Vi 5G Launched in Mumbai, Check out 5G Plans of Vi

Before the end of Financial year 2024-25, country's third largest wireless service provider, Vi has launched 5G in Mumbai. The company will bring 5G in other 4 circles by April 2025 - in Bihar, Delhi, Karnataka and Punjab. 

Like others, Vi has brought 5G plans starting from Rs 299 with introductory unlimited 5G data along with daily 1GB or 1.5GB or 2GB data on 4G network. All plans except the basic 299 plan, have unlimited night data, weekend data rollover and back up data of 2GB. While Jio's True5G plans, though, start with Rs 198 but comes with 2GB/day 4G data with only 14 days of validity and JioTV and JioAICloud subscriptions. Most of the Jio's True5G plans come with atleast 2GB per day data. Jio's annual 5G plan costs same as Vi's INR3599, but packs 2.5GB/day, 90 days of JioHotstar subscription, 50GB of Jio Cloud storage - but with Free Night data and Weekend rollover I would say Vi's 5G annual pack is better than Jio. 

Vi had plan to launch 5G in 75 cities of key 17 circles by March, 2025 but they missed the deadline. 

Manipal Owner Temasek to Buy a Cut of Haldiram's for a Premium Price

In an interesting move, Investment firm Temasek Holdings which owns majority shares of Manipal Hospitals, plans to enter into FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) sector of the country, as Temasek has agreed to pay $1 billion for near about 10% stakes of Haldiram's which is one of the top FMCG company. The deal translates into valuation of the company of approx. INR 84,000 cr. The deal highlights Temasek's strategic focus on expanding its presence in the Indian consumer market.

Now think like that, you are eating palm oil fried bhujia from Haldiram's and enjoying Netflix. Suddenly you have a severe chest pain and rushed to nearest Manipal Hospitals. You undergo angioplasty and by God's grace you did well - doctors at Manipal did really good job, saving you. In both ways, you are being skimmed and the money goes to Singapore via Temasek. 

Indian Telcos to Dilute Digital Divide between Rural and Urban Areas

Though sky is the limit, the urban wireless teledensity reached 124.31% and multi-SIM users are declining, the Indian telecom service providers are now looking for rural expansion as rural wireless teledensity was just 57.89% (Data at the end of December 2024).

Rural connectivity is now concentrated on access to OTT media, use of social media, content creation over different sites/apps, UPI payments. But data usage is still limited, and in coming days the usage may go sky-rocketed with carpet-coverage. In short as you offer, people will grab it more. 

For Jio, it has an advantage that it started with 4G and therefore Jio's 4G presence is quite better than the competitors, as both Airtel and Vi had ditched their 3G operations, and looking for 2G sunset which can't be done before 2027 and brought 4G and 5G in selected pockets where revenue generation is high. 

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। 

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.