NuRe Bharat Network to Launch the Super App ‘PIPOnet’, Connecting Advertisers to Consumers through RailTel’s Railway Station WiFi Network

It will allow the advertisers to connect deeply with the people of Bharat across Tier 1,2,3&4 towns of India

NuRe Bharat Network, a joint venture consortium between 3i Infotech Limited a leading digital transformation and technology solutions provider, FISST and Yellow inc. today announced the launch of the Mobile App – PIPOnet. RailTel Corporation of India Ltd, a Miniratna PSU under the Ministry of Railways, has partnered with the consortium, led by 3i Infotech to monetize its Public WiFi across the Indian Railway network.

The Indian Railways is the largest railway network in Asia with a daily count of 23 million passengers and more than 1.5 million users logging every day to the WiFi network provided by RailTel across 6109 railway stations. The PIPOnet App (Powered by Railtel) will help the users with integrated services like e-ticketing, travel and stay reservations, porter booking, music, infotainment, edutainment, OTT channels and various helpline services. PIPOnet will also provide an e-commerce platform for Bharat’s artisans to sell their wares across India. As NuRe Bharat Network through its digital marketing efforts will increase the number of logins from 1.5 million today to more than 11 million, the commercial opportunities for sellers from Bharat will increase manifolds, changing their economic profile.

The initiative sights the need and advantages of connecting all large, medium, and small advertisers across the country to connect with the nation’s populace. Onboarding PIPOnet will allow the advertisers to connect deeply with the people of Tier 1,2,3&4 towns of India based across rural, semi-urban and urban cities. The advertisers will get a multitude of options for their ads including display banner ads, video banner ads, interstitial ads, and carousel ads in multiple dimensions and formats.

NuRe Bharat Network through its AI/ML-based Data Analytics capabilities will also provide deep dissected analysis of the viewers’ demography and preference profile. Advertisers will also be able to execute targeted communication in English and 8 regional languages to reach specific audiences across the demography. Also, integrated with leading SSPs & Ad Networks for Programmatic guarantee, direct, and real-time bidding, and PMP buys, the application will offer the advertisers an opportunity to host programmatic ads.

Speaking on the launch, Mr Sax Krishna, Chief Executive Officer, NuRe Bharat Network said, “With the launch of the NuRe Bharat Network, we plan to serve a bigger goal for the good of the country. WiFi access will be secured; hence, we can facilitate services like healthcare, education and more to the Indian populace. Especially in the Tier 3&4 towns, we want to empower individuals by giving them access to democratized Internet, thereby opening their doors to greater opportunities. Internet brings with itself a hundred possibilities, and we aim to lead with an example of a secured and thought-through method for all who are currently unable to access a high-speed internet to access it on the go.”

Mr Sanjai Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director, RailTel expressed, “We are elated at the launch of PIPOnet and the initiatives we are working towards to bring India together through a platform with immense potential. Bridging the digital divide between urban and rural India is one of our core missions. Our station Wi-Fi network covers the country’s length and breadth, and this collaboration will further unlock its true potential. We congratulate 3i Infotech and the other members of the consortium for their diligence towards this socio-economic inventiveness.”

PIPOnet, facilitating the captive WiFi portal will have a 4-step process for WiFi connectivity. Furthermore, with an average of 4-5 touchpoints for WiFi access, the platform will be able to generate 180+ million monthly pageviews and 500+ million impressions monthly, thereby providing advertisers with a mega platform to proliferate deep into the Indian populace and offer their services.

PIPOnet mobile App will be available for public use from August 2023 on the Google Play store in both IOS and Android versions. To know more about the advertising opportunities on the app, please contact Anshuman Saha at anshuman.saha@3i-infotech.com

About 3i Infotech

Headquartered in Mumbai, India, since its inception in 1993, 3i Infotech has been committed to driving business value across multiple industry verticals. 3i Infotech, today, has emerged as a leading name in propelling the current wave of digital transformation initiatives, with deep domain expertise across BFSI, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Education, Telecom, Media & Entertainment, Retail and Government sectors. The company has over 5600 employees in 30 offices, 15 countries and across 4 continents. With a digital and cloud-first approach, and a range of IT services and solutions encompassing 5G in Edge Computing, Cognitive AI/ML, Data Science and Analytics and Blockchain, 3i Infotech have successfully transformed business operations of 1,200+ customers across 50 countries. The company has a very strong foothold and client base in geographies like North America, India, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Website: https://www.3i-infotech.com/

About RailTel

RailTel Corporation of India Ltd, a "Mini Ratna (Category-I)" Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Railways, is one of the largest neutral telecom infrastructure & ICT Solutions & Services providers in the country, owning a Pan-India optic fibre network covering several towns & cities and rural areas of the country. Along with a strong a reliable network of 61000+ RKM of Optic fibre, RailTel has two MeitY empanelled tier III data centres as well. With its Pan India high-capacity network, RailTel is working towards creating a knowledge society at various fronts and has been selected for the implementation of various mission-mode projects for the Government of India in the telecom field. RailTel offers a bundle of services like MPLS VPN, Telepresence, leased line, Tower Co-location, Data centre services etc. RailTel is also working with the Indian Railways to transform railway stations into digital hubs by providing public Wi-Fi at railway stations across the country and 6109 stations are live with RailTel’s RailWire Wi-Fi.

Website: https://www.railtelindia.com/

Intel and Broadcom Achieve Major Wi-Fi 7 Industry Milestone

On Thursday, Intel Corporation and Broadcom Inc. showcased the industry’s first cross-vendor Wi-Fi 7 demonstration, with over-the-air speeds greater than 5 gigabits per second. The trial used an Intel® Core™ processor-based laptop with a Wi-Fi 7 solution connected to a Broadcom Wi-Fi 7 access point.

This 7th generation of Wi-Fi, also referred to as IEEE 802.11be or Wi-Fi 7, is an extremely high throughput wireless network that uses 2.4Ghz, 5Ghz, and 6Ghz frequency bands. Wi-Fi 7 leverages advanced technology to maximize overall capacity, decrease latency and increase speed to every device. It is expected that Wi-Fi 7 will be certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance in the latter half of 2023

Wi-Fi 7 is the platform for the next 10 years of wireless experiences, which require higher speeds, lower latency, improved reliability, and greater capacity. Wi-Fi 7 leverages new features including wider 320 MHz channels in unlicensed 6GHz spectrum, higher order 4K QAM data modulation, simultaneous connections across multiple bands with multi-link operation, and improved channel utilization efficiency with multi-resource unit puncturing.

Wi-Fi 7’s deterministic operation enables new product classes, including augmented and virtual reality, ultra-high-definition 16K media streaming, and super-responsive and reliable gaming while supporting large numbers of connected devices in the home or office. And with Wi-Fi 7’s greatly increased speeds, broadband subscribers will get full value from their multi-gigabit internet plans.

This achievement is proof that Wi-Fi 7 has arrived, and Broadcom and Intel will continue to show the additional capabilities of Wi-Fi 7.

Carlos Cordeiro, Intel Fellow and Wireless CTO, Client Computing Group, Intel, said, "We are proud to highlight how next-generation Wi-Fi 7 can make new mobile PC experiences possible. Industry collaboration is essential to ensure we deliver on the promises of this new wireless technology. We would like to thank our colleagues at Broadcom for their great technical cooperation, which helped enable this unprecedented, first-of-its-kind demonstration of ultra-high speed and ultra-low latency Wi-Fi 7."

Vijay Nagarajan, vice president, Wireless Connectivity Division, Broadcom, said, “Today’s milestone sends a clear message: the ecosystem is ready and Wi-Fi 7 is here to deliver extraordinary capacity and blazing fast speeds to extend gigabit broadband. The reliable, low latency communication provided by Wi-Fi 7 is a key element of Broadcom's vision for connecting everything as the Internet evolves to its next iteration replete with immersive experiences. Industry collaboration is key to making this unprecedented connectivity a reality and we were delighted to work with Intel to achieve another industry first.”

