Tech
89% Indians wish to switch to 5G, most to change service provider to do so
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As India gears up to usher in the 5G era, 89 per cent of consumers wish to upgrade to 5G network in India while 48 per cent would upgrade to 5G even if it calls for switching service providers, a new report showed on Monday.
5G adoption would boost video content streaming, gaming, and social messaging on smartphones.
According to the report by network intelligence and connectivity insights provider Ookla, 20 per cent of the Indian respondents would wait for their service providers to upgrade to the 5G network.
While 14 per cent of respondents intend to avail the services after upgrading to a 5G enabled handset, 7 per cent would wait for their current contract period to end.
Those that aren’t sure about the new technology will likely wait to see how attractive it is once others start using it.
Only 2 per cent stated that they don’t intend to upgrade to 5G.
“While mobile users in India are among the most data-intensive users in the world, India’s 4G/LTE networks have become a bottleneck for demand,” said Sylwia Kechiche, principal analyst, enterprise at Ookla.
“Now, that operators have acquired 5G spectrum, they start their race to become the first operators to go to market with 5G, with some already hinting that 5G deployments will begin in the next few months,” Kechiche added.
The findings showed that if mobile Internet connections were better, 70 per cent of respondents would increase their use of video streaming, while 68 per cent stated they would boost their mobile gaming.
Operators acquired a total of 44,960 MHz of spectrum in the 26 GHz spectrum band (mmWave), which due to its high throughput, is particularly useful for streaming and gaming.
Nearly 42 per cent of respondents believe that faster speeds would most improve service currently being provided to them.
The good news is that the operators’ spectrum holdings in the C-band will help them do just that, said the report.
Both Airtel and Jio splurged on C-band spectrum at auction, acquiring spectrum in all of the 22 telecom circles, while Vodafone acquired spectrum only in its priority circles.
In addition to faster speed, 24 per cent of respondents desire a more reliable connection, while 21 per cent want better indoor coverage.
Following the spectrum auction, Bharti Airtel has already contracted Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung to deploy 5G services in August.
“Indian operators’ move to embrace Open RAN will drive network costs even lower. Another key factor is the 5G device ecosystem, with 5G smartphone prices falling since the technology launched,” the report mentioned.
Indian operators are already voicing their plans regarding network rollout, with Reliance Jio targeting a pan-Indian rollout coinciding with the “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” on Independence Day, while Airtel plans to start 5G services in key cities across the country.
The report also revealed that the key reason for not upgrading to 5G is the perceived cost of the 5G tariff.
Just over a quarter of those who don’t plan to upgrade said that they think the 5G tariff cost would be too expensive, followed by 24 per cent stating lack of 5G knowledge as an issue, and 23 per cent not having a 5G capable phone, said the Ookla report.
National News
Passport Seva Portal To Be Shut From Today: Technical Maintenance Work From August 29-September 2, All Appointments Rescheduled
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Individuals gearing up to travel and perhaps even relocate will have to wait for some days, as the Passport Seva Portal, India’s official website processing passport-related exercises, will be down from August 29 to September 2.
According to the website, the portal, “Passport Seva portal will be down for technical maintenance from 29th August 2024, Thursday 20:00 hrs IST to 2nd September, Monday 06:00 hrs IST.”
The pop notification on the government website said, “System will not be available during this period for citizens and for all MEA/RPO/BOI/ISP/DoP/Police Authorities. The already booked appointments for 30th August 2024 will be suitably rescheduled and informed to applicants.”
This therefore would mean that all the existing appointments will in all probability be rescheduled.
The Passport Seva Portal X account posted the notifications on August 25. It also reposted posts from Regional Passport Offices.
According to the External Affairs Ministry, “The External Affairs Ministry said this is a routine procedure. “For rescheduling of appointments, we always have contingency plans. The maintenance activity for a public centric service (like Passport Seva Kendras) is always planned in advance so that no inconvenience is meted out to public. So rescheduling an appointment will not be a challenge,” a source from the ministry has said.”
Tech
Gaganyaan Mission: ISRO To Send Half-Humanoid Female Robot ‘Vyommitra’ Into Space Ahead Of Manned Project
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Lately, Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Science & Technology Minister, asserted that India will soon launch Vyommitra, a half-humanoid female robot astronaut, to space ahead of its much delayed Gaganyaan missions. ISRO plans to launch two unmanned missions carrying a humanoid robot ‘Vyommitra’ ahead of the final human-crewed mission, which is anticipated in 2024 or 2025.
