The Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications has launched nationwide GSM services from December 31. The company is already operating almost all telecom circles with its CDMA services. The company would cover 11,000 towns and 3.40 lakh villages across the country by investing Rs. 10,000-crore in the field of mobile telephony. Reliance Communications has received spectrum to roll out GSM services in January this year and has set a record to launch services within a record low period.

State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), on Wednesday, announced the nation-wide launch of Interactive Personalized Television & Video Services (IPTV) for its customers.

Internet Protocol Tele Vision (IPTV) is a new revolution in the television history where service providers can utilize existing copper cable network to deliver high quality videos and sound using Internet Protocol.

With this launch, the company has enabled its customers to watch programmes according to their convenience from more than 140 TV channels.

Recently, some senior level appointments were announced by the telecom equipment manufacturing firm Bharti Teletech, which it sees as an attempt to strengthen its core management team.   

Previously working with Jumbo Electronics Retails as Country Head & CEO, Atul Jain has now joined Bharti Teletech as Director-Sales & Distribution. The former Intex Technologies India Ltd Director-Operations, Suresh Gupta has joined Bharti as Chief Finance Officer.

The much-awaited 3G spectrum is likely to be set back by at least a few weeks as DoT has not received sanction from Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) over it.

According to senior DoT officials, earlier, the government has announced 16 January as the date for auctioning of 3G spectrum.

The sources said that the DoT had decided to take Cabinet's permission on higher 3G spectrum charge and number of blocks to be auctioned in order to avoid any controversies in the coming future especially on the back drop of criticism it faced over its 2G policy decisions for new operators.

Unitech Ltd, India's second-largest listed property firm, has notified that its telecom subsidiary has received start up spectrum in four more service areas.

The allotment has been made for Assam, Rajasthan, North East and Jammu & Kashmir service areas.

Till date, out of the total 22 services areas in the country, the realty major has received spectrum in 20 circles to start its services.

Recently, Unitech has agreed to sell 60 per cent stake in the telecom business to Norway's Telenor, for Rs 6,120 crore.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) announced an increase of about 7 percent in cable rates, both conditional access system (CAS) notified and non-CAS areas in the country.

The changed tariffs would be applicable from New Year's Day 2009.

As per the new tariffs, a viewer will have to pay Rs 5.37 per channel in the CAS-notified areas (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai).