The i4d News band services, open sky policy for Direct To Home (DTH) operators, lowering of customs duties on import of equipment, removal of service tax. The only important recommendation accepted is that DTH operators should be allowed to operate Internet and broadband services.
India to log the highest e-Com revenues among Asia-Pacific countries India is expected to log the highest compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 83.7 per cent among Asia-Pacific countries in e-Commerce revenues between 200308, even exceeding the growth rate displayed by neighbouring China in the five-year period, according to research firm IDC. “The Asia/Pacific market (excluding Japan) is becoming an increasingly attractive e-Commerce environment. To enhance their competitiveness, companies must invest in e-Commerce solutions and pursue the expanding market aggressively by taking advantage of vast online opportunities,” IDC said. With a healthy Internet usage growth, recorded in the first half of 2004, and continued positive economic growth across the region, many businesses have been driven to increase their online services offerings, it added. “China’s rapid Internet growth has also witnessed a good number of users being turned into buyers and bringing good profits for many online businesses in the last few years. These burgeoning Internet trends are expected to drive an explosion of the overall e-Commerce market by 2008, where B2B commerce will make up a large portion of this growth,” IDC said. www.idc.com
of satellite solutions to Africa’s service providers. This would provide the necessary combined momentum to impart on the West African landscape the benefits of lessened barriers to broadband internet connectivity, and the overall promotion of Information Communication Technology (ICT) development. http://www.spacedaily.com
IP-based telecom networks to be promoted in Asia Countries in the Asia-Pacific region need to gear up for implementing internet protocol (IP) based telecommunications networks and broadband platforms for facilitating convergence of data – voice and video. This came out from the Asia- Pacific Telecommunity Standardisation Programme (ASTP) being organised by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). The representatives from the 25 member-countries of Asia – Pacific Telecommunity deliberated on various standards needed to usher in next generation communications as well as country specific contexts for creating an enabling environment. The objective of ASTP meet is to come out with a report on the expectations and apprehensions of APT member-countries on the new telecom standards. The report will be placed before the World Telecom Standards Con-
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gress to be held in Brazil in the second week of October this year. http://www.business-standard.com
More villages to be connected through public phones The Department of Telecommunications with support from Universal Service Obligation Fund is planning to set up village Public Telephones. Bids have been invited for setting up phone in villages without any public phone facility yet. Of the 6.07 villages in India, about 5.22 villages have been covered. Of this, 5.09 lakh villages have been covered by the State owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. All basic and cellular operators would be eligible for bidding for setting up telecom facility in the remaining villages. http://www.dotindia.com
Much-awaited broadband policy dumps TRAI recommendations Broadband policy does not include almost all the important recommendations given by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). It has rejected unbundling of local loop, lowering of spectrum fee for broad-
http://www.pib.nic.in
Technology Cheap, computing device for the masses An Indian professor, Raj Reddy, at Carnegie Mellon University will be launching a new device called PCtvt by the year-end. This is going to be a wirelessly networked personal computer intended for the 4 billion people around the world priced at $250. This is aimed to serve 4 billion people around the world who live on less than $2000 a year. According to him this device will prove to be very useful for illiterate population of developing countries. It will be simple to use, controlled by TV remote control, and can also function as television, telephone and videophone. The project is supported by Microsoft and TriGem, the Korean computer maker in partnership with Indian Institute of Science, the Indian Institute of Information technology and the researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. http://www.rr.cs.cmu.edu
Cyber cafes in railway stations: Technology to transform After the success of a cyber cafe at New Delhi station, the railways is intending to replicate the success at 51-odd railway stations over the country. In a statement, the railway ministry said that by the close of this financial year, the target of 51 more stations would be met. The project undertaken by RailTel had been launched to better communication facilities in the railways. http://www.indianrailways.gov.in
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