CVC widens telecom probe, dual licences under lens
Telcos challenge TDSAT decision on intra-circle calls in SC
Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and Time - Four Hundred THREEPalash Biswas
http://indianholocaustmyfatherslifeandtime.blogspot.com/
Only last night, my Cousine Beena got her Yonger Son Bishwajeet Married to a South Indian Christian Girl. Niranjan, her husband had informed us months before. Krishana told me that the Girl is very sweet and gentle! I had to go to Shimla to attend a seminar on 15th July and scheduled to return on 39th. But eventually, my Diabetes deprived me of my Mobility for quite a long time. I had to cancel my Dandakarnaya Trip and Know not whether, when I would be able to vist Basantipur or Nainital once again. Beena was the msot devoted student of Music in our family. My cousine Subhash was indulged in Classical music even in eighties.
Last time when I visited my In Laws in Dharma Nagari, the Dharamveer Village, I met ourMusic Teacher Brajen Master in his eighties after decades. His vion was not clear but the old teached did not make any mistake to recognise his most arrogant student who even did not try SAREGANMA at any stage. My uncles were always busy with musical instrument whenever they were Free. The environment at Home in Basantipur was Musical and our Kachahari Ghar was the Msic class Room and the Room for Brajen Master at a time.
I have No Memoirs of Indo Sino war 1982. not because I was too young an Infant as I do remember some incidents in 1960 while My Father Pulin Babu organised All India Refugee Conference in Dineshpur, every death of brothers and sisters so often in the Joint Family without any Family Planning in those days.I remeber the Assasination of President Kennedy and Kashipur MLA ND Tiwari`s election campaign in 1962. Meeradi was Married in 1961.My Two sisters succmbed to infections as My Father was busy in His social activism and My Doctor Uncle was away in Assam after my father visited the Riot Torn state in 1960. Simply because, we had NO Radio in Basantipur during the 1962 war which could connect our disconected Refugge Village esatblished in 1956 with rest of the World. The Radio Entry is assocaited with some Mischief done by no one else but me. My Uncle Returned Home in 1962 and I told everyone in the Neighbourhood that my Chhotokaka had Brought a Radiio. It was a big Gathering around the Twin Mango Trees that evening as No One did possess a Radio. Next Morning My Chhotokaka left for rudrapur , the nearest City and returned Home with a BUSH Radio and we helped him to set the Antena on a long Bamboo beside the Twin Mango Tree. And it was the Beginning of Radio India and Radio Dhaka.The gathering was no less than the crowd Puller days of Ramayan and Mahabharat on Indian TV for the first time. The basantipur People would listen the Jatra and Plays, News and Sambad Prabaha on Radio Kokata and would renew their Nostalgia about the Lost Home way back in estranged East Bengal with Radio Dhaka, listening to the melodious songs of Firdausi Rehman and Sabian Yasmin. They would believe only BBC on air and consder All India News a Government censored Propaganda.
Amin Syani, KL Sehgal and Radio Cylone had an empire in our heart. but my Chhotokaka would repair the Tabala and Harmonium daily for his Jugalbandi with Classical Programmes on radi Cylone. He had to prepare the Masal for the tabla beats. It had to be a scene while my Jetha Moshai and Chhotokaka engaged themselves in Jugalabandi with the Instrumental Music on All India Radio. But we had to listen the Radio even late in night as radio Cylone and Vividh Bharati was as Magnetec as the Post Modern FM is but we had no head Phones and had to face punishment for the unpardonable Crime. Radio Comentry of Hockey and Cricket was an affair in seventies. Meanwhile, during my Class Six days I had won a Radio Set for myself and my father had to get the license for it.
I saw any TV Programme first time in Siraganj in 1979 while I was staying with our friend and cousin of Pawan rakeshm Keval Krishan Dhal to publish weekly paper Laghu Bharat which had an enviable writers list including Bishnu Prabhakar and Amrit Lal Nagar. A sikh Doctor had the TV Set and we would gather at his residence every evening to watch TV. Later, in PURBANCHAL JNU, New Delhi I became addicted to TV programmes.
But Tara TV Music and its Progaramme AAZ Sakaler Aamontrone, the Dates in the Morning, which I may not see live anytime due to my Journalistic routine, has connected most amusingly with my Childhood while I may Feel the Hearts and Minds of my people as Virtaully the Divided Bengal reunite on TV thanks to the performances of the Bangladeshi artists like Rizwana Rehman Banya, Lili , Aditi Mohsin and SHAMA and the anchors specially Mallika and Maitrai. I am sorry that I may not interact with them!
Private telecom operators on Monday challenged in the Supreme Court the TDSAT decision that they pay carrier charges to state-owned BSNL based on distance instead of a uniform rate of 20 paise a call.
In the two petitions filed by their lobby groups — Cellular Operators Association of India and Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India — the telcos challenged orders of sectoral tribunal, which had set aside the directions of TRAI to charge 20 paise per minute for intra-circle calls.
After hearing the petition, a bench headed by Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia directed the operators to file statements of their respective liabilities against BSNL on account of carriage charges between November 2005 and March 2009.
".. File statement of liabilities, which are due on each of the members for the relevant period," said the bench, also consisting of Justices K.S. Radhakrishnan and Swatanter Kumar, while giving three weeks' time to telecom operators.
Meanwhile, Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium, appearing for BSNL, submitted before the apex court that the PSU would not take any coercive action against the private telecom operators over their dues on carriage fee, till the next date of hearing.
The Solicitor General further informed the court that telcos have to pay around Rs. 500 crore to BSNL.
The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal had, on May 21, 2010, set aside TRAI's direction to have a uniform carriage charge of 20 paise for intra-circle calls.
According to the operators, TDSAT has also set aside two letters written by TRAI on May 17, 2006, to the PSU and "wrongly allowed BSNL to levy distance-based carriage charges on the appellant instead of a uniform carriage charge of 20 paisa per minute in case of intra-circle."
CVC widens telecom probe, dual licences under lens
26 Jul 2010, 0033 hrs IST,Joji Thomas Philip,ET BureauNEW DELHI: The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has opened a wide-ranging investigation into all key decisions taken by telecom minister A Raja, including a controversial move to allow two cellphone companies to operate on dual technologies, steadily amplifying the scope of a probe that was directed at licence allotments to new players in 2008.The anti-corruption body has told the telecom department it is examining the decision to award dual licences in 2007 to Reliance Communications (RCOM) and Tata Teleservices that allowed the companies to operate on both CDMA and GSM platforms, documents available with ET show.
Mr Raja was unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts to reach him on his mobile. RCOM and Tata Tele declined comment.
The CVC probe also centres on the telecom department's failure to revoke non-operational licences and spectrum from Idea Cellular after it purchased the mobile operations of Spice Communications in October 2008, and the slow rollout of services by new players such as Etisalat DB, Videocon, Loop Mobile, S Tel and Uninor.
Mr Raja has been criticised by Opposition parties for allegedly causing an estimated loss of over `60,000 crore to the exchequer by awarding 2G licences to companies at throwaway prices. The telecom tribunal and the Delhi High Court had, however, cleared his ministry of mischief while awarding dual licences.
Besides the CVC, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CVC), Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and the parliamentary standing committee are all sniffing around the decisions by Mr Raja, who perhaps has the ignominy of facing the most number of investigations against a minister. The DMK leader's offices were searched by CBI sleuths in October 2009 after the CVC found serious irregularities in licence allotments.
Earlier this month, as first reported by ET, the CVC asked the telecom department to spell out action taken against Idea Cellular for violating a key rule that bars an operator from owning more than 10% stake in another service provider or licence holder in the same region.
| Aaj Sakaler Amontrone |
 * |
Aaj Sakaler Amontrone: Welcome! to the most popular breakfast show among Bongs across the globe! Bite into your toast and sip your tea while anchors Mallika and Maitreyi bring you your adda tonic every morning. Soothe your entertainment appetite as the anchors chat up the leonine and the renowned from all walks of life on various issues. Join them as they discuss life, philosophy, music, culture and relationships among other things. Their chat is intercepted with soulful music, which livens up your day. Besides watching your favorite arti st chat live, you can also chat with the celebrity yourself. The show in only one year has helped in bringing fans closer to their idols, as listeners can call in to chat live with the guests. Eminent artistes like Dwijen Mukhapadhyay, Ustad Rashid Khan, Swagatlakshmi Dasgupta, Gouri Ghosh, Bikram Ghosh, Anjan Dutta, Gautam Ghosh and the likes are among the show's celebrity guests. 'Aaj Sakaler Amontrone' has entertained its audience for a year now and has held the number one position in their hearts throughout. The show has always tried to bring out innovative ways to bring its viewers maximum entertainment. 'Aaj Sakaler Amontrone' is your best concoction of adda and music- the staple for any Bengali. So go ahead, indulge yourself every morning from 7 to 9 am. Anchor : Mallika (Mon-Wed) / Maitreyee (Thu-Sun)Telecast time and day: Everyday, 7:00 am
| |||
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| Tomorrow's Guest: | |||
| Mrityunjoy | |||
| Mrityunjoy is a talented flutist who has in a short span of time carved a niche for himself in the world of Indian classical music. Watch him in conversation with Mallika only on Aaj Sakaler Amontrone. |
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Poor telecom network in NE a concern
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Telenor: Mobile market not getting tougher
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High-speed net subscribers to touch 275 mn in India by 2015
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India needs to allocate more spectrum for digital dividend
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Telcos add 59 mn users in Jan-Mar
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BSNL, MTNL may delay number portability
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Indian Mobile users to touch 993 million by 2014
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Vividh Bharati and Commercial Service
The popular Vividh Bharati Service of All India Radio was conceptualized to combat 'Radio Ceylon' in 1957. Within no time it proved to be a popular channel of every household. The service provides entertainment for nearly 15 to 17 hours a day. It presents a mix of film music, skits, short plays and interactive programmes, Some of the old popular programmes of Vividh Bharati are 'SANGEET SARITA', 'BHULE BISRE GEET', 'HAWA MAHAL', 'JAIMALA', 'INSE MILIYE', 'CHHAYA GEET' ETC., are still distinctly recongnised by the listeners. From time to time new programmes were introduced like 'BISCOPE KE BATEIN', 'SARGAM KE SITARE', 'CELLULOID KE SITARE', 'SEHATNAMA', &' HELLO FARMAISH',.
All these programmes are produced centrally at Vividh Bharati Service,Borivili, Mumbai and up-linked to the satellite. 40 Vividh Bharati stations across the country down-linked these programmes through captive earth stations provided at each of these AIR stations. Some local programme windows are also provided at these stations to give regional flavour to the listeners. These 40 Vividh Bharati stations are known as Commercial Broadcasting Service Stations and are located at all major and commercially vibrant cities covering 97% of the Indian population. In 1999 Vividh Bharati Service proved its success connecting Indian Soliders posted on remote border areas to their family members through a special programme entitled "Hello Kargil", through which not only the family members of the soliders , but even a layman including young and old conveyed their best wishes to the soliders to keep up their morale. Eminent actors, play back singers, renowned writers, lyricists, directors and music directors have found way to express their experience and opinion through the Vividh Bharati Platform . A special programme entitled "Ujaale Unki Yaadon Ke" takes the listeners into the world of nostalgia dipping into the memories of the artists of the yester years. With the advent of new technology the transmission of programmes gradually migrated from earlier medium wave transmission to high quality digital stereo FM. Commercials were introduced initially in the Vividh Bharati Service in the year 1967 on an experimental basis. Realising the role of advertising in accelerating the social and material progress of the country, commercials were extended to Primary channels including FM & Local Radio Stations in a phased manner. Advertsing on Radio is not only cost effective to the advertisers but also has the potential to reach far flung areas where no other mass media has succeeded in making any tangible dent.
Some of the popular programmes of Vividh Bharat can also be heard on our National Channel from 2300 hrs. to 0600 hrs. This service now enjoys global listenership through Direct to Home Service (DTH) besides other 11 channels of All India Radio.
AIR had been receiving advertisements through its registered agencies only. With the changing demand of the environment, direct clients are also entertained by all AIR stations. In remote and far flung areas, canvassors are appointed for bringing in local business. There are 15 main CBS Stations, located in each state capital responsible for booking for their entire state. Besides there is a Central Sales Unit called as CSU at Mumbai meant for booking for more than one state. A single window booking facility is available in CSU to facilitate bulk booking with a single contract. Further details of CSU are available at their website" www.csuair.org.in".
FM Service
FM service of AIR has two channels � FM Rainbow and FM Gold.� There are 12 FM Rainbow channels and 4 FM Gold Channels.� The programme content of these channels is mainly popular Indian and Western music, compered in a vivacious and contemporary style and therefore highly popular with the urban youth.� News bulletins and current affairs programmes are also broadcast from these channels.� The FM Service is available on the following frequencies:
FM RAINBOW�
1 | Bangalore | 101.3 MHz |
2 | Chennai | 107.1 MHz |
3 | Coimbatore����� | 103.0 MHz |
4 | Cuttack� | 101.3 MHz |
5 | Delhi� | 102.6 MHz |
6 | Jalandhar� | 102.7 MHz |
7 | Kodaikanal | 100.5 MHz |
8 | Kolkata | 107.0 MHz |
9 | Lucknow | 100.7 MHz |
10 | Mumbai | 107.1 MHz |
11 | Panaji | 105.4 MHz |
12 | Tiruchirapalli | 102.1 MHz |
FM GOLD
1 | Chennai | 105.0 MHz |
2 | Delhi | 106.4 MHz |
3 | Kolkata | 100.2 MHz |
4 | Mumbai� | 100.7 MHz |
http://allindiaradio.org/fmn.html
Radio Ceylon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
 * | |
| Type | radio, and online |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Availability | National International |
| Owner | Government of Sri Lanka |
| Launch date | 1925 (radio) 1967 (incorporation) |
| Former names | Colombo Radio, Radio SEAC (1925-1948) |
| Official Website | http://www.slbc.lk |
Radio Ceylon is the oldest radio station in Asia. Broadcasting was started on an experimental basis in Ceylon by the Telegraph Department in 1923, just three years after the inauguration of broadcasting in Europe.
Contents[hide] |
[edit] Edward Harper
Edward Harper who came to Ceylon as Chief Engineer of the Telegraph Office in 1921, was the first person to actively promote broadcasting in Ceylon.
In the first ever radio experiments in Colombo, gramophone music was broadcast from a tiny room in the Central Telegraph Office with the aid of a small transmitter built by the Telegraph Department engineers from the radio equipment of a captured German submarine.[1]
The experiment was a real success and three years later, on December 16, 1925, a regular broadcasting service came to be instituted in Ceylon - the station was called Colombo Radio with the call sign 'Colombo Calling.'
Harper also founded the Ceylon Wireless Club together with British and Ceylonese radio enthusiasts in the city of Colombo. These were exciting times where radio in South Asia was concerned. Many regard Edward Harper as the Father of Broadcasting in Ceylon. Ceylonese engineers joined the Ceylon Wireless Club and carried out radio experiments with Edward Harper.
During World War II the radio station operations were taken over by the allied forces who operated Radio SEAC from Colombo.[2] The station was handed over to the Government of Ceylon after World War II. Radio Ceylon came into force after the war and climbed broadcasting heights in South Asia, leading the way in the world of entertainment and news. The very first senior management officers of the station came from the BBC. John Lampson was appointed Director General of broadcasting and Pascoe Thornton also from the BBC was appointed Director of Programmes of the National Service at the station.[3] Distinguished civil servant M.J Perera was the first Ceylonese Director-General of the then Radio Ceylon and another civil servant, Vernon Abeysekera, was appointed Director of Programmes.
[edit] The legendary Announcers
Radio Ceylon has produced some of the finest announcers of South Asia among them Livy Wijemanne, Vernon Corea, Pearl Ondaatje, Tim Horshington, Greg Roskowski, Jimmy Bharucha, Mil Sansoni, Eardley Peiris, Shirley Perera, Bob Harvie, B.H.Abdul Hameed, Claude Selveratnam, Christopher Greet, Prosper Fernando, Ameen Sayani (of Binaca Geetmala fame), S.P.Mylvaganam (the first Tamil Announcer on the Commercial Service)[4], Thevis Guruge, H.M.Gunasekera, A.W.Dharmapala, Karunaratne Abeysekera, Chitrananda Abeysekera, Mervyn Jayasuriya, Vijaya Corea, Elmo Fernando, Eric Fernando, Nihal Bhareti and Leon Belleth.
Pioneering broadcaster, Vernon Corea (left) with fellow announcers in a studio at Radio Ceylon, Colombo in 1958.
Other Sri Lankan personalities such as Owen de Abrew, the most senior Ballroom Dance professional on the island[5] and top film director Lester James Peiris[6] ( who reviewed books for ' Radio Bookshelf ' ) were involved in radio programmes on the airwaves.
This was in the heyday of Radio Ceylon, the announcers and presenters, particularly those who presented radio programmes on the All Asia beam, enjoyed iconic status. Radio Ceylon ruled the airwaves in South Asia as millions in the Indian sub-continent tuned into the radio station. [7] People picked up Radio Ceylon broadcasts as far away as the United States of America.[8] The Hindu newspaper placed Ameen Sayani and Vernon Corea[9] of Radio Ceylon in the top five great broadcasters of the world.[10]
Radio Ceylon turned young Ceylonese talent into household names - among them the Ceylonese musicians of the 1950s and 1960s - Nimal Mendis[11] , Bill Forbes,[12] Cliff Foenander, Des Kelly, Adrian Ferdinands, Tissa Seneviratne, Harold Seneviratne, Douglas Meerwald and the Manhattans,[13] to name a few.
Some of Radio Ceylon's programs enjoyed by millions of listeners - the 'Maliban Show' presented by Vernon Corea,[14] 'Ponds Hit Parade' presented by Tim Horshington,'Lama Pitiya' with Karunaratne Abeysekera[15] and Binaca Geetmala presented by Ameen Sayani[16] on the Overseas Service among them.
There was also a religious and cultural dimension to radio programming and Radio Ceylon broadcast Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian programmes. The station had ' three broadcasting arms ' - the Commercial Service, the National Service and the All Asia Service. Radio programmes were broadcast in English, Sinhala and Tamil - the All Asia beam had many programmes broadcast in Hindi. Pandit W. D. Amaradeva and other distinguished Sri Lankan musicians have all given concert recitals in the studios of the station.
[edit] The Hindi Service
Radio Ceylon had a very lucrative arm - the Hindi Service of the station launched in the early 1950s. Millions of rupees in terms of advertising revenue came from India. The station employed some of the most popular Indian announcers who played a vital role in establishing Radio Ceylon as the 'King of the Airwaves' in South Asia, among them, Gopal Sharma, Vijay Kishore Dubey, Shiv Kumar Saroj, and Manohar Mahajan. Sunil Dutt (who went on to become a film star in Bollywood), Ameen Sayani and elder brother Hamid Sayani though not hired by Radio Ceylon became popular by using Radio Ceylon for broadcasting programs like "Binaca Geetmala" (first broadcast in 1952) and "Lipton Ke Sitaare."