Linksys Velop AX4200 WIFI 6 Mesh System now available in India

Provides Seamless Whole-Home WiFi Coverage With AX WiFi Speeds, Ideal for Working and Schooling From Home

Mumbai, India, September 21, 2021 – Linksys, the connected home division within the Belkin International and Foxconn Interconnect Technology (FIT) (HK: 6088) entity, has today announced the India availability of the Linksys Velop AX4200 WiFi 6 Mesh System, the newest addition to the company's growing WiFi 6 portfolio with built-in Linksys Intelligent Mesh™ technology.

Powered by the Qualcomm® Networking Pro 800 platform, a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., the Velop AX4200 system is the newest flagship WiFi 6 mesh system from Linksys, engineered to offer the latest generation of WiFi at an attractive price. It was designed to make whole-home mesh and WiFi 6 accessible to more households as the modern world shifts to normalize distance learning and working from home. The Velop AX4200 system is an ideal solution for households competing for wireless bandwidth between smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles and other devices by providing uninterrupted connectivity and faster speeds, and enhancing productivity when working remote, video chatting, virtual teaching and online learning.

AX4200 Lifestyle 3

The Velop AX4200 system combines the benefits of the latest WiFi standard with Linksys' award-winning Velop Intelligent Mesh™ Technology to deliver true gigabit WiFi speeds to every corner of the home, all with the flexibility, scalability and interoperability with Velop mesh systems. The Velop AX4200 system covers 2,700 square feet per node* and is designed to manage the demands of more than 40 devices per node all sharing the same bandwidth. It contains 4 gigabit ethernet ports to provide uninterrupted high-speed connectivity for wired smart TVs, streaming devices and gaming consoles.

"Home networks are constrained more than ever with most people working from home, schooling from home, or utilizing WiFi for streaming videos or gaming. This new Velop WiFi 6 mesh system is designed to carry all of the heavy WiFi demand at an affordable price," said Kannan Vardarajan, Director of Product Management at Linksys. "It's really incredible because our mission is to build innovative, future-ready wireless technologies that will someday connect every person and everything in the world and bring transformational WiFi experiences to life, and with our well-timed, well-priced, robustly engineered WiFi 6 portfolio we are well on our way."

Commenting on the launch, Kartik Bakshi, Country Manager, Linksys India said, "We at Linksys are always committed to addressing day to day WiFi challenges faced by many people across the world. There is constant pressure to evolve and build products that provide an enjoyable experience when using the Internet. Linksys AX4200 Mesh system is an efficient solution for those who need faster speeds and better reach in dense environments."

Additional features: 

• Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 – Built with the latest generation WiFi technology and security standards set by the Wi-Fi Alliance, WiFi 6 certification ensures increased capacity and network safety for customers and their devices.
• Future-Ready WiFi – Linksys Intelligent Mesh is the only mesh system that's interoperable with its entire portfolio. It's flexible and scalable so consumers can expand their network as needs grow, with a simple addition of any Linksys mesh node/router.
• Qualcomm Networking Pro 800 platform – With 8 streams of tri-band Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, and a 64-bit 1.4GHz Quad-Core ARM processor powering dynamic data processing and management, the Velop AX4200 provides game-changing network advancements that enhance efficiency, range and power consumption and deliver more capacity for online gaming, video calls and meetings, and 8K streaming on their devices.
• Tri-band dynamic backhaul – Unlike some mesh systems that use a dedicated backhaul and limit the number of bands that the user can connect to, Linksys uses a dynamic backhaul, allowing access to all 3 bands throughout the home. Linksys' dynamic backhaul technology chooses the best band to connect between nodes. 

* Actual ranges will vary depending on wireless obstructions, operating environments and building material in India homes. Wireless coverage claims are used only as reference and are not guaranteed, as each wireless network is unique

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The Linksys Velop AX4200 WiFi 6 Mesh System is now available in India at Amazon.in - 

• MX4200 - The Linksys Velop AX4200 Tri-Band WiFi 6 Mesh System (1-pack) is recommended for 1 to 2-bedroom homes, available at SRP of INR 19999/
• MX8400 - The Linksys Velop AX4200 Tri-Band WiFi 6 Mesh System (2-pack) is recommended for 2 to 3-bedroom homes, available at SRP of INR 39999/
• MX12600 - The Linksys Velop AX4200 Tri-Band WiFi 6 Mesh System (3-pack) is recommended for 3 to 4-bedroom homes, available at SRP of INR 56999/-

About Linksys 

Since 1988, Linksys has been on a mission to build the world's most reliable and innovative wireless technology and was the first router brand to ship 100 million units worldwide. Recognized for its legacy in mesh hardware and award-winning Velop motion sensing software portfolio, Linksys connects your smart home or business with enhanced security and seamless, frustration-free WiFi. Linksys products are sold in more than 60 countries around the world.

Uttar Pradesh Govt To Provide Free Wi-Fi in 217 Cities from August 15

The Uttar Pradesh government will provide free Wi-Fi facility across the state from August 15. Under this initiative by the Yogi government, people especially the youth will be able to avail free WiFi facility across all 75 districts, offices, municipal councils, 17 municipal corporations, and 217 public places in the state.

The places in which these free Wi-Fi facilities are to be installed are public places, as revealed by the Government. For example, places like bus stands, court, railway station, block and registrar offices will have this Wi-Fi facility.

On the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the urban development department officials are now busy with the campaign to provide free Wi-Fi facility to the people. Divisional Commissioners, District Magistrates and Municipal Commissioners have been instructed to provide the facility at major public places.

They have been instructed to make sure the hotspots for Wi-Fi services are identified so that from August 15, people in the state can get the free facility at every bus station, places near the railway stations, tehsils, courts, block offices, registrar offices and main markets in each city of Uttar Pradesh.

The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh had promised to provide free Wi-Fi facility to the people of the state in its poll manifesto. After it came to power, free Wi-Fi facility was provided at Lucknow and major places in various cities.

For this purpose, hotspots were set up in Hazratganj area of Lucknow to provide Wi-Fi facility to the people.

Some of the cities where Wi-Fi would be set up are Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Aligarh, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Jhansi, Bareilly, Saharanpur, Moradabad, Gorakhpur, Ayodhya, Meerut, Shahjahanpur, Ghaziabad, Mathura-Vrindavan and Firozabad.

Now on similar lines, CM Yogi Adityanath has decided to extend this scheme to major public places in every district headquarters, municipal councils and 17 municipal corporations.

According to officials, the facility will be available at two places in major cities (municipal corporations) and at one place in small cities. Under this scheme the state government will provide this facility in cities with municipal corporations like Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Aligarh, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Jhansi, Bareilly, Saharanpur, Moradabad, Gorakhpur, Ayodhya, Meerut, Shahjahanpur, Ghaziabad, Mathura-Vrindavan and Firozabad as well as municipal council cities.

Civic officials will tie up with Internet companies for the free WiFi facility. Special care will be taken about Internet speed.

Municipal commissioners and executive officers have been instructed that smart city projects or urban bodies will bear the cost of providing this service.

Indio Networks Debuts TIP OpenWiFi System

Indio Networks, a next-generation data networking and wireless company, will soon launch India's first commercial wireless networking solution built on the Telecom Infra Project’s (TIP) OpenWiFi stack. The new software platform is capable of running on a rich variety of indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi Access Points from any vendor validated by TIP OpenWiFi community.

Rishi Ghare, CEO of Indio Networks said -- 

Utilizing the TIP OpenWiFi system has provided Indio’s engineering team with a shot in the arm, helping us scale and boost our Make in India product development initiatives. TIP’s disaggregated, feature-rich platform and automated testing cycles enable us as an OEM, to focus our development and testing resources on our key differentiating features, to gear up to raise global competitive benchmark. We are pleased to announce our commercial Wi-Fi platform built on TIP OpenWiFi system.

