4G – LTE Advance or Wimax Ecosystem

We had discussed part of the ecosystem- far reaching, direct understandable, customer requirement point of view which can be directly converted into revenue generating demand.

But there are many bigger drivers required to enrich this 4G ecosystem. If you are only customer of this 4G world then just to know it is enough, rest all may have to ponder lot many thoughts and put your business decisions to support it. Let us see some of the key drivers-enablers and hence essential part of 4G ecosystem.

1)      Spectrum:  Digital dividend band of @ 700MHz~800Mhz and other bands 900Mhz, 1900Mhz, 1GHz above(but cost of raising towers will increase with this)

Scarce and but still inefficiently used in India or so to say not futuristically planned so far.  Current scenario in over populous country like ours, spectrum remains scars even to provide enhanced quality voice services in many areas. Intense competition kept occupied some spectrums. Hopefully business economy itself will drive efficient usage habit. (Towards lighter note, as an Indian consumer by nature talkative- we do also contribute to this scarcity.) Rest spectrums been still be in use or critical for very essential stakeholders- Defence, ISRO, Space programme, other security and government agencies. Their claims cannot be just ignored and future proof and safer solutions need to be handed over before they vacate commercially useful spectrum. It goes without saying somebody has to do it and somebody has to reimburse the bill J

2)      Was IPv4 enough if everything goes IP?

IPv6 adoption is required sooner or later. Anticipated scenario of every electronic gadget used for infotainment delivery or consumption will require its own address. Some goes to the extend and expand IP address need to your Freeze, AC, Cars and so on.. Whatever the scenario acceleration for adoption of IPv6 will be the need of the -if not the hour then couples of years only for sure.

The only saving grace here is already POC are running with some of the leading telecom, IT and educational institutes like IITs and IISc. And there is expected plan of converting all government web-sites IPv6 compatible.  Lot of activities like flesh of IPv4 over skeleton of IPv6 to ensure continuity etc etc been worked out or under advance stage of completing.

But the fact remains need for IPv6 to ensure expected QoS with 4G.

3)      Policy Decisions

This will be the single most critical for ensuring right turn for the future of technology and telecommunication industry in India. Many thing starting from spectrum, how to ensure and monitory QoS, network architectures like femto, pico to other end how to ensure seamless connectivity with 2G/3G, making voice compulsory or optional for 4G operator, reserve price.

 How to be technology agnostic, but can it be geography agnostic? If yes, then how can it ensure rural penetration of internet and ensure to narrow digital divide- to be addressed.

Finer balance to be made for optimal use of spectrum, commercial demand for business efficiency w.r.t technology and network management- (block of minimum 40MHz spectrum etc), and tune it with the constraint of scarcity of spectrum availability and level of competition to be maintained to avoid customer exploitation and business viability.

 If this not enough then first time policy is getting prepared for almost oven fresh technology which is still in nascent stage and rapidly evolving, making it even fewer examples/ models available to study, learn, get inspired or simply emulate.

These are just some of the exemplary issues which policy makers need to address under the huge botheration of 2G scam  and politically explosive matters like favouritism closure to Lokasabha election year maximum 2014.  

4)      Handset or Devices and user end equipments

This is my favourite topic and will like to reserve one for some other time.

This driver will not be just driven with happenings in India but greatly influenced by mighty of Google, Apple and the technological leaders envisaging this aspect and how it is fitting with global canvas -especially first part- handset/ Devices. It may change all together how we look at it right now. Yes, one additional factor for Indian perspective for the adoption of newer technology with rapid late some one individually or collectively need to subsidize the cost and reduce entry barrier in parlances of cost of voice communication at the rate of post card or handset availability @ Rs. 500/- with Monsoon Hungama. How to create Indica of this 4G tech at least as far pricing is considered... J 

Reliance Digital Retail Launches Privatelable Appliances before 4G Launch

Reliance Digital had launched private label RECONNECT for home appliances. This launch it appropriately placed just before its 4G launch by some other subsidiary of RIL. I feel connection. Note the point home appliances does not include refrigerators, washing machine like normal stuff at list in current phase-I. Interestingly other than digital entertainment all other products are very petty like iron, some mixi, torch, dryer etc (mostly <5,000 bucks). Big ticket items are sound systems, TV etc.. All about home digital entertainment. And to be branding name appears to be very suggestive and futuristic.
Why laptops, Tabs etc are kept out? Or is it deliberately kept out not to make things very obvious and will launched very very soon...

