Tata Elxsi's NEURON Autonomous Network Platform paves the way for the world's largest telecom operators to progress towards Zero Touch Automation

Awarded Product of the Year at the Industry DevOps Awards 2023, London

Tata Elxsi, a global design and technology services leader, is revolutionizing the telecommunications industry with its Neuron Autonomous Network Platform. This groundbreaking solution powers the deployment and operation of the world's largest and most advanced 4G/5G and fixed networks, empowering operators to build business intent-driven networks.

The NEURON platform, comprising NEURON Telco Cloud and NEURON Dark NOC, extends DevOps principles and the power of AI/ML to construct autonomous cloud-native networks for operators. NEURON Telco Cloud streamlines the lifecycle management of network elements, while NEURON Dark NOC automates network operations.

The NEURON Autonomous Network Platform has been successfully deployed globally in multiple data centers, 10000+ VNFs / CNFs serving millions of subscribers.

NEURON seamlessly integrates with existing IT systems, legacy systems, and Operational Support Systems/Business Support Systems (OSS/BSS) while creating secure domain-isolated networks. This multi-domain, multi-cloud transformed network is open, easy to manage, and significantly lowers operational expenditures (OPEX).

These deployments have been tailor-made to address each customer's unique needs, pain points, and infrastructure requirements, ensuring optimal performance and efficiency across network architecture and brownfield systems. Tata Elxsi takes end-to-end program ownership, from commissioning to rollout, delivering a comprehensive solution to operators.

"Our NEURON Autonomous Network Platform represents a major milestone in the telecom industry, aligning with Tata Elxsi's vision of driving innovation and shaping the future of connectivity. It empowers operators to effectively deploy and operate the world's largest 4G / 5G networks while embracing the transformative power of automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI). By leveraging this groundbreaking solution, operators can significantly lower operational costs and deliver seamless, high-quality services at speed to their customers." said R. Rajagopalan, CTO at Tata Elxsi.

NEURON further supports operators in Private 5G deployments, facilitating the seamless delivery of use cases across various industries, including Connected and Software Defined Vehicles, Connected Healthcare, Smart Cities, and Smart Factories.

"As NEURON evolves, we collaborate with open-source and standardization organizations to enhance the convergence of IT and networking. Partnering with leading vendors, we develop standardized testing approaches to promote innovation and seamless integration. This, coupled with our support for Gen AI and Digital Twins within NEURON, empowers operators to embrace cloud-friendly practices and explore new avenues for revenue generation,’’ said B. Ramesh Ramanathan, Principal Architect at Tata Elxsi and OSM TSC member ETSI Rapporteur.

The Neuron platform is showcased at the Tata Elxsi booth No. 2.80, Hall 2 at the Indian Mobile Congress (IMC) in New Delhi, India, along with tailored solutions for Private 5G across Connected Cars, Smart Factories, Connected Healthcare and Smart Infrastructure.

About Tata Elxsi

Tata Elxsi is among the world’s leading design and technology services providers across industries, including Automotive, Broadcast, Communications, Healthcare and Transportation.

We are helping customers reimagine their products and services through design thinking and applying digital technologies such as IoT (Internet of Things), Cloud, Mobility, Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence. For more information, please visit www.tataelxsi.com

Tata To Be 1st Indian iPhone Maker As It Near To Take Over Apple's Supplier Wistron's Factory in Karnataka

India's largest conglomerate, Tata Group, is close to an agreement wherein it can become the country's first iPhone maker.

Tata is nearing a deal to take over a factory owned by Apple supplier Wistron in Karnataka, according to a report by Bloomberg citing people privy with the matter, marking the first time an Indian company would move into the assembly of iPhones.

A takeover of the Wistron factory in Karnataka, potentially valued at more than $600 million (roughly Rs. 4,900 crore), is a result of about a year of negotiations, said a report by Bloomberg citing people privy to the matter.

The report claims that Wistron has promised Apple to ship $1.8 billion dollar worth of iPhones by March 2024. The iPhone maker had also committed to triple the workforce of the factory by next year. The report suggests that Tata Group will deliver these commitments once it finalizes the deal.

Wistron, along with its fellow-Taiwanese companies Foxconn and Pegatron Corp, manufactures Apple's iPhones in India. Wistron entered India in 2008 with a repair facility servicing PCs, laptops, servers and other devices it manufactured. In 2017, it started making iPhones for Apple including iPhone 14, iPhone 13, iPhone 12 and the iPhone SE.

In April, Apple launched its first retail store in India — Apple BKC, in Mumbai with over 100 Apple team members to cater to the customers, and even Tim Cook visited the country to inaugurate the store.

In May, reports of Wistron exiting its Apple business in India came up citing reasons that its struggling to make profits under Apple’s terms.

Apple has been trying to reduce manufacturing dependence on China and move to India since its biggest contract manufacturer and partner Foxconn witnessed unrest in China at the Zhengzhou manufacturing plant last year.

TATA Projects builds India's first Smog Tower in Delhi

NEW DELHI, Aug. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TATA Projects Limited, one of India's fastest growing and most admired infrastructure companies, today announced that India's first smog tower built by the company has been inaugurated by Mr. Arvind Kejriwal - Honourable Chief Minister of Delhi.   

The 24-metre-high smog tower at Connaught Place - one of the biggest commercial centres in Delhi is based on a downdraft air-flow model. The smog tower's 40 huge fans will suck air from the top of a special type of canopy structure and release clean air filtered through novel geometry filters. 

Mr. Arvind Kejriwal, Honourable Chief Minister of Delhi inaugurating TATA Projects’ constructed smog tower

"TATA Projects Limited is proud to have constructed the nation's first smog tower, thereby bringing this technological solution to India. This solution will hopefully reduce India's urban air pollution, thereby improving the lives of citizens. Large areas of cities can be covered if such smog towers are strategically placed at densely populated urban locations. We are prepared to offer our expertise and experience in setting-up more such smog towers across Indian cities so that citizens can breathe cleaner air," said Mr Sandeep Navlakhe, Vice President & BU Head - Buildings, TATA Projects Limited. 

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee was the nodal agency for the smog tower, while technology has been developed by experts at the University of Minnesota, and IIT-Bombay and IIT-Delhi were technical advisors for the project. 

About TATA Projects Limited 

 TATA Projects is one of the fastest growing and most admired infrastructure companies in India. It has expertise in executing large and complex urban and industrial infrastructure projects. TATA Projects operates through its four Strategic Business Groups (SBGs) namely Industrial Systems SBG, Core Infra SBG, Urban Infra SBG, and Services SBG. 

The company provides turnkey end-to-end solutions to set up power generation plants, power transmission & distribution systems, fully integrated rail & metro systems, commercial buildings & airports, chemical process plants, water and waste water management solutions, complete mining and metal purification systems. The company is driven to deliver projects on-time, using world-class project management techniques and has uncompromising standards for safety and sustainability. 

 Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1601649/TATA_Projects_Smog_Tower_Inaugration.jpg

Tata Motors To Launch 10 New High-Range Electric Cars Exclusively for India By 2025

India's leading homegrown automobile manufacturer Tata Motors has announced that the company will bring 10 new battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the market by the year 2025. The best part is that all these electric cars will be made exclusively for India only. 

At present, the company is selling Tata Nexon EV in the Indian market. Apart from being very economical, this car is also capable of giving a good range in a single charge. Last year, Tata Motors has sold over 4000 units of the Nexon EV since its launch last year, making it clear from that the company's electric car is being liked a lot in India. For this reason, the company will launch more electric cars in the country.

The company's chairman N Chandrasekaran said the move is aimed at making the business model more sustainable. Tata Motors is looking for partnerships with companies in cell and battery manufacturing in India as well as Europe to ensure supply for its portfolio of green vehicles.

The Tata Nexon EV is built using the company's Ziptron EV technology, which the company claims has a driving range of 312km in a single charge. The Nexon Electric is powered by a 30.2Kwh lithium-ion battery, which comes with a standard 8-year warranty. The performance rating of this electric motor is 129ps and 245Nm.

Speaking about the charging, the company claims that the battery found in Nexon can be charged 0-80% in 60 minutes. At the same time, it takes 8 hours to charge it from 20% to 80%t with a home wall box charger. The Nexon EV can also be charged at home using a 15A home socket or fast charger.

Indians Tops The List of World's Top-50 Donors of the Century

India may be at number 11 in the list of the world's richest, but tops the list of most donors in the world. This has been revealed in a report released on June 23 by Hurun Research and EdelGive Foundation. In the list of biggest donors around the world in the last 100 years, the name of Tata Group's founder Jamsetji Tata is at number one.

Jamsetji Tata has achieved the status of the biggest donor in the last 100 years by donating 102.4 billion dollars, i.e. about 7.60 lakh crore rupees. This amount is more than the total net worth of Reliance Group Chairman Mukesh Ambani at $ 84 billion, i.e. about Rs 6.25 lakh crore.

According to a report by Hurun Research and EdelGive Foundation, donations made in the name of Jamsetji Tata account for 66% of the value of Tata Sons' listed companies. Tata started the Central India Spinning Weaving and Manufacturing Company in the 1870s. Then in 1892 for higher education, J.N. The Tata Endowment was established, which was the beginning of the Tata Trusts. India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru always remembered Jamsetji Tata as the 'One Man Planning Commission'.

Hurun Research and EdelGive Foundation today released the 2021 EdelGive Hurun Philanthropists of the Century, a ranking of the world’s most generous individuals from the last 100 years.

The father of Indian industry, Jamsetji Tata, tops the list followed by pic.twitter.com/MMBrY0Hkwl

— HURUN INDIA (@HurunReportInd) June 23, 2021

Ratan Tata carried forward his legacy by handling legacy of Jamsetji, is also not behind in terms of donation. In March last year, the Tata group donated Rs 1500 crore to fight Corona, which was the biggest donation made by Indian business houses. Anas Rehman Junaid, Managing Director and Chief Researcher, Hurun India said, "It is a matter of pride for India that Jamsetji Tata has been named as the world's largest philanthropist."

