It was quite a relief for mobile phone service provider, Vodafone Essar, when the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) on Thursday stayed a notice issued by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to disconnect Vodafone from its network.  

The government-operated, BSNL issued the notice to disconnect Vodafone from its network, alleging that Vodafone was illegally routing international calls through its (BSNL’s) local network, bypassing the BSNL network, which caused revenue loss to the PSU.

San Francisco  - In a move that could ring in big changes in the way customers use their mobile phones, internet telephone company Skype will introduce its free software for the iPhone on Tuesday, with versions for other smartphones following in May, the New York Times reported Monday.

Skype already boasts that 400 million customers around the world are using its peer-to-peer telephone system that allows free calls to other Skype members and cheaper rates than other phone companies for calls to landlines and mobile phones.

Come Tuesday and the free Skype for iPhone will actually be available for download from the iTunes App Store! While it was at the CES that Skype had announced its native VoIP client for the iPhone, it will be at CTIA annual mobile showcase in Las Vegas that Skype would launch its new service on Tuesday.

Skype has been endeavoring since long to make its service available on the most popular advanced phones, thereby expending its over 400 million users who lapped up the idea of economical, and sometimes free, calls via Skype's computer application.

Here’s good news for the BSNL users. Country’s public sector telecom company, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) on Friday has joined hands with Hungama Digital Media Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. to launch bsnl.hungama.com, an entertainment broadband value added service.

Both the companies claimed that it is country’s first on-Demand Digital Entertainment Music Store and Gaming services available to broadband subscribers of BSNL.
 
The service will offer audio music, video music and gaming facilities to BSNL broadband customers at monthly charges.

Country’s largest telecom firm, Bharti Airtel had made it clear that it is not looking at raising fresh funds through foreign investors.

Speaking on the sidelines of an industry event, Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Airtel said, “We don't have any plans to raise money, although the headroom is there.”

It can be recalled that government recently had released new guidelines that said foreign investment made via an entity owned or controlled by a resident Indian would be considered as local investment.

To strengthen its GSM reach, Reliance Communications (RCom) has rolled out its post paid GSM services in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

While making the announcement, Mr. Salim Haq, RCom Regional Head UP and Uttarakhand, stated that the post paid customers in both the states would be offered three plans.

Under the first plan that costs Rs 129 monthly, subscribers can make all local and STD calls at the rate of Rs 1 per minute.