Indio Networks has been an active contributor to the TIP OpenWiFi community and is soon planning to commercially launch TIP powered Wi-Fi Cloud Controller and Management platform, integrated with Indio's family of Wi-Fi access points. Indio's OpenWiFi solution will be fully compatible with any TIP-enabled Wi-Fi access point thus allowing customers a choice of hardware platforms that fit their specifications and budget. Indio has successfully completed lab trials and kicked off field trials using multiple types of TIP-enabled Wi-Fi APs over the last 6 months. The solution is currently deployed in Government College of Engineering, Pune and provides seamless connectivity to over 1,000 students in the campus. Further field trials are planned at India’s Western Railway offices and other venues.

The OpenWiFi project, driven by a global base of operators, managed service providers, vendors and industry organizations, makes it easy for vendors to optimize or reduce their R&D spend, specialize in their innovation and offer a new breed of interoperable enterprise-grade Wi-Fi solutions across cloud services and cutting-edge hardware access points. This in turn offers service providers, a greater choice of competitive suppliers from across the globe, to choose from. Together, this new ecosystem driven initiative from TIP will contribute to reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO) of next generation Wi-Fi networks.

"Democratization of Wi-Fi encourages collaboration and innovation by the various players of the Wi-Fi world. With the software and hardware disaggregation, we see great opportunity to expand the market for Wi-Fi solutions and bring focus on innovation and delivering new value. With the adoption of TIP OpenWiFi, we would be offering our advanced Wi-Fi management and monetization capabilities to a global market,” says Sohail Ahmad, CTO of Indio Networks.

Tenda launches all-new 4G LTE Advanced Pocket Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspots – 4G180 & 4G185 in India

Designed for Small Office and Home Office; hassle-free high-speed pocket Internet on the go

Tenda, a leading provider of networking devices introduces its all-new and innovative 4G LTE Advanced Pocket Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspots- 4G 180 and 4G 185. These devices are designed specifically to cater to the needs of SOHO (Small Office and Home Office). These devices will be beneficial in covering a small space area with consistent Wi-Fi signals while eliminating the dead spots. In addition, these will be addressing the challenges like connectivity and speed while people are working from home.

Tenda 4G180 and 4G185 Mobile Wi-Fi is an elegant and compact shape device. These devices offer high-speed packet access mobile hotspot with a hassle-free and secured Internet network with a download speed upto 150 Mbps at Wi-Fi Frequency of 2.4GHz via 4G in your pocket. Now you can enjoy lag-free HD movie viewing and uninterrupted video chats on the go as well as downloading files in a matter of seconds. Both Wi-Fi devices come equipped with a powerful 2100 mAh rechargeable battery that lasts up to 10 hours and a week in standby mode. In addition, the battery is chargeable, removable and replaceable.

Weighing merely 86 grams and 88 grams, both hotspot devices are must-have devices that provide easy access to Wi-Fi during your travel, business trips and outdoor activities. Both devices have 1 Micro SD and SIM slot, 1 Micro USB port and 1 Reset/Power button. Both devices have 2 Internal Antennas for 4G/3G and 2 Internal Wi-Fi Antennas.

The basic difference between the 2 Wi-Fi hotspots devices is, 4G185 comes with a 1.44 inches color screen that displays information such as 4G/3G Signal bar, Internet Battery, Operator's profile name, SMS, Wi-Fi status, and number of connected time and used traffic data. While the 4G180 has a LED indicator that shows 4G/3G Signal and Internet (4 Bars), Battery, SMS and Wi-Fi status.

Speaking on the launch, John Dong, Director, Tenda India commented "We at Tenda deliver the products with the highest standards of innovations and technology through our relentless efforts. With the launch of 4G180 and 4G185 Pocket Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot Device, we are bringing advanced pocket Wi-Fi connectivity to address the issues faced during the pandemic as many individuals are working from home. Our new devices are specifically designed for SOHO (Small Office and Home Office) configurations wherein offering high-speed Internet and download speed anywhere and anytime."

Key Features and Benefits of 4G180:


· Internet and download speed of 150 Mbps at Wi-Fi Frequency of 2.4 GHz

· 4G/3G enabled

· LED Indicator

· Wi-Fi Standard: 802.11b/g/n

· Wi-Fi transmit Power: 2.4GHz: up to 16dBm

· Weight: 86g

· Dimensions: 59 (width) x 98 (high) x 15.5 (deep) mm


Key Features and Benefits of 4G185:

· Internet and download speed of 150 Mbps at Wi-Fi Frequency of 2.4 GHz

· 4G/3G enabled

· 1.44 inches color screen

· Wi-Fi Standard: 802.11b/g/n

· Dimensions: 59 (width) x 98 (high) x 15.5 (deep) mm

· Weight: 88g

· Wi-Fi transmit Power: 2.4GHz: up to 20dBm


Pricing and Availability:

Tenda 4G180 and 4G185 Advanced Pocket Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspots Devices are available exclusively through authorized partners and other reseller channels at an introductory price of INR 3,650/- and INR 3,850/- across India. The user gets a 1 Quick Installation Guide, 1 USB cable and 1 Battery. These devices come with a 3 years warranty.


About Tenda:

Founded in 1999, Tenda technology is the worldwide leader in networking devices and equipment. Tenda has committed to delivering easy-to-install and affordable networking solutions, offering innovative, cutting-edge products to realize people's intelligent life. The brand has been successfully providing cutting edge technology in home networking, business networking, switch, broadband CPE, gateway, power lines, mobile broadband, and IP camera, etc. As the first home-grown router and wireless network device manufacturer in China, Tenda has been a pioneer in adopting the latest technology and professional service system to offer a reliable network.


For further information, please visit: www.tendacn.com/in

NETGEAR Accelerates Wi-Fi 6 Adoption in India with the Launch of Nighthawk Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System 'MK62' and 'MK63'

The latest Wi-Fi 6 technology helps deliver the fastest speeds to all your connected devices with 4X more capacity

NETGEAR, the leading provider of the latest and innovative Wi-Fi networking system has its Wi-Fi 6 portfolio with the launch of Nighthawk Mesh Wi-Fi 6 MK62 and MK63 that can meet the needs of the modern connected home. Designed for the tech enthusiast, the new Nighthawk Wi-Fi 6 Mesh System brings the experience of reliable and flexible Wi-Fi coverage with specialized features such as Dynamic QoS, which automatically prioritizes both video streaming and gaming traffic.

Wi-Fi 6 is the latest standard in wireless connectivity with a fourfold increase in capacity as well as a 40% increase in throughput that means you can have more devices connected to your network and faster streaming for gaming and entertainment.

Every member of a household now has a well-defined need for super-fast, reliable Wi-Fi from gamers, to telecommuters and those who stream HD Video to numerous screens within the home. NETGEAR has answered this call with the Nighthawk Mesh Wi-Fi System delivering the future of Wi-Fi with next-generation Wi-Fi 6.  The Nighthawk Mesh System comes with one or two high-powered satellites to provide whole home broadband Wi-Fi coverage.  Dead zones are eliminated by easily adding satellites wherever needed or to scale up when moving to a larger home. Setup is completed in minutes with the free Nighthawk App on Apple iOS or Android OS and is also used to easily manage the network from your mobile device.

MK63

The MK63 has a sleek and compact design that blends in with any decor and can be placed anywhere in the home. The Mesh System supports the latest Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) wireless network standard protocol and also has the function of the Mesh extension router. The Nighthawk router provides up to 1,500 square feet of coverage, easy customization and Dynamic QoS. Like the Orbi, the Nighthawks have two Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired connections. Unlike the more expensive Orbi, the Nighthawk offers slower dual-band 1.8Gbps speeds and fewer simultaneous device connections. 

MK62

With MK62, you can experience the next generation of Wi-Fi 6 that is perfect for medium to large homes up to 3,000sq.ft. and internet speeds over 100Mbps. The Nighthawk Mesh System MK62 comes with a high-powered router and satellite, to provide you with broad Wi-Fi coverage, so you can eliminate dead zones by easily placing the satellite wherever needed.

Speaking at the launch Marthesh Nagendra, Country Manager India, ME & SAARC, NETGEAR commented, “At NETGEAR, we are committed to bring our customers with the latest Wi-Fi technology. Looking at the current technology trend, we are excited to bring you the latest Nighthawk Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System in the market and accelerate the transition to Wi-Fi 6. Through our latest Nighthawk Mesh Wi-Fi 6 offering, we aim to provide our customers with the flexibility of a Nighthawk along with a Wi-Fi system that is exceedingly fast and reliable”.