Azim Premji donates 67% of Wipro's earnings. Azim Premji is the second Indian in the list of top-50 donors. He signed the Giving Pledge in 2010. Since then he transfers 67% of Wipro's earnings to the Azim Premji Foundation. This foundation works on school education in rural areas, which is valued at Rs 1.5 lakh crore. Azim Premji Foundation and Wipro have also donated 1 thousand crore rupees to deal with Kovid-19.

The world's top-50 donors together donate Rs 2.2 lakh crore annually. McKinsey Scott donates the most every year with 63 thousand crores. Ford Foundation is at number one with 7.4 thousand crores for donating for Kovid-19. After this W.K. Kellogg Foundation, A W Mellon Foundation. Tata has donated 1500 crore rupees for Corona.

Azim Premji is currently the country's largest donor according to Hurun and EdelGive Foundation released a list of India's donors in 2020. According to the report, Wipro's founder Azim Premji has been at number one in the list of donors in the country. In the financial year 2020, he donated Rs 7,904 crore, that is, about 22 crores donated every day.

After Premji in the Philanthropy list, Shiv Nadar is the founder of HCL Technologies. He donated Rs 795 crore in a year. At the same time, Mukesh Ambani, Asia's richest and chairman of Reliance Industries Limited, was at number three with a donation of 458 crores.

Tata Acquires Majority Stake in Bigbasket

Tata Sons has acquired a majority stake in online grocery seller BigBasket through its subsidiary Tata Digital. The stake in BigBasket pits Tata against other rival bigwigs such as Amazon, Flipkart, JioMart and SoftBank-backed Grofers.

While Tata Digital did not disclose the details, regulatory filings show that it has acquired 64 per cent stake in Supermarket Grocery Supplies, the online grocer's business-to-business entity.

"Grocery is one of the largest components of an individual's consumption basket in India, and Bigbasket as India's largest e-grocery player, fits in perfectly with our vision of creating a large consumer digital ecosystem. We are delighted to welcome Bigbasket as a part of Tata Digital," said Pratik Pal, CEO of Tata Digital.

Hari Menon, co-founder and CEO of BigBasket, said --

the company was "extremely excited" about its future as part of Tata Group. As a part of the Tata ecosystem, we would be able to build a stronger consumer-connect and accelerate our journey.

E-grocery has been a rapidly growing space, but with the COVID-19 pandemic and resultant lockdowns, things have picked up. This deal comes at a time when there's been a significant shift to online shopping, especially for essentials like food and groceries.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) had approved Tata Digital's offer of acquiring 64.3 per cent stake in Supermarket Grocery Supplies Private in April.

The Bengaluru-based online grocery platform was founded in 2011 and has its presence in 25 cities.

Original Source - BusinessToday.in

Tata Crucible Campus Quiz 2021 in all new online format - Swifter, Sharper, Smarter

- Registrations begin online from Jan 2 to Feb 2, 2021

- Open for individual participation only

- 2 Online Prelims, 24 Cluster finals, 4 Zonal-finals and 1 National Final

MUMBAI, India, Jan. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tata Crucible Campus Quiz, India's largest and most awaited business quiz for campuses, is back for a power packed 17th edition. The registration for the exciting new virtual format of the quiz will be open from January 2 to February 2, 2021. This quiz is conducted by the Tata Group every year, in order to provide a platform for college students across the country to showcase their knowledge.

Embracing the need of the hour, due to the ongoing pandemic, Tata Crucible Corporate Quiz 2020 was conducted in a completely online format. The Campus edition too follows the same format and invites participation from individual students and not teams to facilitate ease of participation in the online version.

For the online version of the Campus Quiz, the country has been divided into 24 clusters and after two levels of online prelims, top 12 finalists from each cluster will be invited for wild card finals out of which top 6 finalists will then compete in the 24 online cluster finals. These 24 clusters are further grouped into four zones- south, east, west and north and each zone will comprise of 6 clusters.

The Winner from each of the cluster finals will then qualify for the Zonal Finals. The winners and runners-up at the cluster finals will receive prizes of Rs. 35,000 /-* and Rs. 18,000/-* respectively. Winners at the four Zonal Finals will directly qualify for the National Finals. The runners-up from the four Zonal Finals will compete in a Wild Card Final, and 2 out of the 4 runners-up will then qualify for the National finals. In all, 6 Finalists will compete at the National Finals and the top scorer will be crowned as the National Champion who will receive a grand prize of Rs. 2.5 lakhs* along with the coveted Tata Crucible Trophy.

Commenting on the quiz, Mr. Atul Agrawal, Senior Vice President, Corporate Brand and Marketing, Tata Services said, "The Tata Crucible Campus Quiz is a celebration of knowledge, providing students a platform to display their quizzing prowess. With introduction of an all new online format, the quiz enhances its accessibility by bringing opportunities to enthusiastic students, located at even the remotest part of the country. We are confident that this challenging online format will be an exciting platform for the inquisitive college students as they prepare themselves for an exciting future ahead in today's digital era."

Noted Quizmaster Giri Balasubramaniam, aka 'Pickbrain', who has been conducting the quiz right from its genesis will continue to be the Quizmaster for this edition too.

The prizes for this edition are being supported by Tata CliQ.

Register now for Tata Crucible Campus Quiz 2021 and become a part of India's biggest campus quizzing battle. To register and to know more about rules, eligibility and other updates, please visit: www.tatacrucible.com.

*Subject to tax deduction applicable at source

About Tata Crucible Campus Quiz:

'Tata Crucible - The Campus Quiz' seeks to bring together the sharpest young minds to take on the heat of the country's largest business quiz. Youth is a key audience cluster which the Tata group is focusing its communication at and Tata Crucible is a key knowledge initiative towards this engagement. Started in 2004, it has now become an eagerly anticipated annual event.

You can follow Tata Crucible Campus Quiz on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TataCrucible
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tata_Crucible
You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/user/TataCrucible
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tata-crucible

Mobile App: Download the Tata Crucible Brainbox mobile app on your phone, available on iOS, Android and Windows platforms.  

Established Primarily for Opium and Tea Trade, This Holding Firm Now Surpasses Govt to Become the Biggest Promoter of Listed Cos

At the end of December 2020, India's Central government's stake in public sector undertakings stood at Rs 9.24 lakh crore or Rs.9.24 Trillion, which is 19.7% lower than the year-ago period. While, Tata Sons' stake in the listed companies of the conglomerate rose 34.4% on annual basis to Rs 9.28 lakh crore (or Rs 9.28 Trillion). And, this is where Government of India has lost the title of largest promoter of listed companies, reported Business Standard. 

At the end of the year 2020, Tata Sons surpassed the government to be the biggest promoter of listed companies.

A conglomerate of nearly 100 companies having several primary business sectors including chemicals, consumer products, energy, engineering, information systems, materials, and services, Tata Sons is the holding company of Tata Group and holds the bulk of shareholding in the Tata group of companies including their land holdings across India, tea estates and steel plants.

Notably, at the end of 2019 market valuation of government's stake in PSUs was almost 67% higher than Tata Sons' stake holdings in its group companies. Back in March 2015, Centre's stake in PSUs was two and a half times that of Tata Sons' holding in its companies.

Established in 1868, Tata Sons Private Limited was established as a trading enterprise to primarily engage  in the "that-time lucrative" opium and tea trade with Mongolia and China. The group then eventually moved to conduct businesses directly to becoming the principal holding company of Tata Group. About 66% of the equity capital of Tata Sons is held by philanthropic trusts endowed by members of the Tata family. 

It was  in late-1800s when the 'un-holy' opium trade was run by the East India Company, the powerful multinational corporation established for trading with the British royal charter that granted it a monopoly over business with Asia in pre-independence era of India. The British used the profits from the sale of opium to purchase such Chinese luxury goods as porcelain, silk, and tea, which were in great demand in the West.

The colonial British government's trade in opium devastated Indian farmers, a new research by Rolf Bauer, a professor of economic and social history at the University of Vienna, has found.

The Colonial Drug Trade

Through the dealings of the British East India Company, opium, traditionally used medicinally, became a non-medicinal business commodity during the late eighteenth and throughout the nineteenth centuries. 

At the time of growth and development of the opium monopoly in Bengal from 1773 to 1856, the economic condition of the poppy farmers (ryots) had deteriorated and tension had erupted between the local zamindars (landlords) and the colonial authorities. This conflict aided in the eventual uprising of 1857, also known as the Indian ‘Sepoy Mutiny’. In an attempt to further control the private cultivation of opium poppies and the free trade in opium, the government adopted the Opium Act of 1857 and the Opium Act of 1878.

Opium and Tatas

Tatas made his fortune on the back of the opium trade to China, a detail that is airbrushed out of the company history today, although the opium trade was legal at the time. 

House of Tata's also speculated to had its role in the financing of the British military expedition to Persia in 1856 and Abyssinia in 1867, which can be directly traced as the source of J. N. Tata's first venture into the cotton textile industry.

References -

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057%2F9780333981436_2

https://aryabhattacollege.ac.in/samplepaper/637199480141172981IWE%20-%20Unit%203%20-%20Markovitz%20Opium%20in%20Malwa.pdf

https://www.britannica.com/topic/opium-trade

https://www.jagran.com/blogs/rakeshmishra/war-profiteer-of-the-month-tata-group/

Skill Ministry, Tata Launch 1st Batch of Indian Institute of Skills, Mumbai

• First batch will include two short-term courses in Factory Automation and Digital (Smart) Manufacturing;
• TATA IIS, Mumbai offers 75% scholarship for first 100 students as early bird incentive

With the vision of propelling India to the forefront of skill development and job creation under Skill India Mission and to provide an impetus to Skill India programme through private sector participation, the first batch of trainings at the Tata-Indian Institute of Skills, Mumbai was launched at a virtual event today by Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Union Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. The institute is a joint initiative between Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India and Tata Indian Institute of Skills. Formal agreement for setting up institute has been signed between MSDE and TATA IIS on 11th November, 2020.