What captured the Indian listener were the film songs, the golden age of Hindi film music was in the 1950s and 1960s - Radio Ceylon was at the right place at the right time to reach out to the target market of millions of listeners - the station popularised the movie songs, including the talents of playback singers Asha Bhosle[17], Lata Mangeshkar, K.L. Saigal, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, Mohammed Rafi, S Janaki and others. This was a brilliant move by Radio Ceylon as Bollywood filmi music was banned by All India Radio and other Indian radio stations at the time. [18] This led to increased listenership for radio programmes such as Binaca Geetmala. Radio Ceylon had a captive audience. The Binaca Hit Parade was presented by 'happy go lucky' Greg Roskowski, it was a countdown of English pop music beamed on the Commercial Service and the All Asia Service. Having heard the programme, Indian listeners flooded the station with letters requesting a count down of Hindi filmi songs and the idea of Binaca Geetmala was born.[19]
Radio Ceylon also popularised the English songs of Indian popular musicians - they went on to score huge hits, among them Uma Pocha( Bombay Meri Hai ), Usha Uthup who has the rare distinction of singing Sri Lankan baila songs with ease and the Anglo-Indian star, Ernest Ignatius ( who went on to be a success in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Bombay Dreams' in London ) had a massive hit, I Married a Female Wrestler, on Radio Ceylon.[20]
The station was an advertiser's dream - thousands of jingles were recorded and beamed on the All Asia Service - from Lux soap to Coca Cola. Major brands queued up for their jingles to be broadcast over the airwaves of Radio Ceylon, such was the station's advertising power. [21] Masterminding the revenue from India was Radio Ceylon's advertising agent, Hari Haran, from Radio Advertising Services.
[edit] Clifford R. Dodd
Clifford R.Dodd, Director of the Commercial Service of Radio Ceylon,who came to the island under the Colombo Plan pictured here in 1958
Australian Clifford Dodd was sent to Radio Ceylon under the Colombo Plan. Dodd turned the Commercial Service of Radio Ceylon into a huge success. Dodd was a charismatic figure and he used his powers of persuasion to rise above politics to make Radio Ceylon into a successful brand name in South Asia. The radio station had no real competition in the region. Clifford Dodd and Livy Wijemanne hand picked some of the brightest talents in Sri Lanka, turning them into popular professional broadcasters.
Clifford R. Dodd's leadership, enthusiasm and drive helped motivate the young Ceylonese broadcasters - they were the brightest and the best in terms of creative talent. Dodd helped shape the Commercial Service of Radio Ceylon. The station spiralled upwards in terms of popularity and revenue for the country.
[edit] Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation
Radio Ceylon became a public corporation on 30 September 1967 and the station's name was changed to the Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation. Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake appointed a distinguished Ceylonese civil servant, Neville Jayaweera to head the CBC.
Chairman and Director General Neville Jayaweera in the boardroom of Radio Ceylon.
When Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972 the station underwent yet another name change as the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC).
In December 2005 Sri Lanka celebrated eighty years in broadcasting, a historic landmark in the world of broadcasting. [22] On January 5, 2007 the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation celebrated forty years as a public broadcasting corporation.
[edit] Quotes on Radio Ceylon
- ' I have to express my deep gratitude to what was then called Radio Ceylon. (Sri Lanka now). It had a slightly more open attitude and did play Western music, so that's where I became familiar with all kinds of things that I could slightly regret, like the complete works of Ricky Nelson. ' (Salman Rushdie)
- ' For millions in this country, Radio Ceylon was not just a broadcasting station. It had a form and a personality. It was a companion who added a meaning to their lives, filled their vacant hours and has now left them with a host of memories of the melodious times which is hard to forget......' (Playback & Fast Forward Magazine - India)
- ' Soon after conquering Mount Everest half a century ago, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay turned on their transistor radio – and the first thing they heard was an overseas broadcast of Radio Ceylon, from more than 3,000 kilometres away. They joined millions of people across the Indian subcontinent who regularly tuned in to these broadcasts. A pioneer in broadcasting in Asia, Radio Ceylon for decades informed and entertained an overseas audience many times the population of Ceylon, now Sri Lanka....' (Panos)
[edit] See also
Find more about Radio Ceylon on Wikipedia's sister projects: | |
 * | Definitions from Wiktionary |
 * | Textbooks from Wikibooks |
 * | Quotations from Wikiquote |
 * | Source texts from Wikisource |
 * | Images and media from Commons |
 * | News stories from Wikinews |
 * | Learning resources from Wikiversity |
- Vernon Corea
- M. J. Perera
- Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation
- List of Sri Lankan broadcasters
- List of Hindi broadcasters of Radio Ceylon
[edit] References
- ^ "For that Old Magic (Frontline Magazine, India)". http://www.flonnet.com/fl2301/stories/20060127001908700.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "Radio SEAC Ceylon (Radio Heritage Foundation)". http://www.radioheritage.net/FDD.asp. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "Gnanam Rathinam - a pioneer Radio Ceylon broadcaster". http://www.tamilweek.com/Gnanam_Rathinam_0010.html. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "Opinion: Fond Memories (Hindu Newspaper, India)". http://www.thehindu.com/2005/12/21/stories/2005122104321005.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "Owen de Abrew:Dance teacher par excellence (Sunday Times, Sri Lanka)". http://sundaytimes.lk/060514/tv/dance.html. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "Lester James Peries, a figure of the nation's destiny (Sunday Island, Sri Lanka)". http://www.priu.gov.lk/news_update/features/20020122lester_james.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "When Ceylon ruled the airwaves". http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mag/2006/01/01/stories/2006010100150400.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "QSL card from Radio Ceylon for report on 30 April 1954 (The Classic Shortwave Broadcast QSL Page)". http://k6eid.tripod.com/ceylon.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "Vernon Corea's Death Anniversary (Daily News, Colombo)". http://www.dailynews.lk/2004/09/28/new42.html. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "Those Golden Voices (Hindu Newspaper, India)". http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2004/07/01/stories/2004070101440100.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "Nimal Mendis composes tsunami song (Daily News, Sri Lanka)". http://www.dailynews.lk/2005/01/18/new32.html. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "Stories from Ole Ceylon: Bill Forbes". http://oleceylon.blogspot.com/2007/06/bill-forbes.html. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "The Big Band Musician". http://douglasmeerwald.tripod.com/id9.html. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "The Golden Voice of Radio Ceylon (Sunday Observer,Sri Lanka)". http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2004/07/18/fea20.html. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "Karunaratne Abeysekera-Peerless Lyricist (Sunday Times,Sri Lanka)". http://sundaytimes.lk/030105/tv/1.html. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "A legendary affair with the airwaves (Hindu Magazine,India)". http://www.hindu.com/mag/2006/08/13/stories/2006081300070500.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "ASIAN POP:The life and times of Asha Bhosle, enchanting songstress of Bollywood, now appearing with Kronos Quartet (San Francisco Chronicle, USA". http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2005/09/21/apop.DTL. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "That mesmeric voice (Metro Plus, Chennai-The Hindu, India)". http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2007/01/20/stories/2007012001280100.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "Reference to Greg Roskowski and the Binaca Hit Parade on Radio Ceylon on 'Who moved my Aiwaves?' (businessgyan.com)". http://www.businessgyan.com/content/view/1035/475/. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
- ^ "Reference to Ernest Ignatius and his hit 'I married a female wrestler'". http://www.reallyuseful.com/rug/shows/bombaydreams/cast/ErnestIgnatius.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
- ^ "It's All in the Name(The Hindu, India)". http://www.hinduonnet.com/mag/2002/09/08/stories/2002090800070400.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "Eighty Years in Broadcasting in Sri Lanka (Daily News, Colombo)". http://www.dailynews.lk/2005/12/27/fea02.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
[edit] Bibliography
- Wavell, Stuart. - The Art of Radio - Training Manual written by the Director Training of the CBC. - Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation, 1969.
- Ceylon, Radio. - Standards of Broadcasting Practice - Commercial Broadcasting Division. - Radio Ceylon, 1950.
[edit] External links
- Vernon Corea The Golden Voice of Radio Ceylon
- Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation - Live Streaming
- Sinhala Radio Live Streaming - Test
- SLBC-creating new waves of history
- Eighty Years of Broadcasting in Sri Lanka
- - Lata Mangeshkar and Radio Ceylon, in the Marathi language
- A selection of articles on Tamil Announcers of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Ceylon"
Categories: Radio stations in Sri Lanka | External services (broadcasting) | Buildings and structures in Colombo
FM broadcasting
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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See also: frequency modulation and FM band
FM broadcasting is a broadcast technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong that uses frequency modulation (FM) to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio.
[edit] Terminology
The term 'FM band' is effectively shorthand for 'frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting'. This term can upset purists because it conflates a modulation scheme with a range of frequencies.The term 'VHF' (Very High Frequency) was previously in common use in Europe. 'UKW,' which stands for Ultrakurzwellen (ultra short wave) in German is still widely used in Germany, as is 'UKV' (Ultrakortvåg) in Sweden.
[edit] Broadcast bands
Throughout the world, the broadcast band falls within the VHF part of the radio spectrum. Usually 87.5 to 108.0 MHz is used, or some portion thereof, with few exceptions:- In the former Soviet republics, and some former Eastern Bloc countries, the older 65-74 MHz band is also used. Assigned frequencies are at intervals of 30 kHz. This band, sometimes referred to as the OIRT band, is slowly being phased out in many countries. In those countries the 87.5-108.0 MHz band is referred to as the CCIR band.
- In Japan, the band 76-90 MHz is used.
The frequency of an FM broadcast station (more strictly its assigned nominal centre frequency) is usually an exact multiple of 100 kHz. In most of the Americas and the Caribbean, only odd multiples are used. In some parts of Europe, Greenland and Africa, only even multiples are used. In Italy, multiples of 50 kHz are used. There are other unusual and obsolete standards in some countries, including 0.001, 0.01, 0.03, 0.074, 0.5, and 0.3 MHz.
For more information on FM frequency allocations, see FM broadcast band.
[edit] Modulation characteristics
[edit] Modulation
Frequency modulation (FM) is a form of modulation which conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its frequency (contrast this with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant). In analog applications, the instantaneous frequency of the carrier is directly proportional to the instantaneous value of the input signal. This form of modulation is commonly used in the FM broadcast band.[edit] Pre-emphasis and de-emphasis
Random noise has a 'triangular' spectral distribution in an FM system, with the effect that noise occurs predominantly at the highest frequencies within the baseband. This can be offset, to a limited extent, by boosting the high frequencies before transmission and reducing them by a corresponding amount in the receiver. Reducing the high frequencies in the receiver also reduces the high-frequency noise. These processes of boosting and then reducing certain frequencies are known as pre-emphasis and de-emphasis, respectively.The amount of pre-emphasis and de-emphasis used is defined by the time constant of a simple RC filter circuit. In most of the world a 50 µs time constant is used. In North America, 75 µs is used. This applies to both mono and stereo transmissions and to baseband audio (not the subcarriers).
The amount of pre-emphasis that can be applied is limited by the fact that many forms of contemporary music contain more high-frequency energy than the musical styles which prevailed at the birth of FM broadcasting. They cannot be pre-emphasized as much because it would cause excessive deviation of the FM carrier. (Systems more modern than FM broadcasting tend to use either programme-dependent variable pre-emphasis—e.g. dbx in the BTSC TV sound system—or none at all.)
[edit] FM stereo
In the late 1950s, several systems to add stereo to FM radio were considered by the FCC. Included were systems from 14 proponents including Crosley, Halstead, Electrical and Musical Industries, Ltd (EMI), Zenith Electronics Corporation and General Electric. The individual systems were evaluated for their strengths and weaknesses during field tests in Uniontown, Pennsylvania using KDKA-FM in Pittsburgh as the originating station. The Crosley system was rejected by the FCC because it degraded the signal-to-noise ratio of the main channel and did not perform well under multipath RF conditions. In addition, it did not allow for SCA services because of its wide FM sub-carrier bandwidth. The Halstead system was rejected due to lack of high frequency stereo separation and reduction in the main channel signal-to-noise ratio. The GE and Zenith systems, so similar that they were considered theoretically identical, were formally approved by the FCC in April 1961 as the standard stereo FM broadcasting method in the USA and later adopted by most other countries.[1]It is important that stereo broadcasts should be compatible with mono receivers. For this reason, the left (L) and right (R) channels are algebraically encoded into sum (L+R) and difference (L−R) signals. A mono receiver will use just the L+R signal so the listener will hear both channels in the single loudspeaker. A stereo receiver will add the difference signal to the sum signal to recover the left channel, and subtract the difference signal from the sum to recover the right channel.
The (L+R) Main channel signal is transmitted as baseband audio in the range of 30 Hz to 15 kHz. The (L−R) Sub-channel signal is modulated onto a 38 kHz double-sideband suppressed carrier (DSBSC) signal occupying the baseband range of 23 to 53 kHz.
A 19 kHz pilot tone, at exactly half the 38 kHz sub-carrier frequency and with a precisely defined phase relationship to it, is also generated. This is transmitted at 8–10% of overall modulation level and used by the receiver to regenerate the 38 kHz sub-carrier with the correct phase.
The final multiplex signal from the stereo generator contains the Main Channel (L+R), the pilot tone, and the sub-channel (L−R). This composite signal, along with any other sub-carriers (SCA), modulates the FM transmitter.
Converting the multiplex signal back into left and right audio signals is performed by a stereo decoder, which is built into stereo receivers.
In order to preserve stereo separation and signal-to-noise parameters, it is normal practice to apply pre-emphasis to the left and right channels before encoding, and to apply de-emphasis at the receiver after decoding.
Stereo FM signals are more susceptible to noise and multipath distortion than are mono FM signals.[2]
In addition, for a given RF level at the receiver, the signal-to-noise ratio for the stereo signal will be worse than for the mono receiver. For this reason many FM stereo receivers include a stereo/mono switch to allow listening in mono when reception conditions are less than ideal, and most car radios are arranged to reduce the separation as the signal-to-noise ratio worsens, eventually going to mono while still indicating a stereo signal is being received.
[edit] Quadraphonic FM
In 1969 Louis Dorren invented the Quadraplex system of single station, discrete, compatible four-channel FM broadcasting. There are two additional subcarriers in the Quadraplex system, supplementing the single one used in standard stereo FM. The baseband layout is as follows:- 50 Hz to 15 kHz Main Channel (sum of all 4 channels) (LF+LB+RF+RB) signal, for mono FM listening compatibility.
- 23 to 53 kHz (cosine quadrature subcarrier) (LF+LB) - (RF+RB) Left minus Right difference signal. This signal's modulation in algebraic sum and difference with the Main channel was used for 2 channel stereo listener compatibility.
- 23 to 53 kHz (sine quadrature 38 kHz subcarrier) (LF+RF) - (LB+RB) Front minus Back difference signal. This signal's modulation in algebraic sum and difference with the Main channel and all the other subcarriers is used for the Quadraphonic listener.
- 61 to 91 kHz (cosine quadrature 76 kHz subcarrier) (LF+RB) - (LB+RF) Diagonal difference signal. This signal's modulation in algebraic sum and difference with the main channel and all the other subcarriers is also used for the Quadraphonic listener.
- 95 kHz SCA subcarrier, phase-locked to 19 kHz pilot, for reading services for the blind, background music, etc.
There were several variations on this system submitted by GE, Zenith, RCA, and Denon for testing and consideration during the National Quadraphonic Radio Committee field trials for the FCC. The original Dorren Quadraplex System outperformed all the others and was chosen as the national standard for Quadraphonic FM broadcasting in the United States. The first commercial FM station to broadcast quadraphonic program content was WIQB (now called WWWW-FM) in Ann Arbor/Saline, Michigan under the guidance of Chief Engineer Brian Brown.[3]
[edit] Other subcarrier services
Typical spectrum of composite baseband signal (25 kHz lower bound should read 23 kHz)The subcarrier system has been further extended to add other services. Initially these were private analog audio channels which could be used internally or rented out. Radio reading services for the blind are also still common, and there were experiments with quadraphonic sound. If stereo is not on a station, everything from 23 kHz on up can be used for other services. The guard band around 19 kHz (±4 kHz) must still be maintained, so as not to trigger stereo decoders on receivers. If there is stereo, there will typically be a guard band between the upper limit of the DSBSC stereo signal (53 kHz) and the lower limit of any other subcarrier.
Digital services are now also available. A 57 kHz subcarrier (phase locked to the third harmonic of the stereo pilot tone) is used to carry a low-bandwidth digital Radio Data System signal, providing extra features such as Alternative Frequency (AF) and Network (NN). This narrowband signal runs at only 1187.5 bits per second, thus is only suitable for text. A few proprietary systems are used for private communications. A variant of RDS is the North American RBDS or "smart radio" system. In Germany the analog ARI system was used prior to RDS for broadcasting traffic announcements to motorists (without disturbing other listeners). Plans to use ARI for other European countries led to the development of RDS as a more powerful system. RDS is designed to be capable of being used alongside ARI despite using identical subcarrier frequencies.
In the United States, digital radio services are being deployed within the FM band rather than using Eureka 147 or the Japanese standard ISDB. This in-band on-channel approach, as do all digital radio techniques, makes use of advanced compressed audio. The proprietary iBiquity system, branded as "HD Radio", currently is authorized for "hybrid" mode operation, wherein both the conventional analog FM carrier and digital sideband subcarriers are transmitted. Eventually, presuming widespread deployment of HD Radio receivers, the analog services could theoretically be discontinued and the FM band become all digital.
In the USA services (other than stereo, quad and RDS) using subcarriers are sometimes referred to as SCA (subsidiary communications authorisation) services. Uses for such subcarriers include book/newspaper reading services for blind listeners, private data transmission services (for example sending stock market information to stockbrokers or stolen credit card number blacklists to stores) subscription commercial-free background music services for shops, paging ("beeper") services and providing a program feed for AM transmitters of AM/FM stations. SCA subcarriers are typically 67 kHz and 92 kHz.
[edit] Dolby FM
A commercially unsuccessful noise reduction system used with FM radio in some countries during the late 1970s, Dolby FM used a modified 25 µs pre-emphasis time constant and a frequency selective companding arrangement to reduce noise. See: Dolby noise reduction system.[edit] Distance covered by an FM stereo transmission
The range of an FM mono transmission is related to the transmitter RF power, the antenna gain and antenna height. The FCC (USA) publishes curves that aid in calculation of this maximum distance as a function of signal strength at the receiving location.For FM stereo, the maximum distance covered is significantly reduced. This is due to the presence of the 38 kHz subcarrier modulation. Vigorous audio processing improves the coverage area of an FM stereo station.