Legacy devices also will experience enhanced connectivity, as the Wi-Fi 6 backhaul for mesh systems improves utilization of Wi-Fi channels with its use of faster speeds and better efficiencies over Wi-Fi 6. 

Features of Nighthawk MK62 and MK63:

• Whole Home Wi-Fi — Experience smooth 4K UHD streaming and reliable Wi-Fi in every room. The system includes one router and two satellites.
• Latest Wi-Fi 6 Technology —Improved dual-band technology designed for faster, more reliable connections that can handle 25 or more devices for smoother streaming and connection capacity.
• Super-fast Wi-Fi — Combined speeds up to 1.8Gbps to keep up with your family’s streaming, gaming, and smart home needs.
• Works with Existing Wi-Fi Devices — Backwards compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac client devices (Wi-Fi 5 and below).
• Reliable Coverage — Enjoy strong Wi-Fi throughout homes up to 3,000 (for MK62) and 4,500 sq.ft (for MK63) which is perfect for medium-sized homes.
• Expandable — Add satellites to expand coverage even further. This mesh Wi-Fi system supports Wi-FiEasyMesh™ for compatibility.
• Single Wi-Fi Name and Password — Single network name provides seamless room-to-room roaming throughout your home so you can stream without the signal dropping.

Pricing and Availability:

The NETGEAR devices are available through authorized NETGEAR store at an introductory price point of:

• Nighthawk Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System MK62 at INR 17,499/-
• Nighthawk Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System MK63 at INR 25,999/-

NETGEAR has pioneered advanced networking technologies for homes, businesses, and service providers around the world since 1996 and leads the industry with a broad range of award-winning products designed to simplify and improve people’s lives.

By enabling people to collaborate and connect to a world of information and entertainment, NETGEAR is dedicated to delivering innovative and advanced connected solutions ranging from mobile and cloud-based services for enhanced control and security, to smart networking products, video over Ethernet for Pro AV applications, and performance gaming routers to enhance online game play.  The company is headquartered out of San Jose, Calif. with offices located around the globe.

Trai Stresses on Expansion of Wifi Hotspots for Connectivity Push

Telecom regulator Trai on Friday stressed on the need to expand Wifi hotspots in the country, and said acceptance of its proposals on 'Wifi access network interface' could provide fillip to such connectivity.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) Chairman R S Sharma said that telecom operators, at times, feel that having Wifi hotspots will impact sale of data through wireless, which is a "short-term thinking".

The total number of Wifi hotspots in the country is less than 1,00,000, while in smaller markets like France the number of Wifi hotspots are close to 1.8 million.

"We were talking that we will end up having large number of Wifi hotspots, hundreds of millions of Wifi hotspots...we have not been able to do it.

"Somehow or the other the telecom service providers feel that if I have Wifi hotspots then my sale of data through the wireless will go down, but that is a very short-term thinking in my view and what we need to do is to proliferate wifi as much as possible," Sharma said.

He was speaking in a webinar on the ‘role of Wifi in broadband proliferation' organised by Broadband India Forum (BIF). Sharma said one of the most important use cases of 5G in India will be to provide fixed wireless access.

Asked when Trai could be expected to start 6 GHz spectrum consultation process, Sharma said that work on that would start once there is reference from the telecom department on the same.

"As of now we don't have any reference from Department of Telecom on the subject.

“Typically on spectrum question...while we have the mandate to, and can start suo moto consultation on any of the issues... typically on spectrum questions, their reserve prices and other kinds of issue... we get references from DoT. My short answer is we will start the consultation when we get the reference from DoT," he said.

Speaking at the webinar, US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai said that during his visit to India in February, he had a discussion with DoT secretary around 6 GHz radiowaves.

"During my visit to India in February, I had a good discussion with Secretary (Anshu) Prakash about our 6 GHz efforts, so I know that India is interested in exploring the possibilities of unlicensed use in this band," Pai said in the online the event.

The internet has become the "indispensable platform" for innovation, job creation, and free expression, Pai said.

Promoting the availability of Wifi and advances in this technology are key pieces of any strategy to provide connectivity for all, he added.

"Wifi will be even more important in the years to come. By one estimate, the economic value created by Wifi in the United States is projected to double by 2023—reaching nearly USD 1 trillion," Pai said while outlining measures taken by the US regulator to harness the power of Wifi for bridging digital divide.

Sharma said that in contrast to other countries, in India only seven per cent data rides on fixed access, while 93 per cent comes from wireless.

"We have huge data coming on wireless and therefore (it) puts load on the spectrum in some sense, the quality of service gets affected," he said.

While tech adoption takes place fast in India, it is the frugal, interoperaple and scalable technologies that work the best and succeed in this market.

"We gave proposal for Wifi access network interface and we gave this proposal after huge consultation and pilot...," he said urging DoT to look into the issue.

Trai had mooted an 'unbundled and distributed model' for proliferation of broadband through public Wifi networks, under which a PDO (interested companies, even a small shop owners) can establish and maintain Wifi hotspots and delivery of broadband services.

PDO (public data office) would be supported by PDO aggregator and app provider in performing other functions. A PDOA would aggregate multiple wifi hotspots being operated by individual PDOs and authorise authenticated subscribers to use them for accessing broadband services. PTI MBI

Boost your Wi-Fi with Tenda’s New Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi Routers System

All new mesh routers from Tenda exhibits top of the line features making your Work from Home experience smooth

 As the world is battling with COVID-19 pandemic, all necessary steps are being taken to prevent further spread of the viral infection. One of the key measures that are being incorporated is Work from Home and millions of individuals are implementing it. But certainly without a good Wi-Fi network, one cannot simply boost productivity. Therefore, it is equally important to have good Wi-Fi router that offers superior connectivity in your living space. To address all these problems, Tenda, a leading provider of networking devices offers its MW3 AC1200 and Nova MW6 Whole Home Mesh WiFi Router System to cover a large space with consistent Wi-Fi signals while eliminating the dead spots within the house.

[caption id="attachment_146928" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Tenda MW3 Mesh Router[/caption]

Tenda MW3 is a 1200Mbps dual-band distribution mesh Wi-Fi system designed for 100-300㎡ houses, bringing in Wi-Fi coverage, as well as fast and stable internet connection to cover your household. Pack of 3 provides you with up to 300㎡ Wi-Fi range; while pack of 2 provides up to 200㎡ Wi-Fi range and is also ideal for more than 1 floor houses. Compliant with IEEE 802.11v and IEEE 802.11r seamless roaming protocols, MW3 supports automatic network optimization and automatic routing selection, allowing one to enjoy a more stable and flexible wireless network while Nova MW6 is powered with Mesh technology, a set of three units covers home up to 6,000 square feet with strong Wi-Fi signals. It’s Smart Auto-path Selection Technology to ensure a robust wireless network and maximize a faster home internet.

Equipped with MU-MIMO and Smart QoS Intelligence Technology features, Tenda MW3 offers unrivalled coverage and stable performance. MU-MIMO Technology ensures a stable wireless connection and increases the quality of connected clients and data processing while QoS Intelligence Technology allocates bandwidth to ensure smooth streaming, gaming, downloading and uninterrupted video chat at the same time.  Tenda Nova MW6 comes equipped with Beamforming Technology which helps in focusing transmit power onto wireless devices for better signal strength apart from MU-MIMO technology.

Speaking on the development, John Dong, Director, Tenda India commented, “In this time of pandemic, we have witnessed a massive surge in remote working. To remain effective and efficient, there is an increasing demand for networking-related products such as Wi-Fi routers, range extenders, and other devices. Our Wi-Fi Mesh router systems promises to remove issues such as Wi-Fi dead spots by providing the bandwidth and processing needed to reduce congestion and increase overall work efficiency."