The first batch at TATA-Indian Institute of Skills will commence training with two courses in Factory Automation, with duration ranging from1 to 4 weeks, depending upon the pre-qualification profile of the trainee.The institute will also offer scholarships to the first 100 students along with attractive fee options during this initial launch phase. An early bird scholarship scheme of 75% has also been announced for the first 100 students/trainees.

Speaking at the launch event, Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Union Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said, “With an aim to provide high-quality technical and vocational learning across various sectors, the foundation for state-of-the-art infrastructure was laid last year and today with the launch of its first set of courses at IIS Mumbai, I can proudly say that we are inching closer to achieve the vision of our Honorable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi of making India the ‘Skill Capital of the World’. Following the footsteps of other prominent centers of education in the country, IIS Mumbai will be instrumental in imparting world-class training to help build a future ready workforce. I extend my gratitude towards the Government of Maharashtra and Tata Group for extending support towards Skill India Mission and I am hopeful that this collaboration will transform the state’s youth from job seekers to job creators."

The Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Maharashtra, Shri Nawab Malik also graced the occasion with his presence and expressed maximum support on behalf of the Maharashtra Government in making this initiative a grand success for the country.

The institute envisages partnerships with multiple private organizations who are leaders in their respective fields, two of which are currently in place, with FESTO, a global leader in industrial automation and SMC Corporation, Japan, world’s largest manufacturer of pneumatic components, for trainings.The two courses launched today will focus on Factory Automation, envisaged to be the foundation for future courses and Smart Manufacturing (Industry 4.0) technology and applications, to prepare youth for emerging job roles of the next five years and beyond. The courses will be offered at Tata-IIS interim campus at the National Skills Training Institute (NSTI), Chembur. The institute’s permanent campus, currently under construction in the campus of National Skill Trainers’ Institute (NSTI), Mumbai, is likely to be operational by 2022, and will have a capacity of over 5,000 trainings per year.

Mr. Girish Krishnamurthy, Director, Tata IIS, said, “This is a key development in India’s journey to provide skilling and job-readiness to its youth. The institute aspires to become a beacon to other institutions of its kind in the years to come.”

The primary goal behind setting up the institute is to create industry-ready workforce as per the evolving demands of the national and global markets. It aspires to be one of the most premier training institutions in the country and will be equipped with world-class vocational training facilities. The institute plans to provide trainings in highly specialized areas such as defense, oil & gas, aerospace, and other emerging businesses to meet industry demands.

Training and learning at Tata-IIS Mumbai will be driven through strong industry connect in both public and private sectors. Equipped with modern training methodologies leveraging digital and augmented learning platforms, the institute will also focus on apprenticeship-embedded courses and offering higher order qualifications in conjunction with other universities.

Micron and Tata Communications Accelerate IoT Deployment With Cloud-Based Virtual SIM

Representation Only Image

Solution offers flexible global cellular-enabled connectivity, underpinned by trusted edge-to-cloud onboarding

BOISE, Idaho, and MUMBAI, India, Oct. 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Micron Technology, Inc., (Nasdaq: MU) and Tata Communications (NSE: TATACOMM) today announced they are joining forces to create a worldwide cellular-enabled connectivity solution that will simplify and accelerate large-scale global deployment of internet of things (IoT) devices. This solution will be powered by a new virtual SIM, the world's first cloud-based embedded subscriber identity module (eSIM), which offers a flexible, scalable alternative to conventional physical SIM cards. The cloud-based eSIM will be enabled by Micron's Authenta™ Key Management Service (KMS) , the industry's first silicon-based security-as-a-service platform for edge devices.

With this technology, the Tata Communications MOVE™ Global IoT Solution will offer a pervasive, end-to-end solution for zero-touch onboarding of connected IoT devices to cloud services across 200 countries and territories — backed by the company's relationships with more than 600 mobile network operators worldwide. The solution will unleash innovation in the expanding IoT services ecosystem, which is predicted to nearly triple in revenue by 2026 to $466 billion (ABI Research, IoT Market Tracker — Worldwide, 2Q 2020 ).The companies are demonstrating this solution, launching in 2021, at the online Micron and Tata Communications IoT Security Conference , kicking off today.

"The business landscape we're experiencing today is uncharted territory, one that is forcing organizations to be agile and adopt zero-touch, digital-first technologies and applications," said Tata Communications Chief Strategy Officer Tri Pham. "IoT solutions can help businesses become more efficient and productive, and can also bring in new opportunities and innovations, enabling them to scale new levels of growth."

Pham added, "Yet cybersecurity, seamless integration, and reliable, robust connectivity and global reach continue to remain key barriers to global enterprise adoption. By joining forces with Micron to reimagine edge connectivity and security, we will create a new paradigm that will rapidly accelerate and simplify IoT deployment."

While industry projections ha d forecasted 50 billion IoT device deployments by 2020, the reality has fallen short with only around 9 billion IoT devices deployed. This disparity stems from vastly underestimated challenges with cellular-enabled connectivity and cybersecurity, which hamper IoT growth. Though cellular connectivity offers significant advantages over Wi-Fi — such as longer range, better outdoor performance, stronger security and existing global infrastructure — ABI Research predicts only 420 million cellular-connected IoT devices in 2021, just a fraction of total IoT deployments (ABI Research, M2M Embedded Cellular Models, 3Q 2020 ). This gap is due to the intricate logistics required for worldwide cellular-enabled services, such as management of physical SIM cards and fixed contracts per operator per country.

