent 2.1 percent of all mobile users in the region. In North America, mobile payment users will number 3.5 million and represent 1.1 percent of all mobile users in the region.

Ms. Shen said that the strong demand for mobile payment in developing markets is being driven by the unbanked and underbanked populations that do not have ready access to the banking infrastructure or PC, positioning mobile as the natural choice of access platform. At the same time, regulators in early-adopter markets are tightening up policies to provide better user protection and fight against unlawful financial activities relating to money transfer.

Short Message Service (SMS) remains the dominant mobile payment technology. Its ubiquity and ease of use makes it the technology of choice, not only for consumers in developing markets, but also for those in developed markets. Wireless Application Protocol/Web can support either downloadable clients or mobile browsers.

It is more frequently used by consumers in developed markets due to the higher penetration of data-capable phones and active data plans, he added.

Ms. Shen urged service providers in developing markets to investigate service interoperability to speed market uptake and foster healthy competition. She said that solution providers should ensure platform flexibility so that platforms can work with both the bank's and mobile carrier's systems, and so that it can be readily customized for local deployments.

Other interested parties will include financial institutions, which can use mobile payment to reach the unbanked and underbanked populations that cannot be easily reached with the traditional infrastructure.

They will need to collaborate with mobile carriers in developing markets to take advantage of their brand recognition and service coverage. In developed markets, they should work with large retailers and online merchants to build on existing purchase and payment behaviour. (editor@thesynergyonline.com)

UNITRON LAUNCHES QWERTY KEY PAD PHONE WITH TWO DUAL SIM OPTIONS

Thesynergyonline Communications Bureau

NEW DELHI, MAY 23 :
UNITRON Exim , the brand owner of Grapes range of mobile phones has unveiled Grapes CG 888, QWERTY key pad phone that comes with two dual SIM options CDMA + GSM or GSM + GSM. Besides a GSM SIM (900/1800 MHz) in one of the two available SIM slots, users have the option of inserting either a GSM SIM (900/1800 MHz) or CDMA SIM (800 MHz) in the second SIM slot.

Mobile users in India has this flexibility coupled with a sleek form factor QWERTY key pad phone and therefore, the Grapes CG 888 comes out with an attractive proposition which is priced at Rs 4999 only (MRP) and comes with a years warranty as well.

According to Mr. Bikash Agrawal, Director, Unitron Exim , the mobile phone market in India is getting competitive by the day and as a brand you have to have certain distinct features and advantages over the competition to survive and succeed. Grapes, as a brand, is all about fresh look and feel, and flaunt-it features.

The brand is targeted at the urban, tech-savvy college and office going youth between 16 and 35 years of age besides all those who are young at heart, he adds.

He claims that the phone is sure to become a cynosure of all eyes amidst them. Initially, it will be launched in the metros and mini-metro cities along with all SEC A and B class towns. Owing to our incessant consumer research we read the market pulse well ahead and pressed it into action. Our global design and development facilities came up with Grapes CG 888, a phone that has it all but still does not burn a hole in your pocket. It is a Facebook ready phone and also connects to Yahoo and MSN for social networking and instant messaging.

Some other features that make it an excellent buy include 2 QCIF screen with brilliant 65K colours, 1.3 MP camera, web camera, 1500 mAH battery for considerably longer talk time and standby time, memory expandable up to 2GB, media player for MP3/MP4 and 3GP formats of audio and video content, video and sound recording, FM radio, built-in speaker, universal audio jack (2.5 mm) for stereo earphones, motion sensor, WAP support, Bluetooth 1.2, Java, USB charging, large SMS storage, MMS capability, support for multiple languages besides games and utilities like calendar, calculator, alarm, world clock, stop watch, currency converter etc, he says.

The phones are affordable however there is no compromise on features and functionality. And that shall be our trump card in this competitive market, adds Mr. Agrawal. (editor@thesynergyonline.com)