Tenda MW3 and Nova MW come with enhanced smart management and security features which help in managing networks easily and from anywhere. One of the unique features that make Tenda Mesh routers stand apart from its competitors is its “Smart Tenda Wi-Fi App” which allows one to have easy access to the device and also blocking any unauthorized users with a single tap. They also support Parental Control to help parents with the internet safely while kids are accessing the internet and Guest Network to protect personal privacy as well. Also, Tenda Nova MW6 works with Alexa to control your compatible devices.

Key Features: 

• 300㎡ and 6,000 square feet WiFi range


• Compliant with IEEE 802.11v and IEEE 802.11r seamless roaming protocols


• MU-MIMO, Smart QoS Intelligence and Beamforming Technology


• Smart Auto-path Selection Technology


• Alexa Inbuilt


• One Single SSID and Password


• Ethernet Backhaul


• Guest Network


• Cloud Management


• Smart Tenda Wi-Fi App

Pricing and Availability:

Tenda MW3 and MW6 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi Router System are available through authorized partners and other reseller channels across India. Both mesh routers are available on Amazon at Market Operating Price of Rs. 15,999/- (Tenda MW6) and Rs.9, 999/- (Tenda MW3).

Founded in 1999, Tenda technology is the worldwide leader in networking devices and equipment. Tenda has committed to delivering easy-to-install and affordable networking solutions, offering innovative, cutting-edge products to realize people's intelligent life. The brand has been successfully providing cutting edge technology in home networking, business networking, switch, broadband CPE, gateway, power lines, mobile broadband, and IP camera, etc.  As the first home-grown router and wireless network device manufacturer in China, Tenda has been a pioneer in adopting the latest technology and professional service system to offer a reliable network.

"BroadBand for All": BIF Pushes for Implementation of TRAI's Public Wi-Fi Recommendations

The Broadband India Forum (BIF) on Sunday threw its weight behind regulator Trai's recommendations on public wi-fi, saying its implementation will help achieve the government's 'Broadband for All' and 'Digital India' objectives and aid business and job creation.

In a statement, BIF rued that in the period of four years that Trai's recommendations "remained unactioned", the country could have suffered a "large and irretrievable loss".

BIF President T V Ramachandran said Trai's recommendations on public wi-fi will encourage village level entrepreneurship and provide large employment opportunities at local level, especially in rural areas, thus propelling socio-economic development and inclusion, as well as rural digital connectivity.

Last week, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had contested the Department of Telecom's views that public data office aggregators (PDOAs) which had been proposed by it, should operate under licence norms applicable for internet providers (ISPs) and virtual network operators (VNOs).

"Asking PDOAs to operate under Unified Licence (VNO-ISP), which is designed to regulate integrated ISPs, would defeat the whole purpose of this exercise, and kill the innovation at initial stage itself...the authority does not agree with the DoT proposal of granting UL (VNO-ISP) license to PDOA," Trai said.

The regulator has said that registrations for PDOA, app provider and Central Registry Agency -- all of which form crucial elements of its blueprint for proliferation of broadband through public wi-fi networks -- should have pan-India operations permission.

"Further, for pan India operations a one-time registration fee of Rs 10,000 for app provider and PDOA is recommended," Trai said responding to the views received from the Department of Telecom (DoT) on its past recommendations on public wi-fi networks.

Trai has argued that regulating PDOAs through the existing unified licence or VNO licence norms would not be feasible as aggregators would not be able to comply with many terms and conditions of such licence.

Under the 'unbundled and distributed model' mooted by Trai for proliferation of broadband through public wi-fi networks, a PDO (interested companies, even small shop owners) can establish and maintain wi-fi hotspots and delivery of broadband services.

The PDO would be supported by PDO aggregator and app provider in performing other functions. A PDOA would aggregate multiple wi-fi hotspots being operated by individual PDOs and authorise authenticated subscribers to use them for accessing broadband services.

BIF stated that in the interregnum of four years that Trai's public wi-fi recommendations remained unactioned, the country "could well have suffered a large and irretrievable loss".

"If these TRAI recommendations had been accepted back then, the common man, the economy and the nation as a whole would have reaped rich and wondrous benefits...if we go by World Bank's finding in 2009, that a 10 per cent increase in broadband penetration leads to a 1.38 per cent increase in GDP growth for low income countries (like India); or as shown again by ICRIER in 2017, that a 10 per cent increase in total internet traffic in India leads to... 3.3 per cent increase in GDP," it said.

BIF said that the telecom regulator's recommendation on public wi-fi will result in explosive growth in business and employment opportunities for small local or village-level entrepreneurs, kirana stores, tea-shops and the likes, besides providing affordable broadband to all.

The think-tank and policy forum for digital communications noted that India's broadband penetration is currently less than 50 per cent if one takes into account unique subscribers, although there are about 686 million total broadband connections, majority of whom are in the urban areas and having multiple SIMs.

The percentage of users who access broadband using public wi-fi hotspots are minimal due to lack of availability of the same, BIF said. PTI MBI

NETGEAR Orbi RBK50 Mesh System to Augment Your Home Wi-Fi Network for Improved Work Efficiency

India is at a major stage in its fight with the global pandemic and during this period, social distancing has become essential for each and every individual. Remote working has become an essential part of many organizations as it allows us to do our part in bringing the pandemic to an end and goes a long way in ensuring the health and wellness of the community.

With the new norm, i.e., "work from home", most professionals today are working from home during the pandemic; it has become a necessity to have a good and secure home networking solution. Weak Wi-Fi is the paramount concern when it comes to the topic of remote workers. The dead spots, unreliable connections, and slow speed hamper everyday productivity. To overcome these networking challenges NETGEAR offers its Orbi Mesh RBK50 to provide a seamless experience throughout the house. 

The new Orbi Systems all deliver industry-leading 802.11ac AC3000 Wi-Fi speeds up to 2.2Gbps*, so one can enjoy the seamless Wi-Fi experience everywhere in their home, without any dead zones from the attic to the basement, patio to the garage, front yard to back garden while streaming 4K HD video content. It also consists of a router and one or more satellites which is suitable to cover the surface area upto 200sqm. The RBk50 offers Wi-Fi coverage of up to 4,000 square feet and it also has an individual stand-alone router that covers up to 2,000 square feet. 



The RBK50 supports download speeds of upto 1.4Gbps, while Wi-Fi speeds can reach up to 2.2Gbps for devices that connect to Wi-Fi on your home network. The device can be controlled via the Orbi app or through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The Orbi system includes a Gigabit Ethernet port for the Internet WAN with VLAN 802.1Q support, and three Gigabit Ethernet ports for the LAN. The NETGEAR Orbi RBK50 Satellite has the four Gigabit Ethernet ports and it also has a USB 2.0 port like the Orbi Router. 

Speaking at the occasion Marthesh Nagendra, Country Manager India, ME & SAARC, NETGEAR commented, “Currently, Wi-Fi is now considered to be as critical as any other home utility, as work from home culture is becoming a new norm, it has become essential for remote workers to have a secure Wi-Fi connection where they would have a flawless network connectivity that will prove to be crucial to their overall work from home experience. The NETGEAR Orbi Tri-band Wi-Fi solutions provide the consumers with the best Wi-Fi experience for an even broader range of households which improve their overall work productivity.” 

Salient Features:

• Ultra-Performance Whole-Home Mesh Wi-Fi System–Covers large homes up to 5,000 sq. ft with fast Wi-Fi. System includes a Wi-Fi router and one satellite.


• Fast Internet speeds for all devices- The dedicated Wi-Fi connection gives you the fastest and most consistent Internet speeds available, even as more devices connect.


• Stream and play even faster with up to 3 Gbps combined Wi-Fi speeds.


• Orbi creates one seamless network, so as you move from room to room, your signal won't drop.


• Quick & easy setup with the Orbi app–Pause Wi-Fi, do a quick speed test, set up Smart Parental Controls, and much more 


• NETGEAR Armor™ - Best-in-class anti-virus and data theft protection for ALL of your smartphones and computers. Protects your connected home from internet threats.


• Works with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant so you can use voice commands to control your home Wi-Fi network.


• Circle® Smart Parental Controls–A smart way for families to manage content and time online on any connected device.