Tackling these challenges head-on, Tata Communications will offer a cloud-based eSIM for IoT, underpinned by Micron's flash-based identity platform Authenta KMS. The solution will enable:

Highly scalable IoT security : In lieu of a physical SIM card to verify mobile identity, Authenta KMS provides device identities for the virtual SIM in the cloud, enabling secure, zero-touch device registration and onboarding to IoT services. Seamless global connectivity : The new SIM feeds IoT devices with secure borderless cellular-enabled connectivity anytime and anywhere, eliminating the complex management of physical SIM cards, localized operator contracts and roaming fees. This is especially beneficial for the industrial, infrastructure, automotive, aviation, and transport and logistics sectors that demand far-reaching, global connectivity for portable devices even in remote locations, unfettered by borders and close-range Wi-Fi networks. The solution will also allow enterprises to incorporate 5G into their IoT deployment strategies, taking advantage of 5G's lower latency, higher capacity and faster data speeds. On-demand cellular -enabled subscription : The unique approach to SIM technology enables just-in-time delivery of SIMs so that users don't have to subscribe to a monthly service until the connection is actually needed in the field. This just-in-time delivery reduces customers' capital and operational expenditures, as compared to physical SIM cards that require activation of service contracts well before shipping. Pay-as-you-go flexibility : Tata Communications MOVE™ platform enables pay-as-you-go service, instead of fixed monthly contracts. This is especially beneficial for customers who don't need always-on cellular-enabled connectivity, such as those combining Wi-Fi and mobile networks. Micron and Tata Communications open up innovation for the IoT services ecosystem

In dramatically simplifying flexible global connectivity, the edge-to-cloud solution will also unlock rich possibilities for innovation in the IoT market.

"The IoT ecosystem is at a tipping point. While there is untapped business opportunity, current hardware security methods are too complex and costly, or they limit scalability and flexibility," said Kris Baxter, vice president and general manager of Micron's Embedded Business Unit. "With Tata Communications' cloud-based virtual SIM, Micron's Authenta edge security will bridge this gap, fostering enterprise IoT adoption and open innovation in IoT services."

With physical SIM cards, OEMs must tightly pair device identity to the IoT service during manufacturing to prevent interaction of insecure devices and services, but this results in vendor lock-in. Authenta's simple authentication decouples IoT service security needs from manufacturing flow by allowing late binding of third-party certificates. This flexibility frees end users to securely access diverse, vendor-agnostic services, allowing them to customize and harness IoT devices as platforms for innovation, akin to the robust customization of smartphones with mobile app stores today. Opening up the ecosystem, Micron and Tata Communications will empower the IoT services market to reach its full promise with a broader device footprint.

Micron's Authenta security-as-a-service solution powers flash-based IoT identities

As the threat landscape grows riskier with sophisticated bad actors and hacks on IoT devices from connected fish tanks to baby monitors , cybersecurity is a weak link in IoT adoption. Through its silicon root of trust, Authenta provides a unique level of protection for the lowest layers of IoT software. Starting with the boot process, Authenta uses strong cryptographic identity and security features baked natively into flash memory. To enable device compatibility with this new SIM, OEMs need only to install Authenta flash ; no secure key injection or added secure elements are required.

Leveraging this root of trust, Micron's cloud-based service Authenta KMS authenticates these IoT devices, allowing them to be activated and managed at the edge. This enables platform-hardening and device protection through the entire lifecycle, from manufacturing to installation. The ease of this security-as-a-service solution is particularly beneficial for traditional manufacturers making forays into connected devices for IoT use cases. With Authenta's plug-and-play security, these OEMs, who lack cybersecurity experience, can focus on their core competencies and rely on Micron's decades of embedded expertise to provide hardware security.

Availability

This cloud-based eSIM for IoT devices is slated to begin shipping in the first half of 2021. Those interested in learning more about the eSIM can reach out to MOVE@tatacommunications.com . For additional inquiries on Micron's Authenta technology, contact authenta@micron.com .

About Micron Technology, Inc.

We are an industry leader in innovative memory and storage solutions. Through our global brands — Micron® and Crucial® — our broad portfolio of high-performance memory and storage technologies, including DRAM, NAND, 3D XPoint™ memory and NOR, is transforming how the world uses information to enrich life for all . Backed by more than 40 years of technology leadership, our memory and storage solutions enable disruptive trends, including artificial intelligence, 5G, machine learning and autonomous vehicles, in key market segments like mobile, data center, client, consumer, industrial, graphics, automotive, and networking. Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq under the MU symbol. To learn more about Micron Technology, Inc., visit micron.com.

