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Tyco Global
Network: VSNL gets US regulatory nod for buyout
Mumbai: The Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd has said that it has received
all the major regulatory approvals necessary for the transfer of the Tyco
Global Network landing station licences from Tyco to VSNL, including that
from the Federal Communications Commission of the US.
The
FCC has approved VSNL's application on April 29 this year, said a news release
from VSNL.
VSNL's
agreement to buy the 60,000 km Tyco submarine cable system for $130 million
(not including the assumption of certain liabilities) was announced November
last.
The
FCC approval culminates a nearly six-month process that included a formal
review by the Committee on Foreign Investment, the Department of Homeland
Security, the Departments of Defence and Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation
and other agencies, said the release.
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BSNL
to lay undersea cable to Singapore
New Delhi: In order to expand its international long distance (ILD)
business, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) is planning to lay an undersea cable
connecting Port Blair to Singapore. This will be the second undersea cable
project that BSNL would be undertaking after the joint venture with Sri Lanka.
BSNL
authorities said that they are evaluating the Singapore leg and would be arriving
at a decision shortly. India already has a cable system jointly owned by Bharti
Tele-Ventures and SingTel that connects Chennai to Singapore.
Though
BSNL has its own ILD licence, a significant chunk of the traffic generated
by the State-owned company is being routed through a private operator's network,
since it does not have its network in place.
India's
ILD market size is around Rs 4,300 crore, of which BSNL's
42 million fixed-line subscribers account for a significant
share. Other cable networks connecting India to the rest
of the world like the Reliance-owned Falcon and Se-Me-We-4
are also set to get functional.
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TRAI
to propose additional spectrum for 3G services
New Delhi: With the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India set to propose
30 Mhz of additional spectrum in the 2Ghz band meant for offering third generation
(3G) services, mobile users can look forward to better connectivity and faster
data speeds.
TRAI
is also likely to suggest releasing 25 Mhz in the 1800 Mhz frequency band
by December 2006 to achieve the target of 200 million mobile subscribers.
TRAI
is expected to announce the detailed recommendations on spectrum today. According
to Government sources, TRAI may also look at the possibility of giving additional
spectrum in a new frequency band called WRC 2000 for offering 3G services.
Currently,
cellular operators get a maximum of 12 Mhz radio frequencies that results
in network congestion and slow uptake of subscribers.
3G
services allow high-speed data connectivity on mobile phones. While currently
data speeds of broadband Internet services go up to an average of 256 kilo
bits per second (kbps), 3G services allow more than 380 kbps on a mobile handset.
The
telecom regulator will also announce its decision over
sharing the 1900 Mhz frequency band between GSM and CDMA
operators. While CDMA operators want to share the frequency
band, GSM operators are opposing the move on grounds that
it will create interference.
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TDSAT
quashes TRAI order on direct connectivity
New Delhi: The Telecom Dispute Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT)
has struck down an order from the telecom regulator, which had asked Bharat
Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) to offer direct connectivity between its cellular
venture — CellOne and private cellular operators.
The
tribunal has, however, asked the State-owned company to stop charging transit
charges from cellular operators. BSNL charged 19 paise from private cellular
operators each time a call landed on CellOne network.
The
telecom regulator had ordered BSNL to offer direct connectivity to private
cellular operators instead of routing the traffic through its fixed line network.
``TRAI
does not have the authority to override the licence conditions for making
direct connectivity mandatory either under direction or under regulation.
We set aside the direction of TRAI of July 23, 2003, making direct connectivity
mandatory with private cellular operators,'' the 35-page order said.
BSNL
had argued that the TRAI order was without jurisdiction and contrary to the
licence agreements signed by basic and cellular operators. While the tribunal
upheld the State-owned company's stance, it did not see the merit in imposing
transit charges.
"The
cellular operators have paid port charges to BSNL already.
On consideration of level playing field, it appears that
BSNL is not justified any longer in charging transit charges
to the extent of 19 paise for accessing BSNL CellOne subscribers,''
the order said.
TDSAT said that in the interest of level playing field,
direct connectivity between cellular operators and BSNL
CellOne may be encouraged in the future by mutual agreement
on the basis of costs being shared by them.
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Maran
to persuade Intel to locate chip plant in India
New Delhi: The Communications and IT Minister, Dayanidhi Maran, has
said the Government would impress upon the US-based chip maker Intel Corp
to set up a manufacturing unit in India. Maran said that he will meet the
Intel Chief, Craig Barrett, at the end of the month during his visit to the
US.
"I
am visiting the CEO of Intel, Mr Craig Barrett, to persuade him to set up
a factory here. My Chinese counterpart has already made his case before the
company. I want to present India as the most suitable destination for setting
up the factory," Maran said on Tuesday, on the sidelines of a seminar
on sharing experience between British Telecom and the Department of Telecom.
Maran
said Intel has short-listed China and India for setting up a factory. At present,
Intel does not make hardware in India, but has a software development centre
in Bangalore where most of its 1,500 employees in India work.
In
China, it has a network of research and product development
centres including the Intel China Software Lab in Shanghai
and the Intel Wireless Technology Development Center in
Shenzhen.
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Infosys
participates in SEC program for financial information
Bangalore: Infosys Technologies has announced that it has voluntarily
furnished extensible business reporting language data to the US Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC) electronically in a 6-K exhibit.
Infosys
is participating in the SEC's new Voluntary Program for
Reporting Financial Information on EDGAR using XBRL, an
extensible markup language-based information format for
business reporting that provides a methodology for companies
to tag or mark-up financial documents.