• Guest Network–Easily set up a separate and secure Wi-Fi network for visitors to use without sharing your home’s Wi-Fi password.

As part of the Orbi family of mesh Wi-Fi systems, one can also add satellites such as Orbi Voice or Orbi Outdoor to gain greater coverage and additional features, such as a smart speaker and Alexa voice assistant. This Orbi router also includes the capability of adding Armor advanced cybersecurity and Circle Smart Parenting Controls to the network. 

NETGEAR Armor™ powered by Bitdefender on the Orbi Mesh WiFi Systems is a cybersecurity solution that protects all internet-connected devices in one’s home from viruses, malware, stolen passwords, identity theft and hacking, whether one is at home or on the go.

Circle Smart Parenting Controls is the smart way for families to manage content and time online, on any connected device. With the app, parents can easily create daily time limits for apps and websites, set filter levels for each family member and pause internet by device or by family member.

About NETGEAR, Inc.: 

NETGEAR is a global networking company that delivers innovative products to consumers, businesses and service providers. The Company's products are built on a variety of proven technologies such as wireless (Wi-Fi and LTE), Ethernet and powerline, with a focus on reliability and ease-of-use. The product line consists of wired and wireless devices that enable networking, broadband access and network connectivity. These products are available in multiple configurations to address the needs of the end-users in each geographic region in which the Company's products are sold. NETGEAR products are sold in approximately 30,000 retail locations around the globe, and through approximately 25,000 value-added resellers, as well as multiple major cable, mobile and wireline service providers around the world. The company's headquarters are in San Jose, Calif., with additional offices in approximately 25 countries.

US Providers Offer Free Wi-Fi for 60 Days

US internet and wireless providers have announced temporary measures to make getting online less expensive and onerous as enforced social distancing due to the new coronavirus forces more human interaction online.

Most notable is Comcast's free public Wi-Fi for all for 60 days, effective Saturday. Major metropolitan areas are thick with Comcast's Xfinity-branded hotspots.

"I don't get to say this often: Bravo Comcast!" tweeted Alex Stamos, a Stanford University internet security expert.Home-based Xfinity hotspots are not included, said Comcast spokesman Joel Shadle, but Wi-Fi access points in public locations and at small businesses are.

AT&T and Charter Communications also announced free public Wi-Fi for 60 days, with Charter offering free broadband for households with students through college age who don't already have a subscription.

Verizon was among the many providers to also announce a moratorium on late fees and disconnections.

T-Mobile announced that it would provide unlimited smartphone data to all current subscribers and increase the data allowance to schools and students using their digital learning programs.

Cox said it would increase speeds on low-cost broadband plans and Sprint said it would give subscribers unlimited data for 60 days, among other changes. Comcast and AT&T also temporarily lifted data caps.

The announcements followed a plea Thursday to internet providers by Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia and 17 other colleagues in the Senate. (AP)

Huawei Wi-Fi 6 Enabled ACT Built Wi-Fi Hotspots Designed for High-Density Environments such as Malls, Stations, and Airports

Recently, leveraging Huawei Wi-Fi 6, Atria Convergence Technologies (ACT) has built Wi-Fi hotspots designed for high-density environments such as shopping malls, stations, and airports. Enterprises and residents get to enjoy a superior Wi-Fi experience, while the overall operation quality and efficiency of cities improved.

ACT, the largest Internet Service Provider (ISP) in South India, provides services in five states: Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi. ACT brings state-of-the-art services, including Fibernet (Internet over fiber optics), digital TV, and High-Definition TV (HDTV) to more than 2 million satisfied customers in the country.

With a vision to become the most admired in-home entertainment, education, and interactive service company in India, ACT strives to create radical social transformation and empower customers.

To achieve this vision, ACT has transformed the way they provide enterprise access and hotspot services, as the company grows its Internet Access Provider (IAP) business. Indeed, Wi-Fi hotspot services have become one of the company's most popular offerings.

The Surge in the Number of Wireless Terminals Is Straining Wi-Fi Networks

ACT plans to develop urban Wi-Fi hotspots featuring comprehensive and outstanding informatization capabilities. By doing so, ACT aims to lay a solid foundation to drive innovation in cities, improving their overall strength and competitiveness.

Against this backdrop, ACT is committed to bringing one-stop information services to governments, enterprises, households, and individuals, while building a high-quality business and living environment for customers. The widespread deployment of Wi-Fi hotspots will play a pivotal role in a city's development, benefiting commercial enterprises, social management, and public services, as well as improving the quality of life for residents.

In India, the rapid development of mobile Internet and the popularity of smart terminals have led to a surge in the number of connected devices at urban centers, such as stations and airports. As such, building outstanding Wi-Fi networks has become a top priority for the company. However, a host of challenges need to be addressed before Wi-Fi can be monetized, such as ensuring high-density access, achieving uninterrupted network access while roaming, and simplifying access authentication.

Huawei Wi-Fi 6 Solution Optimizes Wi-Fi Coverage, Simplifies O&M, and Broadens Business Opportunities

To meet the requirements of densely populated areas, ACT has adopted Huawei's industry-leading Wi-Fi 6 solution. This solution consists of a Wi-Fi network, a network management center, and a platform for operations.

Wi-Fi Network: Access Points (APs) are deployed to build versatile Wi-Fi networks that can handle a wide range of scenarios. With Huawei's advanced network planning and optimization tools integrated in the solution, access experience is assured even in high-density and highly mobile environments.

Network management center: APs distributed across different areas can be centrally managed. The center also offers unified authentication management and policy control over wireless access users, simplifying and securing access to Wi-Fi networks.

Operation Platform: provides a range of Value-Added Services (VASs) through comprehensive and high-quality wireless signal coverage, such as advertisements, direct marketing, and big data analytics, helping ACT improve the business value of their Wi-Fi service.

ACT Contributes to Enterprise and Social Development Without Sacrificing Business Monetization

Leveraging Huawei Wi-Fi 6, ACT built Wi-Fi hotspots designed for high-density environments such as shopping malls, stations, and airports. Enterprises and residents get to enjoy a superior Wi-Fi experience, while the overall operation quality and efficiency of cities improved. In addition, Huawei's solution promotes the monetization of Wi-Fi hotspots and accelerates ACT growth by offering:

Higher business benefits and service quality: Huawei's Wi-Fi 6 solution helps ACT provide ubiquitous Wi-Fi connections for commercial enterprises and residents. Better connectivity encourages residents to in shopping malls and public areas for longer, boosting the development of local enterprises.

Higher development efficiency across industries: Huawei's solution simplifies IT infrastructure for enterprises and sectors such as government, education, and aviation, reducing investment costs for industry customers while enhancing user experience.

Higher public satisfaction: Huawei's solution provides high-speed and stable Internet access, significantly improving the satisfaction for residents and tourists alike.

Excellent Wi-Fi experience: Featuring high bandwidth, low latency, and seamless roaming, users are able to get a world-class Wi-Fi experience. In addition, this solution provides comprehensive user security authentication policies and supports interconnection with third-party authentication and accounting servers, accelerating the monetization of Wi-Fi for ACT.

For more information, please visit https://e.huawei.com/en/case-studies/leading-new-ict/2019/act-wifi6

‘Airtel Wi-Fi Calling’ Crosses One Million Users

In one of the fastest uptake of a new network technology in India, Airtel Wi-Fi Calling has already crossed one million users. 

Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”) was the first mobile operator to introduce Voice over Wi-Fi in India. Following the extremely positive customer feedback, the company has accelerated the roll-out of its innovative service across the country. 

• Airtel Wi-Fi Calling is now available to Airtel mobile customers across India. 


• Also, the service can now be accessed by Airtel mobile customers over any Home or Public Wi-Fi network, making their indoor service experience truly seamless.    

Airtel Wi-Fi Calling leverages cutting edge technology to enhance the indoor voice calling experience for Airtel smartphone customers. It uses Wi-Fi networks to create a dedicated channel for voice calls and allows customers to make telco grade calls to any network. This dramatically improves customer experience as customers can seamlessly switch to Airtel Wi-Fi Calling.

