রাজা কিশোরীলাল গোস্বামীর বাড়ি

শ্রীরামপুরে গোস্বামীরা ছিলেন মূলত ব্যবসায়ী, কিন্তু হঠাৎ এঁদের বাড়ি রাজবাড়ি হয়ে উঠল কি ভাবে? ইতিহাস বলছে গোস্বামীরা শ্রীরামপুরে স্থিতু হন শেওড়াফুলির রাজা মনোহর রায়ের অনুরোধে। সেই অর্থে শেওড়াফুলির রাজার অধীনে ছিলেন গোস্বামীরা। 

রঘুরাম গোস্বামীর সময়ে শ্রীরামপুরের গোস্বামী পরিবারের অর্থনৈতিক অবস্থা তুঙ্গে ওঠে। 'প্রিন্স অফ মার্চেন্ট' হিসেবে বিখ্যাত রঘুরাম গোস্বামী সেই সময়ে এতটাই ধনী ছিলেন যে রঘুরাম ১২ লাখ টাকা দিয়ে ড্যানিশদের থেকে শ্রীরামপুর কিনে নিতে চেয়েছিলেন। কিন্তু বাঁধ সেঁধেছিল ইংরেজরা। শেষমেশ ব্রিটিশ ইস্ট ইন্ডিয়া কোম্পানি তেরো লক্ষ টাকায় ড্যানিশদের থেকে শ্রীরামপুর কিনে নেয়। 

১৯১১ সালে এই পরিবারের উজ্জ্বল নক্ষত্র কিশোরীলাল গোস্বামীকে ব্রিটিশ সরকার রাজা উপাধি দেন। এর পর থেকেই গোস্বামী বাড়ি বা গোস্বামীদের ঠাকুরদালানকে লোকে রাজবাড়ি বলতে শুরু করে।

Telecom Perspective: Visit to Tajpur (WB) in January 2025

In the last week of January, 2025 I took an escape to nature as I visited Tajpur - a small coastal village of East Medinipur district of West Bengal. Tajpur is not so popular sea beach, though it is near Digha - the most popular sea beach and beach tourist spot of the state. 

Vodafone Makes First Space Video Call using AST SpaceMobile's LEO Satellites, Satcom in India

Though its Indian venture, Vi is struggling to roll out 5G services across the country, UK-based multinational telecom company Vodafone has achieved something extra-ordinary -  On 29th of January, 2025 Vodafone has successfully made the world’s first space video call using normal 4G/5G smartphones and satellites that will allow multiple users in areas of no mobile coverage to make and receive video calls, access the Internet and use online messaging services.

Margherita Della Valle, Vodafone Group-CEO & Astronaut Tim Peake

The space-partner of Vodafone remains the same AST SpaceMobile in which Vodafone invested in 2020 and since then both working closely. In December 2024 both entered into a definitive long-term commercial agreement through 2034 - which is a significant step forward in their collaboration to expand broadband connectivity globally. 

Vodafone Exits Indus Towers, Timeline of Indus Towers

As expected Vodafone Group (UK) has sold its last shares of Indus Towers and exited Indian tower business completely by multi year phased manner. The last 3% worth of 79.2 million shares in Indus was held by Vodafone's indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries, Omega Telecom Holdings Pvt Ltd and Usha Martin Telematics Limited. The valuation was Rs 2,800 cr which would be reinvested in Vodafone-Idea's joint telecom venture Vi or to pay the bank loans, network expansion projects, government dues.

In June 2024, Vodafone sold of its 15% share in Indus Towers. 

Official site of Indus Towers Ltd, now notes as Indus Towers Ltd was founded by amalgamation of Indus Towers and Bharti Infratel. But we know Indus Towers was formed by the three incumbent telecom operators of India - Airtel, Vodafone and Idea in November 2007. That time Indus was the largest tower co in the world (outside China) and till September of 2024 Indus enjoyed the title as Brookfield (who bought Jio Infratel and ATC India) based Altius became the largest tower company in the world. 

Vi Kickstarts Competition with 5G Data and New Tariffs

After 808 days of Jio & Airtel's 5G launch (1st October 2022), Vi, the joint telecom venture of Vodafone UK and Aditya Birla Group, has launched 5G services in India in selected pockets of selected cities across 17 key circles on 17th December of 2024. This launch of 5G services by Vi marked the third operator of the country enters 5G space. Though this launch is just to maintain MRO guidelines, a full-scale launch to all users is part of the roadmap of Vi. 

Fast Charging - Know Your Tech

I can remember those days when Simoco, an India-grown company brought some large note like phones during those symbian days against loud, large chinese resistive touchscreen phones . The package comes with an extra battery and a charger to charge it outside the phone. Gone those days, Li-Ion or Li-Polymer batteries have been evolved a lot now. The battery technology has improved a lot - from wireless charging to fast charging technology make our digital lives easier.

Fast charging has became a USP for smartphone makers, just like how powerful battery included or camera capabilities or bigger screen or latest chipset. The companies simply promotes how fast the smartphones get charged in minutes or simply says xx Watt charging capacity. 

Tejas Will Supply Backhaul Equipment to Vi to Increase Network Capacity

Though Tata Group left the mainstream telecom market, it seems the company prefers to stay behind the curtain as Tata-backed companies continue to grab telecom contracts in the country. 

Tata-backed TCS & Tejas Networks are integral part of state owned BSNL's 4G rollout, and future's 5G roll out, infact BSNL's 5G ready 4G core is completely developed indigenously. Now Tejas grabbed a three-year contract from country's third largest telco - Vi to supply backhaul equipment for upgraded 4G network & upcoming 5G network. Back in 2021 Airtel also deployed equipment from Tejas to increase optical capacities in major metro areas.