India to allow entry of mobile virtual network operators

October 1st, 2009 Court adviser says EU roaming cap law is validBRUSSELS — The EU was entitled to cap roaming rates in 2007 as network operators pocketed huge profits but resisted less drastic ways to cut the sky-high costs of using mobile phones in Europe, the EU advocate general said Thursday. The opinion by Advocate General Miguel Poiares Maduro now goes to the European Court of Justice, which often follows that advice.

August 31st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government is mulling a uniform licence fee for various services offered by telecom operators, a top official said here Monday. "The DoT (Department of Telecommunications) is considering implementing a uniform licence fee," said Telecom Secretary Siddhartha Behura at a conference organised by the Internet Service Providers Association of India.

July 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government has banned the import of Chinese handsets that do not have the international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) - a unique 15-digit security code - with immediate effect, a union minister said Thursday. "The government has prohibited the import of mobile handsets without IMEI number or with all zeroes in its place with immediate effect, Minister of State for Telecommunications Gurudas Kamat told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

June 30th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's telecom regulator Tuesday issued draft regulations for mobile number portability (MNP), highlighting the rights, obligations and duties of service providers. MNP allows users to switch operators without changing numbers.

June 22nd, 2009 BARCELONA - The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU), a global leader in money-transfer services, announced today the launch of its Digital Vendor Program intended to extend the reach and accessibility of Western Union Money Transfer(r) services to mobile finance initiatives in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. "Establishing a strong mobile vendor program is a critical step in the delivery of our 'Western Union Anywhere' service proposition," said Matt Dill, SVP and Head of Western Union Digital Ventures.

June 17th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Import of Chinese mobile phones without unique identity code numbers has been banned, India's commerce ministry announced. "Import of mobile handsets without International Mobile Equipment Identify (IMEI) number or with all-zero IMEI is prohibited with immediate effect, the Director General of Foreign Trade said in a notification.

April 4th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Cheap Chinese handsets that do not have an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) - a unique 15-digit identity code - will be phased out from the Indian market by April 13, industry operators said. The Department of Telecom (DoT) has directed telephone operators to disconnect services to handsets that do not have the IMEI code as such phones pose security threat, a telecom official said Saturday.

March 13th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Citibank today announced the launch of Citi Mobile, its mobile banking solution that combines the consumer need for convenient, on-the-go banking with advanced mobile technology that is compatible with popular mobile devices across most GSM operators. Through Citi Mobile, customers can check account balances, send money, issue drafts, pay bills, make credit card payments, register for services like e-Statements, request for a cheque book, stop payments and much more.

March 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Tata communications has signed an agreement with Poland-based mobile phone operator Play to route the latter's entire international call traffic, it was announced Wednesday. Play will implement Tata's voice termination product VTS Prime Solution to manage customer call quality.

February 26th, 2009 DHAKA - The mobile network in Bangladesh, except in parts of capital city Dhaka has been suspended due to the crisis following Wednesday's mutiny by troopers of paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) against their army officers. A senior official of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that they have asked the country's cellphone operators to disconnect mobile communications until further orders, following a government direction.

February 25th, 2009 NEW DELHI - You may have to wait a little more longer than expected before you start paying less to access the Internet through a high speed broadband network, as the telecom watchdog is yet to come out with the guidelines on the next generation network (NGN) that will enable telecom operators to offer better services at lower rates. Telecom operators have been asked to submit their comments on NGN by March 10, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said here Wednesday.

February 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's telecom watchdog has asked mobile telephony operators to prevent network congestion and ensure calls by subscribers do not get disconnected abruptly. Taking note of complaints regarding what are called 'call drops', the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), has written to telecom operators to ensure deficiency in service does not inconvenience subscribers.

January 18th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The new policy for Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) will be announced next month, Telecom Secretary Siddharth Behura said here Monday. Under the policy, a telecom operator can buy airtime for mobile phones in bulk and retail it to subscribers.

January 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Department of Telecom's (Dot) decision to ban mobile phones that do not have the international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) - a unique 15-digit identity code for handsets - has been deferred for 'some time', an official said. 'The order is still pending with the (telecom) ministry.

December 22nd, 2008 NEW DELHI - The government will soon come out with a policy on Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO), a senior official of the Department Of Telecommunications (DoT) said here Tuesday. 'MVNO policy is under consideration and we are hoping to come out with the policy by January 5, 2009, that is the last application date,' DoT Joint Secretary J.S.