[edit] Adoption of FM broadcasting worldwide
Despite FM having been patented in 1933, commercial FM broadcasting did not begin until 1939, when it was initiated by WRVE, the FM station of General Electric's main factory in Schenectady, NY. In countries outside of Europe it took many years for FM to be adopted by the majority of radio listeners.The first commercial FM broadcasting stations were in the United States, but initially they were primarily used to broadcast classical music to an upmarket listenership in urban areas, and for educational programming. By the late 1960s FM had been adopted by fans of "Alternative Rock" music ("A.O.R. - 'Album Oriented Rock' Format"), but it wasn't until 1978 that listenership to FM stations exceeded that of AM stations. During the 1980s and 1990s, Top 40 music stations and later even country music stations largely abandoned AM for FM. Today AM is mainly the preserve of talk radio, news, sports, religious programming, ethnic (minority language) broadcasting and some types of minority interest music. This shift has transformed AM into the "alternative band" that FM once was.
The medium wave band in Western Europe is overcrowded, leading to interference problems and, as a result, many MW frequencies are suitable only for speech broadcasting.
Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and particularly Germany were among the first countries to adopt FM on a widespread scale. Among the reasons for this were:
- The medium wave band in Western Europe became overcrowded after World War II, mainly due to the best available medium wave frequencies being used at high power levels by the Allied occupation forces, both for broadcasting entertainment to their troops and for broadcasting cold war propaganda across the Iron curtain.
- After World War II, broadcasting frequencies were reorganized and reallocated by delegates of the victorious countries in the Copenhagen Frequency Plan. German broadcasters were left with only two remaining AM frequencies, and were forced to look to FM for expansion.
Public service broadcasters in Ireland and Australia were far slower at adopting FM radio than those in either North America or continental Europe. However, in Ireland several unlicensed commercial FM stations were on air by the mid-1980s. These generally simulcast on AM and FM.
In the United Kingdom, the BBC began FM broadcasting in 1955, with three national networks carrying the Light Programme, Third Programme and Home Service (renamed Radio 2, Radio 3 and Radio 4 respectively in 1967). These three networks used the sub-band 88.0–94.6 MHz. The sub-band 94.6–97.6 MHz was later used for BBC and local commercial services. Only when commercial broadcasting was introduced to the UK in 1973 did the use of FM pick up in Britain. With the gradual clearance of other users (notably Public Services such as police, fire and ambulance) and the extension of the FM band to 108.0 MHz between 1980 and 1995, FM expanded rapidly throughout the British Isles and effectively took over from LW and MW as the delivery platform of choice for fixed and portable domestic and vehicle-based receivers.
In addition, Ofcom (previously the Radio Authority) in the UK issues on demand Restricted Service Licences on FM and also on AM (MW) for short-term local-coverage broadcasting which is open to anyone who does not carry a prohibition and can put up the appropriate licensing and royalty fees. In 2006 almost 500 such licenses were issued.
FM started in Australia in 1947 but did not catch on and was shut down in 1961 to expand the television band. It was not reopened until 1975. Subsequently, it developed steadily until in the 1980s many AM stations transferred to FM because of its superior sound quality. Today, as elsewhere in the developed world, most Australian broadcasting is on FM – although AM talk stations are still very popular.
Most other countries expanded their use of FM through the 1990s. Because it takes a large number of FM transmitting stations to cover a geographically large country, particularly where there are terrain difficulties, FM is more suited to local broadcasting than for national networks. In such countries, particularly where there are economic or infrastructural problems, "rolling out" a national FM broadcast network to reach the majority of the population can be a slow and expensive process.
[edit] ITU Conferences about FM
The frequencies available for FM were decided by some important conferences of ITU. The milestone of those conferences is the Stockholm agreement of 1961 among 38 countries.- Final acts of the conference[1]
A 1984 conference in Geneva made some modifications to the original Stockholm agreement particularly in the frequency range above 100 MHz.
[edit] Small-scale use of the FM broadcast band
Belkin TuneCast II FM microtransmitter[edit] Consumer use of FM transmitters
In some countries, small-scale (Part 15 in United States terms) transmitters are available that can transmit a signal from an audio device (usually an MP3 player or similar) to a standard FM radio receiver; such devices range from small units built to carry audio to a car radio with no audio-in capability (often formerly provided by special adapters for audio cassette decks, which are becoming less common on car radio designs) up to full-sized, near-professional-grade broadcasting systems that can be used to transmit audio throughout a property. Most such units transmit in full stereo, though some models designed for beginner hobbyists may not. Similar transmitters are often included in satellite radio receivers and some toys.Legality of these devices varies by country. The FCC in the US and Industry Canada allow them. Starting on 1 October 2006 these devices became legal in most countries in the European Union. Devices made to the harmonised European specification became legal in the UK on 8 December 2006.[4]
[edit] FM radio microphones
The FM broadcast band can also be used by some inexpensive wireless microphones, but professional-grade wireless microphones generally use bands in the UHF region so they can run on dedicated equipment without broadcast interference. Such inexpensive wireless microphones are generally sold as toys for karaoke or similar purposes, allowing the user to use an FM radio as an output rather than a dedicated amplifier and speaker.[edit] Microbroadcasting
Low-power transmitters such as those mentioned above are also sometimes used for neighborhood or campus radio stations, though campus radio stations are often run over carrier current. This is generally considered a form of microbroadcasting. As a general rule, enforcement towards low-power FM stations is stricter than AM stations due to issues such as the capture effect, and as a result, FM microbroadcasters generally do not reach as far as their AM competitors.[edit] Clandestine use of FM transmitters
FM transmitters have been used to construct miniature wireless microphones for espionage and surveillance purposes (covert listening devices or so-called "bugs"); the advantage to using the FM broadcast band for such operations is that the receiving equipment would not be considered particularly suspect. Common practice is to tune the bug's transmitter off the ends of the broadcast band, into what in the United States would be TV channel 6 (<87.9 MHz) or aviation navigation frequencies (>107.9); most FM radios with analog tuners have sufficient overcoverage to pick up these slightly-beyond-outermost frequencies, although many digitally tuned radios do not.Constructing a "bug" is a common early project for electronics hobbyists, and project kits to do so are available from a wide variety of sources. The devices constructed, however, are often too large and poorly shielded for use in clandestine activity.
In addition, much pirate radio activity is broadcast in the FM range, because of the band's greater clarity and listenership, the smaller size and lower cost of equipment.
[edit] References
- ^ http://louise.hallikainen.org/BroadcastHistory/uploads/FM_Stereo_Final_RandO.pdf FCC FM Stereo Final Report and Order
- ^ "FM Reception Guide: FM Propagation". WGBH. 2010. http://www.wgbh.org/cainan/article/?item_id=1360980. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
- Includes tips for multipath & fringe problems.
- ^ Ann Arbor News, Ann Arbor, Michigan, January 3, 1973
- ^ http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2006/11/nr_20061123b Change to the law to allow the use of low power FM transmitters for MP3 players (retrieved from Ofcom web site Dec 7, 2006)
[edit] See also
FM broadcasting by country- FM broadcasting in Australia
- FM broadcasting in Canada
- FM broadcasting in Egypt
- FM broadcasting in India
- FM broadcasting in Japan
- FM broadcasting in Pakistan
- FM broadcasting in the UK
- FM broadcasting in the USA
- FM broadcasting in NZ
FM broadcasting (technical)
- FM broadcast band
- AM broadcasting
- RDS (Radio Data System)
- long-distance FM reception (FM DX)
- AM stereo (related technology)
- Ripping music from FM broadcasts
Lists
- List of FM/AM Capable Phones
- List of broadcast station classes
- Lists of radio stations in North and Central America
History
[edit] External links
Related technical content- U.S. Patent 1,941,066
- U.S. Patent 3,708,623 Compatible Four Channel FM System
- Introduction to FM MPX
- Stereo Multiplexing for Dummies Graphs that show waveforms at different points in the FM Multiplex process
- Factbook list of stations worldwide
- Invention History – The Father of FM
- Audio Engineering Society
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FM_broadcasting"
Categories: Radio | Broadcast engineering
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Communications in India
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The Indian telecommunications industry is the world's fastest growing telecommunications industry,[1][2][3] with 671.69 Million telephone (landlines and mobile) subscribers and 635.51 Million mobile phone connections as of June 2010 [4] It is also the second largest telecommunication network in the world in terms of number of wireless connections after China.[5] The Indian Mobile subscriber base has increased in size by a factor of more than one-hundred since 2001 when the number of subscribers in the country was approximately 5 million[6] to 635.51 Million in June 2010.[7]
As the fastest growing telecommunications industry in the world, it is projected that India will have 1.159 billion mobile subscribers by 2013.[8][9][10][11] Furthermore, projections by several leading global consultancies indicate that the total number of subscribers in India will exceed the total subscriber count in the China by 2013.[9][8] The industry is expected to reach a size of Rs 344,921 crore (US$ 73.47 billion) by 2012 at a growth rate of over 26 per cent, and generate employment opportunities for about 10 million people during the same period.[12] According to analysts, the sector would create direct employment for 2.8 million people and for 7 million indirectly.[12] In 2008-09 the overall telecom equipments revenue in India stood at Rs 136,833 crore (US$ 29.15 billion) during the fiscal, as against Rs 115,382 crore (US$ 24.58 billion) a year before.[13]
Contents[hide] |
[edit] Modern growth
A large population, low telephony penetration levels, and a rise in consumers' income and spending owing to strong economic growth have helped make India the fastest-growing telecom market in the world. The first operator is the state-owned incumbent BSNL. BSNL was created by corporatization of the erstwhile DTS (Department of Telecommunication Services), a government unit responsible for provision of telephony services. Subsequently, after the telecommunication policies were revised to allow private operators, companies such as Vodafone, Bharti Airtel, Tata Indicom, Idea Cellular, Aircel and Loop Mobile have entered the space. see major operators in India. In 2008-09, rural India outpaced urban India in mobile growth rate. Bharti Airtel now is the largest telecom company in India.