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About Tata Communications

Tata Communications is a digital ecosystem enabler that powers today's fast-growing digital economy. The company enables the digital transformation of enterprises globally, including 300 of the Fortune 500 – unlocking opportunities for businesses by enabling borderless growth, boosting product innovation and customer experience, improving productivity and efficiency, building agility and managing risk. With its solutions orientated approach and proven managed service capabilities and cutting-edge infrastructure, Tata Communications drives the next level of intelligence powered by cloud, mobility, Internet of Things (IoT), collaboration, security, and network services. Tata Communications carries around 30% of the world's internet routes and connects businesses to 60% of the world's cloud giants and 4 out of 5 mobile subscribers. The company's capabilities are underpinned by its global network, the world's largest wholly owned subsea fibre backbone and a Tier-1 IP network with connectivity to more than 200 countries and territories. Tata Communications Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India.

© 2020 Tata Communications. All rights reserved. TATA COMMUNICATIONS and TATA are trademarks of Tata Sons Private Limited in certain countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Tata Communications MOVE is a trademark of Tata Communications in certain countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Tata Consumer Products Distributors to Join as Sellers on Flipkart, Enable Availability of Products

Walmart-owned Flipkart on Saturday said it has partnered Tata Consumer Products Ltd under which the latter's distributors will list as marketplace sellers on the e-commerce platform.

The partnership will allow consumers to use the Flipkart platform to buy different combo packs of essential products such as beverages (Tata Tea and coffee) and food items (Tata Sampann spices, pulses, and Nutri mixes) offered by Tata Consumer Products, a statement said.

The partnership is already operational in Bengaluru, and the companies plan to expand these facilities in Mumbai and Delhi in the coming week and tier-II towns in the future.

The product combinations have been curated keeping in mind specific needs of Indian consumers, while also offering them significant cost benefits, it said.

"The partnership has brought together two iconic Indian companies that have created a unique distribution model, leveraging their combined strengths to solve for Indian consumers' need for access to essential commodities as they stay indoors and practise social distancing," it added.

The Tata Consumer Company distributors who are now listed online with Flipkart Marketplace, have undergone the Flipkart Training for Packaging and Order Fulfilment and will process orders as per the standard operating procedures set by Flipkart, it said.

"With the support of the government and local authorities, we are able to innovate unique distribution and supply chain models that enable us to serve communities in India.

"The synergies and capabilities of both Tata Consumer and Flipkart are complementary and we are proud to enable an alternate business channel built on our marketplace model to deliver great value to consumers in these times of crisis," Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO of Flipkart Group, said.

Flipkart's marketplace supply chain will fulfil the orders by picking up these products from Tata Consumer Company distributors and delivering them to customers using its network of delivery executives.

"Tata Consumer Products is committed to ensuring availability of our beverage and food brands to consumers across India, during this difficult time," Tata Consumer Products MD and CEO Sunil D'Souza said.

He added that the partnership with Flipkart provides an innovative way to set up a strong alternate distribution channel through its wide network.

Tata Consumer Products, part of Tata group, was formed in February this year following the merger of Tata Global Beverages and the consumer products business of Tata Chemicals Ltd.

Earlier this week, Flipkart had announced a pilot with retail chain store Spencers to introduce hyperlocal deliveries of groceries and essentials in Hyderabad.

E-commerce companies are exploring unique models to ensure business continuity amid the lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of the coronavirus infection.

Bigbasket has partnered Uber to help in delivery of essential items, while Grofers said it has hired about 2,000 people from industries that have been deeply impacted by the current crisis such as textile, manufacturing, and services.

E-commerce companies have struggled to deliver orders after the 21-day lockdown was imposed on March 24.

Even though the government allowed delivery of essential goods including food, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment through e-commerce platforms, players faced hiccups initially.

The surge in orders also disrupted operations for these companies. Players have now started resuming operations across various cities, clearing pending orders before accepting new ones. PTI SR

To Ensure Safety Against Hazards of Electricity Havells India and TATA Power - DDL Come Together

To ensure safety of users against hazards of electric leakage, Havells India Ltd. and TATA Power-DDL today signed an MoU to strengthen the distribution of electrical protection devices in North and North-Western parts of Delhi.

• The partnership shall ensure that Havells circuit protection devices, electrical leakage circuit breaker (ELCB) will be made available across all Tata Power-DDL Customer Care Centers at subsidized price from Oct. 1, 2019 onwards


• ELCBs are a must now as no new connection will be energized in Delhi unless a suitable earth leakage protection device has been installed at consumer premise

To ensure safety of users against hazards of electric leakage, Havells India Ltd. and TATA Power-DDL today signed an MoU to strengthen the distribution of electrical protection devices in North and North-Western parts of Delhi. Along with that, both companies have also planned an extensive awareness and training program to encourage adoption of proper installation of circuit protection devices – ELCB and MCB. The MoU signing ceremony saw the presence of Mr. Sanjay Banga, CEO, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd. and Mr. Saurabh Goel, President, Havells India Ltd.

The synergy between prominent electrical distribution company and leading electrical brand in the country shall ensure safety from electricity hazards.

Welcoming the association, Sanjay Banga, CEO, TPDDL, said, “Tata Power-DDL is committed to consumer safety and has joined hands with Havells to drastically reduce the electricity related accidents which result in loss of life and property. I urge all consumers to install a suitable device for earth leakage protection at their homes/ premises. To further reinforce the need of electricity safety, we will also be sensitizing consumers and arranging for trainings of local electricians on the importance and implementation of safe technology.” 