Dr Singh said that India’s space sector is on a rapid growth trajectory, with the country’s space economy, currently valued at $8 billion, expected to reach an incredible $40 billion by 2040.
his prediction fits with international observers’ even more promising potential of $100 billion. The Minister highlighted the significant progress in attracting private investment to space entrepreneurs, which have raised more than Rs 1,000 crore since April of this fiscal year.
According to the Minister, the exponential surge in the number of space companies in India is due to PM Narendra Modi’s policies. Starting from one startup in 2014, India now has 190, with some already transforming into viable businesses. This surge in the space sector entrepreneurial activity represents the government’s commitment to encouraging innovation and private participation.
Through satellite launches, ISRO generated foreign cash. India’s space agency until now has launched over 430 foreign satellites, earning over 290 million Euros from European satellites and over 170 million US Dollars from American satellites.
The historic Chandrayaan 3 mission discovered water molecules on the moon’s surface, a feat that had eluded even previous expeditions from the United States and the Soviet Union.
The Minister highlighted that India’s space technology is more than only exploration; it is also about practical applications that impact people’s everyday lives. It is crucial in multiple sectors, including disaster management, infrastructure development, agriculture, telemedicine, and robotic surgery.
Business
NASA, ESA congratulate India on Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft
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The US space agency NASA and European Space agency (ESA) on Friday lauded India’s Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft that was successfully launched on a historic mission to the far side of the moon.
The LVM-3, the country’s heavy rocket, nicknamed ‘Bahubali’ carried the 3.8-tonne Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft and put the moon spacecraft into orbit on Friday afternoon.
The mission is a follow up of the failed Chandrayaan-2 mission in 2019 when the lander named Vikram crashed on to the moon surface.
“Congratulations to ISRO on the Chandrayaan-3 launch, wishing you safe travels to the Moon. We look forward to the scientific results to come from the mission, including NASA’s laser retroreflector array. India is demonstrating leadership on #ArtemisAccords!” Bill Nelson, NASA administrator on Twitter.
“Congratulations ISRO on the launch of the #Chandrayaan3 #Moon mission! Our ESA ground station in Kourou will begin tracking the spacecraft as it rises above the horizon in French Guiana tomorrow morning (CEST). Speak to you soon!” ESA added.
At 2.35 p.m. the LVM3 rocket rose into the sky from the second launch pad here at Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The 43.5 metre tall rocket, weighing about 642 tonnes, rushed upwards and 16-minutes into its flight, the rocket put Chandrayaan-3 into orbit.
The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft comprises a propulsion module (weighing 2,148 kg), a lander (1,723.89 kg) and a rover (26 kg), the ISRO said.
Industry experts called the successful launch has fortified India’s position “as a global space power”.
“The launch of Chandrayaan 3 represents yet another significant turning point in India’s space research endeavours. Chandrayaan 3 has the potential to provide new light on the Moon, spark our interest, and open the door for additional explorations. This amazing project highlights India’s expertise in space exploration and solidifies its status as a major participant on the international stage,” Arjun Naik, Founder, and CEO of Scandron, a Drone start-up.
“With Chandrayaan 3, we embark on a new chapter of lunar exploration, fueling our aspirations to unravel the Moon’s secrets. This remarkable achievement reinforces India’s position as a global space power and ignites a sense of unity and hope among every Indian, reminding us that our dreams have no bounds,” added Sanjay Kaushik, Managing Partner, Netrika Consulting, an integrity management firm.
Meanwhile, the lander is expected to reach the moon’s vicinity on August 17, and will descend to the moon from a height of about 100 km from the moon’s surface.
The soft landing is a tricky issue as it involves a series of complex manoeuvres consisting of rough and fine braking.
Previously, in April, Japanese lunar exploration company ispace’s Moon lander failed to make its historic touchdown on the lunar surface due to a software glitch.
In 2019, two attempted lunar landings, by India’s Vikram lander and Israeli nonprofit SpaceIL’s Beresheet both crashed.
In those landing attempts, the trajectory and speed data went awry before the signals were lost.
The success of Chandrayaan-3 mission will make India the fourth country in the world to land and ride on the Moon surface after the US, Russia, and China.
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