India's mobile phone market is the fastest growing in the world, with companies adding some 20.31 million new customers in March 2010.
The total number of telephones in the country crossed the 600 million mark in Feb 2010.The overall tele-density has increased to 44.85% in Oct 2009.Telecom Regulatory Authority of India,Information note to the Press (Press Release No. 61 / 2007), 20 Jun 2007 In the wireless segment, 19 million subscribers have been added in Dec 2009. The total wireless subscribers (GSM, CDMA & WLL (F)) base is more than 543.20 million now. The wireline segment subscriber base stood at 37.06 million with a decline of 0.12 million in Dec 2009.
[edit] History
Telecom in the real sense means transfer of information between two distant points in space. The popular meaning of telecom always involves electrical signals and nowadays people exclude postal or any other raw telecommunication methods from its meaning. Therefore, the history of Indian telecom can be started with the introduction of telegraph.
[edit] Introduction of telegraph
The postal and telecom sectors had a slow and uneasy start in India. In 1850, the first experimental electric telegraph Line was started between Kolkata and Diamond Harbor. In 1851, it was opened for the British East India Company. The Posts and Telegraphs department occupied a small corner of the Public Works Department,[14] at that time. Construction of 4,000 miles (6,400 km) of telegraph lines connecting Kolkata (Calcutta) and Peshawar in the north along with Agra, Mumbai (Bombay) through Sindwa Ghats, and Chennai in the south, as well as Ootacamund and Bangalore was started in November 1853. Dr. William O'Shaughnessy, who pioneered telegraph and telephone in India, belonged to the Public Works Department. He worked towards the development of telecom throughout this period. A separate department was opened in 1854 when telegraph facilities were opened to the public.
[edit] Introduction of the telephone
In 1880, two telephone companies namely The Oriental Telephone Company Ltd. and The Anglo-Indian Telephone Company Ltd. approached the Government of India to establish telephone exchanges in India. The permission was refused on the grounds that the establishment of telephones was a Government monopoly and that the Government itself would undertake the work. In 1881, the Government later reversed its earlier decision and a licence was granted to the Oriental Telephone Company Limited of England for opening telephone exchanges at Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai (Madras) and Ahmedabad and the first formal telephone service was established in the country.[15] 28 January 1882, is a Red Letter Day in the history of telephone in India. On this day Major E. Baring, Member of the Governor General of India's Council declared open the Telephone Exchange in Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai. The exchange at Kolkata named "Central Exchange" was opened at third floor of the building at 7, Council House Street. The Central Telephone Exchange had 93 number of subscribers. Bombay also witnessed the opening of Telephone Exchange in 1882.
[edit] Further developments
- 1902 - First wireless telegraph station established between Sagar Islands and Sandheads.
- 1907 - First Central Battery of telephones introduced in Kanpur.
- 1913-1914 - First Automatic Exchange installed in Shimla.
- 23 July 1927 - Radio-telegraph system between the UK and India, with beam stations at Khadki and Daund, inaugurated by Lord Irwin by exchanging greetings with the King of England.
- 1933 - Radiotelephone system inaugurated between the UK and India.
- 1953 - 12 channel carrier system introduced.
- 1960 - First subscriber trunk dialing route commissioned between Kanpur and Lucknow.
- 1975 - First PCM system commissioned between Mumbai City and Andheri telephone exchanges.
- 1976 - First digital microwave junction introduced.
- 1979 - First optical fibre system for local junction commissioned at Pune.
- 1980 - First satellite earth station for domestic communications established at Secunderabad, A.P..
- 1983 - First analog Stored Program Control exchange for trunk lines commissioned at Mumbai.
- 1984 - C-DOT established for indigenous development and production of digital exchanges.
- 1985 - First mobile telephone service started on non-commercial basis in Delhi.
While all the major cities and towns in the country were linked with telephones during the British period, the total number of telephones in 1948 was only around 80,000. Even after independence, growth was extremely slow. The telephone was a status symbol rather than being an instrument of utility. The number of telephones grew leisurely to 980,000 in 1971, 2.15 million in 1981 and 5.07 million in 1991, the year economic reforms were initiated in the country.
While certain innovative steps were taken from time to time, as for example introduction of the telex service in Mumbai in 1953 and commissioning of the first [subscriber trunk dialing] route between Delhi and Kanpur in 1960, the first waves of change were set going by Sam Pitroda in the eighties.[16] He brought in a whiff of fresh air. The real transformation in scenario came with the announcement of the National Telecom Policy in 1994.[17]
[edit] Indian telecom sector: recent policies
- All the villages shall be covered by telecom facility by the end of 2002.
- The Communication Convergence Bill 2001introduced in the Parliament on August 31, 2001 is presently before the Standing Committee of Parliament on Telecom and IT.
- National Long Distance Service (NLD) is opened for unrestricted entry.
- The International Long Distance Services (ILDS) have been opened to competition.
- The basic services are open to competition.
- In addition to the existing three, fourth cellular operator, one each in four metros and thirteen circles, has been permitted. The cellular operators have been permitted to provide all types of mobile services including voice and non-voice messages, data services and PCOs utilizing any type of network equipment, including circuit and/or package switches that meet certain required standards.
- Policies allowing private participation have been announced as per the New Telecom Policy (NTP), 1999 in several new services, which include Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) Service, digital Public Mobile Radio Trunked Service (PMRTS), Voice Mail/ Audiotex/ Unified Messaging Service.
- Wireless in Local Loop (WLL) has been introduced for providing telephone connections in urban, semi-urban and rural areas promptly.
- Two telecom PSUs, VSNL and HTL have been disinvested.
- Steps are being taken to fulfill Universal Service Obligation (USO), its funding and administration.
- A decision to permit Mobile Community Phone Service has been announced.
- Multiple Fixed Service Providers (FSPs) licensing guidelines were announced.
- Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have been allowed to set up International Internet Gateways, both Satellite and Landing stations for submarine optical fiber cables.
- Two categories of infrastructure providers have been allowed to provide end-to-end bandwidth and dark fiber, right of way, towers, duct space etc.
- Guidelines have been issued by the Government to open up Internet telephony (IP).
[edit] Emergence as a major player
In 1975, the Department of Telecom (DoT) was separated from P&T. DoT was responsible for telecom services in entire country until 1985 when Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) was carved out of DoT to run the telecom services of Delhi and Mumbai. In 1990s the telecom sector was opened up by the Government for private investment as a part of Liberalisation-Privatization-Globalization policy. Therefore, it became necessary to separate the Government's policy wing from its operations wing. The Government of India corporatised the operations wing of DoT on 1 October 2000 and named it as Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). Many private operators, such as Reliance Communications, Tata Indicom, Vodafone, Loop Mobile, Airtel, Idea etc., successfully entered the high potential Indian telecom market.
[edit] Privatization of telcommunications in India
The Indian government was composed of many factions (parties) which had different ideologies. Some of them were willing to throw open the market to foreign players (the centrists) and others wanted the government to regulate infrastructure and restrict the involvement of foreign players. Due to this political background it was very difficult to bring about liberalization in telecommunications. When a bill was in parliament a majority vote had to be passed, and such a majority was difficult to obtain, given to the number of parties having different ideologies.