ELCBs are extremely critical in ensuring human safety as they protect us from current leakage. Today, we are surrounded by electrical devices and most of us are not aware about the hazards that come along, due to lack of proper protection devices not being used. Delhi has recorded maximum electrical related fatalities over the last decade. Deploying Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCB) is the most common practice that is followed to ensure protection of electrical devices from short circuit and overload. However, MCB does not ensure safety of the users when it comes to current leakage. As per the Regulatory Guidelines (DERC) ELCB are a must, as no new connection will be energized in Delhi unless a suitable earth leakage protection device has been installed at consumer premises.

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Saurabh Goel, President, Havells India Ltd said, “We are extremely delighted to partner with Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd for distribution of electrical protection devices in their distribution region. Havells being a responsible company always prioritizes user safety and hence is the only company which provides a 6-year warranty on Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCB) and Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB/RCCB) if used along with Havells Distribution Board. The association will help us sensitize consumers on the need to incorporate best in class protection devices in their homes and together we shall ensure that consumers are aware of the use of Earth-Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB) through TATA Power-DDL Customer Care Centers.”

Havells plans to reach out to the 6000 consumers applying for new connections every month on an average along with 17 lakhs residential and industrial users of Tata Power-DDL. The primary focus of Havells lies on human safety devices which includes Residual Current Circuit Breaker (ELCB/RCCB), Socket Residual-Current Device (RCD) and Portable Residual Current Device (PRCD).

Being a power distribution company for North and North-West Delhi, Tata Power-DDL works closely with electricians, Resident Welfare Associations and Industrial Welfare Associations to spread awareness about various good practices for installation and usage. Generally electrical problems are caused due to short circuits, overload, current leakage and voltage fluctuations. Necessary precautions such as ELCB/RCCB of 30mA sensitivity must be taken so that human life is not harmed from any such threats. The electrical leakage circuit breaker (ELCB) will be made available across all 12 Tata Power-DDL Customer Care Centers at subsidized price from Oct. 1 2019 onwards.
About TATA Power-DDL

TATA Power Delhi Distribution Limited (Tata Power-DDL) is a joint venture between Tata Power and the Government of NCT of Delhi. Tata Power-DDL distributes electricity in North Delhi and serves a populace of 7 million spread over 510 sq.km. The company has successfully met record peak power demand of 2074 MW in 2019. TATA Power-DDL has been the frontrunner in implementing power distribution reforms and is acknowledged for its consumer-friendly practices. Since privatization, the Aggregate Technical & Commercial (AT&C) losses in TATA Power-DDL areas have shown a record decline. Today, AT&C losses stand at sub 8% which is an unprecedented reduction of over 85% from an opening loss level of 53% in July 2002.

About Havells

Havells India Ltd is a leading FMEG company (fast moving electrical goods) with presence across India. Its product range includes Industrial & Domestic Circuit Protection Switchgear, Cables& Wires, Motors, Fans, Power Capacitors, Luminaires for Domestic, Commercial & Industrial applications, Modular Switches, Water Heaters and Domestic Appliances covering the entire gamut of household, commercial and industrial electrical needs. Havells owns prestigious brands like Havells, Crabtree and Standard. With 43 branch offices and over 4000 professionals Havells has achieved rapid success in the past few years. Its 13 state-of-the-art manufacturing units in India located at Haridwar, Baddi, Sahibabad, Faridabad, Alwar, Ghiloth, Guwahati and Neemrana are manufacturing globally acclaimed products, synonymous with excellence and precision in the electrical industry. Havells India Limited recently also became the first Indian Electrical Company to be included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index Emerging Markets along with 12 other Indian companies to be included in the index.

Tata launches New Entity to Incubate New-Age Digital Business 'Tata Digital'

Mumbai, Aug 22 (PTI) Salt-to-software conglomerate Tata Sons Thursday announced a new entity to incubate new-age digital business called Tata Digital.

The USD 110-billion group appointed Pratik Pal, a veteran of the group's software arm TCS, as the chief executive of the new venture. The new entity is "formed to incubate new digital businesses", an official statement from Tata Sons said.

The statement announcing Pal's appointment did not offer any details on the investment in the new venture or the exact contours of the same.

A recent media report based on the interview of group chairman N Chandrasekaran had said Tata Sons would infuse Rs 1,000 crore in the new vertical.

[caption id="attachment_134116" align="alignright" width="300"] Pratik Pal[/caption]

"The company will create a number of digital platforms. We have already identified the platforms we want to create. The first platform is already being built and the next two to three platforms are in the process of being developed," Chandrasekaran had said.

Pal was responsible for growth of TCS' second largest industry segment as the global head of retail, travel, transportation, hospitality and consumer packaged goods industry unit, the statement said.

"Pal will play a key role in building new growth platforms. His experience and commitment will be very valuable in shaping and developing new opportunities for the Tata Group in the digital economy," Chandrasekaran said.

He assumed the new role Wednesday. PTI AA