Oops! too much of speculation from my side. I really do not know but what I think I am penning it down.
If it happens to be a ounce true,  my admiration for the man with digital vision for India and his team will increase by 4G times :-) It will be some thing unique for the world. If it succeed and I strongly believe it will succeed. Lot many organization from different industries will need to go back to the drawing board and re-draw their Michael Porter's 5 Force Model once again becoz of this man from RIL ad his team in charge. These organization will be anywhere from retail, entertainment industry, content providers, digital & electronics appliances makers, social networking and search engine of the world as well...and Telecom Industry too. Did I mention the way advertising could happen may also get affected...
Power to control 3or4 screen of the life can bring the sea change and dethrone content from its Kingship. And Distribution can be King with content as its beautiful Queen. Content can be downloaded, side loaded, free/ partially paid or premium based on- from which screen you are using it or simply streamed on demand..

I believe 4G market is expanded much beyond living beings as customer even before launch.. (Wow1)..
A solution for town / public place security.. motion sensors..cams.. etc etc networked and transferring TBs of data.. (Wow2)
 and a small 4G chip in your digital entertainment appliances (Wow3).
There could be business case where you get digital appliances at dirt chip rate, you pay installment in terms of small charges over good long time for the content you surf/ view/download.. win-win for all (Wow4) Anyway, you do not need to make some one look like loosing for you to win..So its possible..
All these things are beyond regular 4G market of your enterprise business, cloud computing, laptops, tabs etc etc.. (Wow5)..

O God! Can not wait to see it becomes true.. Pls make it happen today? If not, its coming tomorrow. Need to see how market reacts. Suddenly will realize it is far from over for telecom as soon as we change the perspective. Now all that can get connected to Internet and need speed can contribute to a new business. Lotmany fusions and conversions will be in offering.

My take is even if this becomes open secrete, nothing is going to change as in current position by virtue of RIL's presence in business verticals, others will find it difficult to compete in mid-term.

If you have doubt about these speculation, just read it as some science fiction and forget it... In rarest case if it really does not happen, I will be saddened but at least I am happy could able to blog some science fiction.. which will be true some time latter..

UCC- NDNC to the customer friendly policies of NCPRF: Impact on U&R

Let us seekey features of this regulation:


• Communication window : 9AM to 9PM exception : transactional/ contractual communication

• Customer can subscribe to fully block or opt for partial blocking of UCC (unsolicited commercial calls)

• UCC been divided for this purpose into 1. financial 2. real estate 3. education 4. health 5. white / FMCG goods & auto 6. communication/ broadcasting/ entertainment/ IT 7. Tourism & leisure

• Toll free registration process through voice call or SMS on short digit 1909

• Within 7 days shall update to National Customer Preference Registration Facility (NCPRF)

• All SMS will receive with prefix XY-RZZZZZ

• (X: service provider & Y: service area, R: preference & ZZZZZ: Unique identification code allotted to telemarketer)

• All calls will receive with special numbering plan allotted under 140 series

• Hefty penalties for telemarketer upto Rs. 2.5 lac on 6th offence and blacklisting for the next 2 yrs

• Mandatory for every telemarketer to register with TRAI before receiving any telecommunication resources from service provider. And keep transactional communication resource separate from UCC

• Setting up customer complaint registration facility with toll free 1909

• No incoming facility on the resources used for UCC

• Maximum 100 SMS/day from any of the SIM irrespective of packs or services offered



It appears to be the great obstacle for all of us involved into CLM, promotions and U&R activities. But if we look closely it is just what we need for better customer lifecycle management. SMS and OBDs are just not the things to abuse as much as we can because it is dirt cheap. It is simply great thing and we have to just align ourselves to the changed rules and get maximum out of this. There are couple of things which we need to do. If you are interested let us discuss. Looking to get more comments from you all. Sharing the understanding make it robust universal knowledge bank.