Liberalization started in 1981 when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi signed contracts with Alcatel CIT of France to merge with the state owned Telecom Company (ITI), in an effort to set up 5,000,000 lines per year. But soon the policy was let down because of political opposition. She invited Sam Pitroda a US based NRI to set up a Center for Development of Telematics(C-DOT), however the plan failed due to political reasons. During this period, after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, under the leadership of Rajiv Gandhi, many public sector organizations were set up like the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) , VSNL and MTNL. Many technological developments took place in this regime but still foreign players were not allowed to participate in the telecommunications business.[18]
The demand for telephones was ever increasing. It was during this period that the P.N Rao led government introduced the national telecommunications policy [NTP] in 1994 which brought changes in the following areas: ownership, service and regulation of telecommunications infrastructure. They were also successful in establishing joint ventures between state owned telecom companies and international players. But still complete ownership of facilities was restricted only to the government owned organizations. Foreign firms were eligible to 49% of the total stake. The multi-nationals were just involved in technology transfer, and not policy making.[18]
During this period, the World Bank and ITU had advised the Indian Government to liberalize long distance services in order to release the monopoly of the state owned DoT and VSNL; and to enable competition in the long distance carrier business which would help reduce tariff's and better the economy of the country. The Rao run government instead liberalized the local services, taking the opposite political parties into confidence and assuring foreign involvement in the long distance business after 5 years. The country was divided into 20 telecommunication circles for basic telephony and 18 circles for mobile services. These circles were divided into category A, B and C depending on the value of the revenue in each circle. The government threw open the bids to one private company per circle along with government owned DoT per circle. For cellular service two service providers were allowed per circle and a 15 years license was given to each provider. During all these improvements, the government did face oppositions from ITI, DoT, MTNL, VSNL and other labor unions, but they managed to keep away from all the hurdles.[18]
After 1995 the government set up TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) which reduced the interference of Government in deciding tariffs and policy making. The DoT opposed this. The political powers changed in 1999 and the new government under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee was more pro-reforms and introduced better liberalization policies. They split DoT in two- one policy maker and the other service provider (DTS) which was later renamed as BSNL. The proposal of raising the stake of foreign investors from 49% to 74% was rejected by the opposite political party and leftist thinkers. Domestic business groups wanted the government to privatize VSNL. Finally in April 2002, the government decided to cut its stake of 53% to 26% in VSNL and to throw it open for sale to private enterprises. TATA finally took 25% stake in VSNL.[18]
This was a gateway to many foreign investors to get entry into the Indian Telecom Markets. After March 2000, the government became more liberal in making policies and issuing licenses to private operators. The government further reduced license fees for cellular service providers and increased the allowable stake to 74% for foreign companies. Because of all these factors, the service fees finally reduced and the call costs were cut greatly enabling every common middle class family in India to afford a cell phone. Nearly 32 million handsets were sold in India. The data reveals the real potential for growth of the Indian mobile market.[19]
In March 2008 the total GSM and CDMA mobile subscriber base in the country was 375 million, which represented a nearly 50% growth when compared with previous year.[20] As the unbranded Chinese cell phones which do not have International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers pose a serious security risk to the country, Mobile network operators therefore planned to suspend the usage of around 30 million mobile phones (about 8 % of all mobiles in the country) by 30 April.[21] 5–6 years the average monthly subscribers additions were around 0.05 to 0.1 million only and the total mobile subscribers base in December 2002 stood at 10.5 millions. However, after a number of proactive initiatives were taken by regulators and licensors, the total number of mobile subscribers has increased greatly to 617 million subscribers as of May 2010.[22][7]
India has opted for the use of both the GSM (global system for mobile communications) and CDMA (code-division multiple access) technologies in the mobile sector. In addition to landline and mobile phones, some of the companies also provide the WLL service. The mobile tariffs in India have also become lowest in the world. A new mobile connection can be activated with a monthly commitment of US$0.15 only. In 2005 alone additions increased to around 2 million per month in the year 2003-04 and 2004-05.[citation needed]
In June 2009, the Government of India banned the import of several mobile phones manufactured in China citing concerns over quality and the lack of IMEI's which make it difficult for authorities in India to track the sale and use of such phones.[23] In April 2010, the Government was also reported to be blocking Indian service providers from purchasing Chinese mobile technology citing concerns that Chinese hackers could compromise the Indian telecommunications network during times of national emergency. A series of attacks on Indian government websites and computer networks by suspected Chinese hackers has also made Indian regulators suspicious with regards to the import of potentially sensitive equipment from China. The companies reported to be affected by this are Huawei Technologies and ZTE.[24][25][26]
[edit] Telecommunications Regulatory Environment in India
LIRNEasia's Telecommunications Regulatory Environment (TRE) index, which summarizes stakeholders' perception on certain TRE dimensions, provides insight into how conducive the environment is for further development and progress. The most recent survey was conducted in July 2008 in eight Asian countries, including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Pakistan, Thailand, and the Philippines. The tool measured seven dimensions: i) market entry; ii) access to scarce resources; iii) interconnection; iv) tariff regulation; v) anti-competitive practices; and vi) universal services; vii) quality of service, for the fixed, mobile and broadband sectors.
The results for India, point out to the fact that the stakeholders perceive the TRE to be most conducive for the mobile sector followed by fixed and then broadband. Other than for Access to Scarce Resources the fixed sector lags behind the mobile sector. The fixed and mobile sectors have the highest scores for Tariff Regulation. Market entry also scores well for the mobile sector as competition is well entrenched with most of the circles with 4-5 mobile service providers. The broadband sector has the lowest score in the aggregate. The low penetration of broadband of mere 3.87 against the policy objective of 9 million at then end of 2007 clearly indicates that the regulatory environment is not very conducive. [27]
[edit] Revenue and growth
The total revenue in the telecom service sector was Rs. 86,720 crore in 2005-06 as against Rs. 71, 674 crore in 2004-2005, registering a growth of 21%. The total investment in the telecom services sector reached Rs. 200,660 crore in 2005-06, up from Rs. 178,831 crore in the previous fiscal.[28]
Telecommunication is the lifeline of the rapidly growing Information Technology industry. Internet subscriber base has risen to 6.94 million in 2005-2006. Out of this 1.35 million were broadband connections.[29] More than a billion people use the internet globally.
Under the Bharat Nirman Programme, the Government of India will ensure that 66,822 revenue villages in the country, which have not yet been provided with a Village Public Telephone (VPT), will be connected. However doubts have been raised about what it would mean for the poor in the country.[30]
It is difficult to ascertain fully the employment potential of the telecom sector but the enormity of the opportunities can be gauged from the fact that there were 3.7 million Public Call Offices in December 2005[31] up from 2.3 million in December 2004.
The value added services (VAS) market within the mobile industry in India has the potential to grow from $500 million in 2006 to a whopping $10 billion by 2009.[32]
[edit] Telephone
On landlines, intra-circle calls are considered local calls while inter-circle are considered long distance calls. Currently Government is working to integrate the whole country in one telecom circle. For long distance calls, the area code prefixed with a zero is dialed first which is then followed by the number (i.e. To call Delhi, 011 would be dialed first followed by the phone number). For international calls, "00" must be dialed first followed by the country code, area code and local phone number. The country code for India is 91.
Telephony Subscribers (Wireless and Landline): 621.28 million (Mar 2010) [33]
Land Lines: 36.96 million (Mar 2010)[33]
Cell phones: 617.53 million (May 2010)[33]
Yearly Cell phone Addition: 178.25 million (Jan-Dec 2009)[33]
Monthly Cell phone Addition: 20.31 million (Mar 2010) [33]
Teledensity: 52.74% (Mar 2010) [33]
Projected Teledensity: 1 billion, 84% of population by 2012.[33]
[edit] Mobile telephones
The Mobile telecommunications system in India is the second largest in the world and it was thrown open to private players in the 1990s. The country is divided into multiple zones, called circles (roughly along state boundaries). Government and several private players run local and long distance telephone services. Competition has caused prices to drop and calls across India are one of the cheapest in the world.[34] The rates are supposed to go down further with new measures to be taken by the Information Ministry.[35] The mobile service has seen phenomenal growth since 2000. In September 2004, the number of mobile phone connections have crossed fixed-line connections. India primarily follows the GSM mobile system, in the 900 MHz band. Recent operators also operate in the 1800 MHz band. The dominant players are Airtel, Reliance Infocomm, Vodafone, Idea cellular and BSNL/MTNL. There are many smaller players, with operations in only a few states. International roaming agreements exist between most operators and many foreign carriers.
India is divided into 23 telecom circles. They are listed below:[36]
- Andhra Pradesh
- Bihar & Jharkhand
- Chennai
- Delhi
- Gujarat & Daman & Diu
- Haryana
- Himachal Pradesh
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Karnataka
- Kerala & Lakshadweep
- Kolkata
- Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
- Maharashtra excluding Mumbai & Goa
- Mumbai
- North Eastern States (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, & Tripura)
- Orissa
- Punjab
- Rajasthan
- Tamil Nadu excluding Chennai & Puducherry
- Eastern Uttar Pradesh
- Western Uttar Pradesh & Uttarakhand
- West Bengal excluding Kolkata, Andaman & Nicobar Islands & Sikkim
[edit] Landlines
Until recently, only the Government-owned BSNL and MTNL were allowed to provide landline phone services through copper wire in India with MTNL operating in Delhi and Mumbai and BSNL servicing all other areas of the country. Private operators such as Touchtel and Tata Teleservices have entered the market however, the primary focus of their business is on the mobile-phone sector.[citation needed] Due to the rapid growth of the cellular phone industry in India, landlines are facing stiff competition from cellular operators. This has forced landline service providers to become more efficient and improve their quality of service. Landline connections are now also available on demand, even in high density urban areas. The breakup of wireline subscriber base in India as of September 2009[update] is given below[37]
| Operator | Subscriber base |
| BSNL | 28,446,969 |
| MTNL | 3,514,454 |
| Bharti Airtel | 2,928,254 |
| Reliance Communications | 1,152,237 |
| Tata Teleservices | 1,003,261 |
| HFCL Infotel | 165,978 |
| Teleservices Ltd | 95,181 |
| All India | 37,306,334 |
The list of eight states (including the metros Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai in their respective states) with largest subscriber base as of September 2009[update] is given below[37]
State | Subscriber base |
| Maharashtra | 5,996,912 |
| Tamil Nadu | 3,620,729 |
| Kerala | 3,534,211 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 2,803,049 |
| Karnataka | 2,751,296 |
| Delhi | 2,632,225 |
| West Bengal | 2,490,253 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 2,477,755 |
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[edit] Internet
The total subscriber base for internet users in India is 81 million as of 2009.[38] Internet penetration in India is one of the lowest in the world which is about 7.0% of the population, compared to other nations like United States, Japan or South Korea where internet penetration is significantly higher than in India.[38]
The number of broadband connections in India have seen a continuous growth since the beginning of 2006. At the end of January 2010, total broadband connections in the country have reached 8.03 million.
Broadband in India is more expensive as compared to Western Europe/United Kingdom and United States.[39]
After economic liberalization in 1992, many private ISPs have entered the market, many with their own local loop and gateway infrastructures. The telecom services market is regulated by the TRAI and the DoT, which has been known to impose censorship on some websites.
[edit] Low Speed Broadband (256 kbit/s - 2 mbit/s)
The current definition of Broadband in India is speeds of 256 kbit/s. TRAI on July 2009 has recommended raising this limit to 2 Mbit/s.[40]
As of January 2010[update], India has 8.03 million broadband users comprising of 6.0% of the population.[41] India ranks one of the lowest provider of broadband speed as compared countries such as Japan, South Korea and France.[10][39]
Because of the increase in Broadband penetration and the quality of service steadily improving, many non-resident Indians are now enjoying the ability to communicate with family in India from around the world. However, many consumers complain that ISPs still fail to provide the advertised speeds - some even failing to meet the 256 kbit/s standards.