There is no extra charge for making calls via Airtel Wi-Fi Calling and customers can get started on Airtel Wi-Fi calling on their smartphone without the need for any additional calling App/ SIM.

Randeep Sekhon, CTO – Bharti Airtel said: “We are delighted with the extremely positive customer response for Airtel Wi-Fi Calling. The technology has truly transformed the indoor network quality for Airtel mobile customers, particularly in high population density areas in urban markets. Airtel is also the first to make the service LIVE across India and our customers can use the feature on any Wi-Fi.”      

Here is how you can get started with Airtel Wi-Fi Calling

1. Check device compatibility on airtel.in/wifi-calling


2. Upgrade device operating software to the latest version that supports Wi-Fi Calling*


3. Now, go to Settings on your mobile phone and Switch On Wi-Fi Callingto get started


4. Keep VoLTE switched on as well for a seamless experience 

Airtel has been engaging with smartphone manufacturers to make all popular smartphone models compatible with the service.  Over 100 smartphone models across 16 brands are now compatible with Airtel Wi-Fi Calling. 

 

Airtel Wi-Fi Calling compatible smartphones 

Brand	Count	Models
Xiaomi	7	Redmi K20, Redmi K20 Pro, POCO F1, Redmi 7A, Redmi 7, Redmi Note 7 Pro & Redmi Y3
Samsung	14	Galaxy J6, A10s, On6, M30s, S10, S10+, S10e,M20, Note 10, Note 9, Note 10+, M30, A30s, A50S
OnePlus	6	One Plus 7, One Plus 7T, One Plus 7Pro, One Plus 7T Pro, One Plus 6, One Plus 6T
Apple	28	iPhone models starting 6s and above (including all Variations of different models)
Vivo	2	V15 Pro, Y17
Tecno	10	Phantom 9, Spark Go Plus, Spark Go, Spark Air, Spark 4 (KC2), Spark 4-KC2J, Camon Ace 2, Camon Ace 2X, Camon12 Air, Spark Power
SPICE	2	Spice F311, Spice M5353
ITEL	1	A46
INFINIX	9	Hot 8, S5 Lite , S5, Note 4, Smart 2, Note 5, S4, Smart 3, Hot 7
Mobiistar	6	C1, C1 Lite, C1 Shine, C2, E1 Selfie, X1 Notch
CoolPad	5	Cool 3, Cool 5, Note 5, Mega 5C, Note 5 Lite
Gionee	2	F205 Pro, F103 Pro
Asus	2	Zen Phone Pro, Zen Pro Max
Micromax	3	Infinity N12, N11, B5
Xolo	1	XOLO ZX
Panasonic	4	P100,  Eluguray 700,  P95, P85 NXT
Total	102

For more details, log on to airtel.in/wifi-calling

 *This update is provided by handset manufacturer. Check with handset brand if you cannot find this upgrade.

Reliance Jio Launches Voice and Video Calling Over Wi-Fi

Reliance Jio on Wednesday launched voice and video calling over Wi-Fi service that will allow customers to switch seamlessly from LTE to Wi-Fi-based calling when they are at home or office.

The company said Jio Wi-Fi calling - which works on the largest ecosystem of handsets - will also allow users to make video calls over Wi-Fi. The service would be available for free.

The announcement comes less than a month after rival Airtel launched a similar service in Delhi-NCR.

Jio said it has been "testing this service over the past few months to provide a robust experience to every customer at launch".

Customers can use any Wi-Fi network for Jio Wi-Fi-calling. The voice and video calls will seamlessly switch over between VoLTE and Wi-Fi to provide an enhanced voice/video-calling experience, it added.

"At this juncture, when an average Jio consumer uses over 900 minutes of voice calls every month, and at a growing base of consumers, the launch of Jio Wi-Fi Calling will further enhance every Jio consumer's voice-calling experience, which is already a benchmark for the industry with India's-first all VoLTE network," Reliance Jio Director Akash Ambani said.

Jio Wi-Fi Calling will be enabled pan-India between January 7 and 16, the statement said.

Airtel launches ‘Airtel Wi-Fi Calling’ - India’s first Voice over Wi-Fi service

• Enables Airtel smartphone customers to switch seamlessly from LTE to Wi-Fi based calling when they are inside their homes/offices


• No extra charge for voice calls made with ‘Airtel Wi-Fi Calling’


• Currently available in Delhi/NCR. To be rolled out across the country in the coming days

In yet another industry first, Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”), India’s largest integrated telecommunications company, today launched its voice over Wi-Fi service –‘Airtel Wi-Fi Calling’.

‘Airtel Wi-Fi Calling’ is designed to enhance voice calling experience for Airtel smartphone customers, especially when they are indoors. With ‘Airtel Wi-Fi Calling’, customers with Wi-Fi at home or office will get excellent signal quality indoors. There will be no extra charge for calls made over ‘Airtel Wi-Fi Calling’ and the application consumes minimal data. The service is currently available to Airtel customers in Delhi NCR and will be gradually rolled out across India.

Randeep Sekhon, Chief Technology Officer, Bharti Airtel said, “As a customer obsessed brand, we are constantly working on improving customer experience based on their feedback. Seamless indoor coverage has been a key ask from mobile customers but getting permissions for site installations has always been a big challenge for mobile operators, particularly in top metros. ‘Airtel Wi-Fi Calling’ is another pioneering technology intervention from Airtel and will go a long way in making the voice calling experience more seamless.”

‘Airtel Wi-Fi Calling’ does not require any app and can be configured on the smartphone by following the steps mentioned below:

1. Check smartphone compatibility on airtel.in/wifi-calling

2. Upgrade device operating software to the latest version that supports Wi-Fi Calling*

3. Go to Settings on your mobile phone and Switch On Wi-Fi Calling

4. Keep VoLTE switched on as well for a seamless experience

Currently, the following smartphones support ‘Airtel Wi-Fi Calling’

• Apple: All iPhone series starting 6s and above


• Xiaomi: Redmi K20, Redmi K20 Pro & POCO F1


• Samsung: J6, A10s, On6, M30s


• OnePlus: All models of OnePlus 7 Series

Airtel is working with all leading smartphone brands to roll out compatibility with ‘Airtel Wi-Fi Calling’.

The service is currently compatible with Airtel Xstream Fiber home broadband and will soon be compatible with all broadband services and Wi-Fi hotspots.

Google launches AI Research Lab in Bengaluru; To Launch WiFi in Gujarat Villages

Google at its 5th edition of ‘Google For India’ event announced the opening of ‘Google Research India’, an artificial intelligence (AI) research lab in Bengaluru, to "tackle big problems", the technology giant announced on Thursday during its fifth edition of Google for India event.

The newly launched lab will be led by Manish Gupta, a SEM (Society for Experimental Mechanics) fellow, and Professor Milind Tambe, who is Director of Harvard Centre for Computation & Society, will serve as director of AI for social good.

According to Google, Professor Tambe will build a research programme around applying AI to tackle big problems in areas like healthcare, agriculture, or education.

All aboard for Google Research India? AI, AI.
🔊Jay Yagnik talks about how the Bangalore-based center aims to deliver world-class research and bring the benefits of AI to everyone. #GoogleForIndia

▶️ https://t.co/2xqmGyuQBL pic.twitter.com/eLH7TMHVcK

— Google India (@GoogleIndia) September 19, 2019

The team at Google Research India lab will focus on two pillars -- 1) advancing fundamental computer science and AI research by building a strong team and partnering with the research community across the country; 2) applying this research to tackle big problems in fields like healthcare, agriculture, and education while also using it to make apps and services used by billions of people, more helpful.

#ICYMI here are the key announcements from the 5th edition of #GoogleForIndia.

▶️ https://t.co/4CI0mJzfuO pic.twitter.com/1pKBDm3WDy

— Google India (@GoogleIndia) September 19, 2019

Fast Public WiFi in Gujarat Villages

Google in its flagship event also announced the partnership with BSNL to bring "fast, reliable and secure public WiFi to villages in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Bihar" and with National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC) for their Skill India programme to make entry-level jobs easily discoverable online.

Google has also launched an initiative to help millions of Indians who use 2G phones get the information they need, without requiring data or an internet connection. The Vodafone-Idea Phone Line -- supported by the Google Assistant -- enables Vodafone-Idea users to call a single number free of charge (000 800 9191000), at any time, and ask for everything -- from sports scores, traffic conditions and weather forecasts or get help with homework. Starting 19th September, Google has expanded the service to all English- and Hindi-speaking Vodafone-Idea customers across India.

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who was a guest at the event, said, “Digital India was designed to ensure digital inclusion... I don't have a slightest doubt that Google has a crucial role in helping India achieve its goal of a trillion dollar digital economy.”

Talking about Bolo, a speech-based app that helps children learn to read, that Google launched in March 2019, Sapna Chadha, director of marketing, Southeast Asia & India, said, “Bolo has already helped 800,000 young Indians read stories more than three million times, and speak half a billion words.”

Bolo was already available in Hindi and English and now it has been expanded to five new Indian languages -- Bangla, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. Google has also partnered with publishers like Chota Bheem and Katha Kids to provide more Indic-languages content.

Public WiFi Hotspots in India to reach 21 Lakh by 2021: DigiAnalysis

New Delhi, Aug 22 (PTI) Public WiFi hotspots in the country are expected to see sevenfold jump to 21 lakh by 2021, according to estimates prepared by digital media platform DigiAnalysis.

The firm estimates that the total number of WiFi hotpsots in the country stands at around 3.06 lakh currently, with state-owned Bharat Broadband Network Ltd (BBNL) owning over 2.2 lakh units.

"India's public WiFi hotspots numbers will witness sevenfold jump in the next 2 years from 0.3 million in 2019 to 2.1 million in 2021 thanks to the government schemes both central and state," DigiAnalysys said in a statement on Thursday.

Telecom operators have promised the government to install 10 lakh WiFi hotspots by December this year.

According to estimates shared by DigiAnalysis, after BBNL, BSNL tops the chart with 49,300 WiFi hotspots. It is followed by Reliance Jio with 6,500 hotspots, QuadGen Wireless 6,000, Smart Cities 5,000, RailTel 1,618, Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel 1,000 each, L&T SW&C 800 and 15,000 other WiFi hotspots.

"India has already achieved 3,06,918 WiFi hotspots and is strongly poised to achieve 2.1 million by 2021," DigiAnalysys Director Pravin Prashant said.

He also said the jump is expected mainly on the back of strong push by the government through BBNL BharatNet project, RailTel through railway stations, Ministry of Urban Development through smart cities project and MHRD (Ministry of Human Resource Department) through colleges in the country

In the next two years, India will witness additions of around 1.25 million public WiFi hotspot in gram panchayats, 20,000 in colleges, 50,000 in smart cities, 4,791 in category B,C,D and E railway stations (of these, 800 stations are situated in 115 backward districts), retail outlets and others, the statement said. PTI PRS

Cisco, Google's 'gStation' to Roll out Public WiFi Across India starting with Bengaluru

US networking giant Cisco on Monday said it is collaborating with Google for its 'gStation' offering that provides access to free and high-speed WiFi at public locations across the country.

Under the partnership, Cisco is providing the network infrastructure and a pilot has been rolled out in Bengaluru. About 25 locations in the city are already live and another 200 locations will go live in the next 2-3 months. These locations include public spaces like bus stops, hospitals and government offices among others. Post that, it will be extended to 300 more locations in Bengaluru, and more cities in the country as well.

"This is a global partnership and India is the first country, where we are rolling this out," Cisco President (India and SAARC) Sameer Garde said at the Cisco India Summit 2019.

The development comes within a week after Cisco has signed an MoU with the Kerala State IT Mission (KSITM) to bring the benefits of digital technology including Internet of Things (IoT) and data science to farming communities in Kerala, as part of its Country Digitization Acceleration (CDA) programme.

The project is being rolled out in partnership with D-VoiS - an Internet service provider in Bengaluru. The next locations being looked at include outskirts of Delhi, and cities in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.

"The success of digitisation and digital citizen services is closely tied to the proliferation of high-speed internet. The partnership represents a significant growth opportunity as the demand for public Wi-Fi hotspots is expected to go up by 100X over the next three years," he said.

In February this year, Google and Cisco had announced their global alliance.

According to a Trai (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) report, an estimated 8 million additional hotspots need to be installed to create new market opportunities for infrastructure providers and internet service providers. Currently, India has only 52,000 WiFi hotspots.

"Solving for access is one of the core pillars of our 'Next Billion Users' strategy, and with gStation we have developed a best in class public WiFi solution that provides a seamless, high-quality broadband experience to users," said Sajith Sivanandan, MD and Business Head, Google Pay and Next Billion User Initiatives, India.

The proliferation of public WiFi in India can provide a significant boost to the government's digital ambitions of ubiquitous connectivity and digital inclusion, and serve as a complementary network for telcom companies.

According to the Cisco VNI report, nearly 59 per cent of internet traffic is expected to be offloaded from cellular networks to WiFi by 2022, wherein lies the tremendous opportunity for ubiquitous dispersion of WiFi.

Google, through 'gStation', provides WiFi services in public locations in partnership with various entities. In partnership with RailTel, it has provided WiFi access across over 1,000 railway stations in the country.

Apart from India, Google has taken the model to other countries like Indonesia, Nigeria, Thailand and Mexico as well. PTI SR SVK

Free Android app allows Connectivity Boost by Bandwidth Sharing

Smartiply today announced the worldwide availability of its DataNinja app for Android devices on Google Play. DataNinja allows mobile phone and tablet users to combine bandwidth from trusted nearby mobile devices or Wi-Fi networks to harness reliable, speedy and secure Internet connections even in environments with weak and unreliable connectivity. The app is available in India for subscribers of all major mobile telecom operators including Jio, Vodafone-Idea, Airtel and BSNL Mobile.

The explosion of mobile data usage has put tremendous strain on network and cloud resources. In addition, many areas outside (and even within) cities and towns are plagued by poor network and other constraints that impact the end-user experience, especially with bandwidth hungry applications such as video streaming. However, family, friends and colleagues often spend time together and have multiple devices among them that are idle much of the time. DataNinja combines the capabilities of nearby devices through Smartiply’s patented Fog Computing technology, dramatically enhancing mobile users’ experience of video and data intensive applications even in places with weak connectivity.

DataNinja offers the following benefits to users:

1. Speedy & reliable connectivity by combining networks- Merge Wi-Fi and cellular networks on their own phone to get a significantly faster experience.


2. Sharing Internet bandwidth with friends & family- Link bandwidth of multiple trusted devices to create a fog network to get higher-speed uploading and downloading. Users don't need to share passwords to share bandwidth.


3. Seamless self-healing connections- The failover technology ensures uninterrupted and seamless performance even when one of the connections drops.


4. Security, privacy and control- All data is encrypted and routed over multiple links within Smartiply’s VPN network to ensure security and privacy. Data metering provides usage tracking and allows users to set limits on sharing.\

Details about the features and a product video can be found at smartiply.com/DataNinja

"We want to inspire people to share with each other, rely on our technology to provide a delightful experience, and count on us for bandwidth rescue while on-the-go” said Smartiply Co-Founder and CEO, Kaushik Pillalamarri.

Smartiply, Inc. is a mobile technology start-up headquartered in New Jersey, USA. By creating a fusion between Fog Computing and Internet of Things (IoT), Smartiply is the first platform that enables resource sharing and collaboration among connected devices. Co-founded by Dr. Junshan Zhang and Dr. Mung Chiang, who have been credited with pioneering Transactional Networks and Fog Computing, the startup sprouted out of Arizona State University and Princeton University in 2015. The company is backed by Wistron Corporation, a strategic partner and world leader in original design manufacturing. Smartiply has deployed its technology commercially, delivering value and ROI, and continues to build innovative products based on its platform. The platform software development kit (SDK) can be incorporated by system integrators, operators, device manufacturers, video streaming companies and third-party developers to provide differentiated experience to their end users. Smartiply is actively driving SDK partnership opportunities globally.