Brief history of UCC and the customer friendly policies: series1

The background for UCC-Unsolicited Commercial Communication goes way back into year 2006. This is the year when TRAI has recognized problem of UCC. First time consultation paper to address UCC been published in the month of Nov-06. Multiple options been provided but most optimal and widely accepted option was to create National Do not Call (NDNC) Registry. And finally, Telecom Unsolicited Commercial Communication Regulation was born on 5th June-2007 and became legally binding.

In most of the aspect this regulation was based on the Canadian regulation and experience. It was the important first step towards the robust UCC laws expected to come in the future, but miles to go before that. In current state of the Regulation was simply basic and there were hardly any penalties. (max up to Rs. 500/- for noncompliance to the Telemarketer). And there were no provision for disincentive for the service provider at that time. Also there was no mention about QoS-complaint resolution time lines etc.
By the end of 2007, mid October NDNC registry been developed by NIC. And NIC was also expected to maintain it in the future. DoT has made mandatory for every telemarketer to register themselves with DoT. RBI also agreed to force all banks and financial institutes to appoint only DoT registered and approved telemarketers for any activities/ or as their DSAs.
Within a year of operation, 8.3 mil customers got registered with NDNC registry. TRAI also started tightening the loose end by Mar-2008. It was made then mandatory to put an option upfront in CAF for the new customer if he/she wishes to apply for NDNC. TRAI has started putting some customer education advertisements. RBI has also made it mandatory for bankers to employ only duely registered telemarketer. TRAI had asked service providers to provide 1909 toll free number for the existing customers to register for NDNC. Penalty tariff been revised up to Rs. 1,000/- and provision been introduced to disconnect telecom resources provided to frequent violators (telemarketers). Even there was introduction of financial disincentives for service providers starting from Rs. 5,000/- up to Rs. 20,000/-. And still there was one of the cirtical but most abused regulation guideline, largely violated and most of the times abused; that provision of the regulation is: mandatory declaration during any of the UCC (voice call or text) that it is commercial communication and if customer do not wish to receive such calls in future, he/she may contact the service provider…  .
Regulator did not stop here, in the month of Oct-2008, TRAI had given clear cut guidance about timely resolution of the complaints more welcome move in favour of consumers. Then decided time line was not more than 28 days to resolve any sort of complaints and followed with verifiable action taken report.

By one of the estimate there were approximately 10bil calls made which can be categorized as UCC. With these introduction there were significant curb came on voice UCC. But transaction through SMS has been increased. 1,700+ telemarketer has registered with DoT.

By the end of the yr-2008, TRAI has come long way by proposing to introduce National Customer Preference Registration Facility (NCPRF). Again NIC suppose to develop it. Laws had very stringent for UCC and financial disincentives in terms of significant penalties and plus always looming threat for 2 year straight blacklisting. This things obviously had lot of roadblock before getting to see light of the day- in terms of service provider least interested in introducing this, their major bulk business customers- telemarketer also had commercial interest against the rule. So nobody was in hurry of making this regulation as fact of the life. But customer does have big stake- Peace of mind. TRAI had came forcefully. DoT had also taken their own good time to release the required numbering series for the telemarketer but they did it finally. Regulation was tried to be put in place in bits-and-pieces. By the end of 2010, THE TELECOM COMMERCIAL COMMUNICATIONS CUSTOMER PREFERENCE REGULATIONS been proposed. We are yet to se the implementation of this regulation in totality. Finally in 2011, DoT has released the required numbering series '140 'completely (for Mobile and fix both)- critical point in implementing this regulation .

So let us speculate what will be the life post 27th Sep-2011 – the date as of now considered to be the dead line for full implementation of the telecom commercial communications customer preference regulation.