[edit] High Speed Broadband (over 2 Mbit/s)
- Airtel has launched plans up to 16 Mbit/s on ADSL2+ enabled lines and is piloting new 30 Mbit/s and 50 Mbit/s plans in limited areas.[42]
- Beam Telecom offers plans up to 6 Mbit/s for home users and has 20 Mbit/s plans available for power users.[43]
- BSNL offers ADSL up to 8 Mbit/s in many cities.[44]
- Hayai Broadband will offer FTTH services up to 100 Mbit/s, with an Internal network speed of 1 Gbit/s.
- Honesty Net Solutions offers Broadband over Cable at up to 4 Mbit/s.
- MTNL offers VDSL at speeds up to 20 Mbit/s in selected areas, also provides bandwidth at astonishing speed of 155 Mbit/s , thus making it the fastest ISP in India/[45]
- Reliance Communications offers 10 Mbit/s and 20 Mbit/s broadband internet services in selected areas. [47]
- Tata Indicom offers 10 Mbit/s, 20 Mbit/s and 100 Mbit/s options under the "Lightning Plus" tariffs structure/[48]
The main problem consumers face with High Speed Broadband in India is that they are frequently expensive and/or they have limited amounts of data transfer included in the plan.
[edit] Statistics
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) & Hosts: 86,571 (2004) Source: CIA World FactBook
Country code (Top-level domain): IN
[edit] Broadcasting
Radio broadcast stations: AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)
Radios: 116 million (1997)
Television terrestrial broadcast stations: 562 (of which 82 stations have 1 kW or greater power and 480 stations have less than 1 kW of power) (1997)
Televisions: 110 million (2006)
In India, only the government owned Doordarshan (Door = Distant = Tele, Darshan = Vision) is allowed to broadcast terrestrial television signals. It initially had one major National channel (DD National) and a Metro channel in some of the larger cities (also known as DD Metro).
Satellite/Cable television took off during the first Gulf War with CNN. There are no regulations against ownership of satellite dish antennas, or operation of cable television systems, which led to an explosion of viewership and channels, led by the Star TV group and Zee TV. Initially restricted to music and entertainment channels, viewership grew, giving rise to several channels in regional languages and many in the national language, Hindi. The main news channels available were CNN and BBC World. In the late 1990s, many current affairs and news channels sprouted, becoming immensely popular because of the alternative viewpoint they offered compared to Doordarshan. Some of the notable ones are Aaj Tak (means Till Today, run by the India Today group) and STAR News, CNN-IBN, Times Now, initially run by the NDTV group and their lead anchor, Prannoy Roy (NDTV now has its own channels, NDTV 24x7, NDTV Profit, NDTV India and NDTV Imagine).New Delhi TeleVision.
Here is a reasonably comprehensive List of Indian television stations.
[edit] Next generation networks
In the Next Generation Networks, multiple access networks can connect customers to a core network based on IP technology. These access networks include fibre optics or coaxial cable networks connected to fixed locations or customers connected through wi-fi as well as to 3G networks connected to mobile users. As a result, in the future, it would be impossible to identify whether the next generation network is a fixed or mobile network and the wireless access broadband would be used both for fixed and mobile services. It would then be futile to differentiate between fixed and mobile networks – both fixed and mobile users will access services through a single core network.
Indian telecom networks are not so intensive as developed country's telecom networks and India's teledensity is low only in rural areas. 670,000 route kilometers (419,000 miles) of optical fibres has been laid in India by the major operators, even in remote areas and the process continues. BSNL alone, has laid optical fibre to 30,000 Telephone Exchanges out of their 36 Exchanges. Keeping in mind the viability of providing services in rural areas, an attractive solution appears to be one which offers multiple service facility at low costs. A rural network based on the extensive optical fibre network, using Internet Protocol and offering a variety of services and the availability of open platforms for service development, viz. the Next Generation Network, appears to be an attractive proposition. Fibre network can be easily converted to Next Generation network and then used for delivering multiple services at cheap cost.
[edit] Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Number portability: TRAI announced the rules and regulations to be followed for the Mobile Number Portability in their draft release on 23 September 2009. Mobile Number Portability (MNP) allows users to retain their numbers, while shifting to a different service provider provided they follow the guidelines set by TRAI. Users are expected to holding the mobile number with a given provider for at least 90 days, before they decide to move to the other provider.[49]
As per news reports, Government of India decided to implement MNP from December 31, 2009 in Metros & category 'A' service areas and by March 20, 2010 in rest of the country.
It has been postponed to March 31, 2010 in Metros & category 'A' service areas.
[edit] International
- Nine satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region).
- Nine gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad and Ernakulam.
[edit] Submarine cables
- LOCOM linking Chennai to Penang, Malaysia
- India-UAEcable linking Mumbai to Al Fujayrah, UAE.
- SEA-ME-WE 2 (South East Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 2)
- SEA-ME-WE 3 (South East Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 3) - Landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai. Capacity of 960 Gbit/s.
- SEA-ME-WE 4 (South East Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 4) - Landing sites at Mumbai and Chennai. Capacity of 1.28 Tbit/s.
- Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG-FEA) with a landing site at Mumbai (2000). Initial design capacity 10 Gbit/s, upgraded in 2002 to 80 Gbit/s, upgraded to over 1 Tbit/s (2005).
- TIISCS (Tata Indicom India-Singapore Cable System), also known as TIC (Tata Indicom Cable), Chennai to Singapore. Capacity of 5.12 Tbit/s.
- i2i - Chennai to Singapore. Capacity of 8.4 Tbit/s.
- SEACOM From Mumbai to the Mediterranean, via South Africa. It currently joins with SEA-ME-WE 4 off the west coast of Spain to carry traffic onward to London (2009). Capacity of 1.28 Tbit/s.
- I-ME-WE (India-Middle East-Western Europe) with two landing sites at Mumbai (2009). Capacity of 3.84 Tbit/s.
- EIG (Europe-India Gateway), landing at Mumbai (due Q2 2010).
- MENA (Middle East North Africa).
- TGN-Eurasia (Announced) Landing at Mumbai (due 2010?), Capacity of 1.28 Tbit/s
- TGN-Gulf (Announced) Landing at Mumbai (due 2011?), Capacity Unknown.
[edit] Telecom Training in India
The incumbent telecom operators (BSNL & MTNL) have maintained several telecom training centres at regional, circle and district level. BSNL has three national level intitutions, namely Advanced Level Telecom Training Centre(ALTTC) at Ghaziabad, UP; Bharat Ratna Bhim Rao Ambedkar Institute Of Telecom Training at Jabalpur, MP; and National Academy of Telecom Finance and Management.
MTNL incorporated Centre for Excellence in Telecom Technology and Management (CETTM) in 2003-04. It is the largest telecom training centre in India and one of the biggest in Asia with a capex plan of over Rs. 100 crore . CETTM is situated at Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, Mumbai with built area of 4,86,921 sq ft. It provides training in telecom switching, transmission, wireless communication, telecom operations and management to corporates and students besides its own internal employees.
Other than the government opearators some private players like Bharti (Bharti School of Telecom Management part of IIT Delhi), Aegis School of Business and Telecommunication(Banglore and Mumbai) and Reliance have started their own training centres.
[edit] See also
 | Wikibooks has a book on the topic of |
- TRAI
- Indian Telecommunication Service
- Internet in India
- List of Indian wireless communications service providers
- Telecommunications Statistics in India
- Mobile phone industry in India
- Media of India
- List of countries by number of mobile phones in use
- List of countries by number of telephone lines in use
[edit] External links
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Communications in India |
- Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
- Wireless Planning & Coordination Wing
- Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd
- Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd
- 3G Services inaugurated in India
- Telecom Industry Coverage
- Indian Telephone Industries Limited
- Telecommunications Consultants of India Limited
- Department of Telecommuincations, Government of India
- Measurments and Controls India Ltd.
- India Telecom report
- Cellular Operators Association of India
- ENFORCEMENT AND RESOURCES AND MONITORING CELL
- Centre for Excellence in Telecom Technology and Management
[edit] References
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- ^ "India's telecom equipment industry grew 18.6% last fiscal" (cms). Economic Times. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/telecom/Indias-telecom-equipment-industry-grew-186-last-fiscal/articleshow/6032787.cms. Retrieved 10 Jun 2010.
- ^ Public Works Department
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- ^ Indian Government
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- ^ TRAI
- ^ "GSM, CDMA players maintain subscriber growth momentum-Telecom-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times". Economictimes.indiatimes.com. 2009-03-18. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Telecom/GSM-CDMA-players-maintain-subscriber-growth-momentum/articleshow/4281903.cms. Retrieved 2010-07-22.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "India adds 20.3 million telephone subscribers in March". Economic Times. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/telecom/India-adds-203-million-telephone-subscribers-in-March/articleshow/5860715.cms.
- ^ "Govt bans import of Chinese mobiles, dairy products, toys". Times of India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Import-of-Chinese-mobiles-milk-products-toys-banned/articleshow/4668458.cms.
- ^ Rhys Blakely. "India blocks deals with Chinese telecoms companies over cyber-spy fears". Times Online. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/markets/china/article7121521.ece.
- ^ "China avoids condemning India over Huawei ZTE ban". Economic Times. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/telecom/China-avoids-condemning-India-over-Huawei-ZTE-ban/articleshow/5940932.cms.
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