OnMobile Global Ltd and Vodafone Group have entered into an agreement to deploy OnMobile's Ringback Tones, Voice Portal and Speech-enabled Value Added Services to the Vodafone Group emerging markets operating companies.

The agreement enables Vodafone operators and Partner Networks across the world to rapidly deploy OnMobile's products which have achieved remarkable success for Vodafone in the fast growing Indian VAS market

A new, location-based service has been launched by Tata Teleservices Ltd on Monday. Called the 'Quickfinder Assisted Global Positioning System' (A-GPS) service, it aims at facilitating for the CDMA subscribers the pin down of locations of interest, and the en-route tracking of vehicles and consignments.

The latest offering from Tata Teleservices is powered by Qualcomm's 'QPoint' solution and 'gpsOne' technology incorporated into its chipsets. The Navigator application of the service will provide end-users with driving instructions, and information about the shortest route to a preferred destination.

State-run telecom service provider MTNL intends to launch its third generation (3G) services in Mumbai next month as it targets a user base of 1,00,000 for the third generation mobile service by the year end.

The company has already embarked Rs 200 crore for building optic fiber networks in Delhi and Mumbai for providing fiber-to-the-home, or FTTH services.

The company had recently launched its 3G services `Jadoo' in central and some of parts of South Delhi. The company plans to expand its 3G services to the remaining parts of Delhi in the next two-three months.

State Bank of India, the country's top lender, has agreed to lend Rs 10,000 crore to Vodafone-Essar, the Indian arm of UK-based telecom firm Vodafone Group to finance the company’s entry into 3G (third generation) telecom services and expansion of its operations.

According to sources, the five-year loan carries an interest rate of 13.25 per cent for the first two years; thereafter, it will be re-adjusted on the basis of the average prime lending rate.

The company intends to use the funds for network rollout, broadband operations, and to pre-pay part of its previous debt.

In line with the stipulations of the credit flow-regulating Credit Information Companies Act (CICA), 2005, the Credit Information Bureau India Ltd - CIBIL - has been granted 'in-principle approval' for Certificate of Registration by the Reserve Bank of India.

The certification allows companies in the telecommunications and insurance sectors to access credit data. Previously, the credit data could be accessed and shared by financial institutions such as banks and NBFCs.

The Bharti Telemedia subsidiary of the telecom giant Bharti Airtel is reportedly negotiating a deal with two infrastructure service providers Cisco and Alcatel-Lucent, related to outsourcing the 'last-mile' connectivity of its broadband operations.

The 'last-mile' concept essentially constitutes the last lap of delivering connectivity from an operator's end to the customer's place. In the case of broadband services, 'last-mile' connectivity can be either through wired lines or over the wireless. By outsourcing its 'last-mile' operations, Bharti will be able to not only reduce its operational costs, but also concentrate on its core competencies.