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HCL
joins up with IIT Delhi for drug research
New Delhi: HCL Technologies has signed a memorandum of understanding
with Supercomputing Facility for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
(SCFBio) at IIT-Delhi on high-end projects in the area of drug discovery and
development, including genomics and proteomics projects.
"HCL
plans to team up with premier bioinformatics research institutions across
the world to build fundamental capabilities and grow talent pool in India
in this domain," an HCL release said here.
The
Life Sciences practice at HCL provides tested solutions
in areas such as pharmacogenomics, RFID-based drug counterfeit
solutions, medical devices and diagnostics, contract manufacturing,
and hospital information systems.
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Taj
group plans two more hotels in Bangalore
Bangalore: The Taj Group plans to add two more hotels in Bangalore
in the business class and luxury categories.
The
Tata Group's hospitality arm, which operates three hotels in the business
class and luxury segment, plans to set up one at the International Technology
Park in Whitefield and another near the proposed Bangalore International Airport
at Devanahalli.
The Taj Group was also planning to promote Bangalore as a leisure destination,
as the city attracts largely business visitors. The group has already refurbished
the Taj West End, a landmark in Bangalore, in the last three years at a cost
of Rs20 crore.
The
newest addition was the Tata Presidential Suite, an exclusive
place meant for heads of States, film stars and high-profile
corporate heads.
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Tata
Motors to roll out 'Cub' on Friday
Pune:
Tata Motors much-awaited foray into the sub-one tonne commercial vehicle segment
is now a reality with the 'Cub', a 700 cc, two-cylinder, diesel engine-powered
vehicle ready for launch.
Company
sources said that the first batch of at least 150 vehicles is waiting for
roll out. The vehicle is initially being launched in markets in South India
with Bangalore the first destination, scheduled for roll out on Friday.
The
'Cub' is part of the company's New Products Introduction Programme adopted
a couple of years ago and is completely designed in-house at the Engineering
Research Centre.
According
to sources, the 'Cub', being positioned as the country's first mini truck,
is a low cost intra-city goods transportation vehicle designed after taking
into consideration the evolving requirements of niche segments of the industry.
Tata
Motors, which developed the product with tight control over development costs,
will use the 'Cub' to drive volumes in the new segment. The Cub will be pitted
against vehicles such as the Ape from Piaggio and the Bajaj Tempo Minidor.
After
establishing it as a goods transportatin vehicle, the company is also toying
with the idea of developing a mini passenger van on the same platform, company
sources have indicated.
The
company has set up a separate line for manufacturing `Cub'
at the Pune-based LCV plant. Tata Motors plans to manufacture
30,000-50,000 units of the vehicle annually.
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Tavera
gives GM India its sales boost
New Delhi: General Motors India has reported a 58 per cent rise in
sales in April at 2,214 units, fuelled by healthy demand for its multi-utility
vehicle Chevrolet Tavera. A wholly-owned subsidiary of the world's biggest
carmaker General Motors Corp. of the US, GM India had sales of 1,401 vehicles
in the same month last year.
The
company said it sold 1,603 units of Tavera in the month. A total of 15,049
units of the vehicle have been sold since its launch around eleven months
back, it added.
Besides
Tavera, the April sales included 406 units of the luxury sedan Chevrolet Optra
and 200 units of Opel Corsa.
The
company said sales in the first four months of 2005 stood
at 10,611 units, a growth of 56 per cent over 6,792 units
in the corresponding period last year. These included
6,632 units of Tavera.
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Godrej
in tie up with Tescon for total security solutions
Kolkata: Godrej & Boyce has tied-up with Tescon of Germany for
marketing comprehensive security solutions in India.
Considered
to be a small but growing market in the country, comprehensive solutions are
in demand at important installations, government organisations and institutions,
particularly after the terrorist attack on Parliament.
Talking
to newspersons here on Tuesday, Mr D.E. Byramjee, Vice-President and Business
Head of Security Equipment Division of Godrej, said that the company was now
negotiating with a number of government organisations for offering comprehensive
solutions.
The
particular business was expected to record sales of Rs25
crore to Rs 30crore in the current fiscal.
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Dabur
Pharma to invest Rs300 crore towards expansion and R&D
New Delhi: Dabur Pharma Ltd is planning make investments of over Rs300
crore for expanding its manufacturing capabilities and increasing its research
and development activities.
And
it is trying to rope in foreign investors including IFC to invest in the company.
IFC is exploring a possible equity investment of $15 million in the company.
The
proposed investment of Rs300 crore will be spread over the next three years.
While 40 per cent of this would be utilised in expanding manufacturing units,
the rest will go towards R&D.
DPL
currently has manufacturing facilities in Kalyani (West Bengal), Baddi (Himachal
Pradesh) and Bordon (UK) (owned by Dabur Oncology Plc, a 100 per cent subsidiary
of DPL).
However,
it is now planning to set up a new plant in Baddi as well as expanding its
Kalyani facility, which has already been approved by the US Food and Drug
Administration.
On
the research front, the company is the market leader in
oncology formulations and active pharmaceuticals ingredients
(API or bulk drugs) in India and exports to over 30 markets
across the world.
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FDA
raids Asian Sky Shop
Mumbai: The Food Drug Administration (FDA), Maharashtra, on specific
complaints, has carried out raids on the warehouses of Asian Sky Shop, a tele-marketing
company, on May 2 and sealed medicinal drugs and cosmetics worth Rs76.41 lakh,
according to a press release issued hereon Tuesday.
Drugs
claiming to cure asthma, rheumatism and hair loss have been sealed in the
raids. The FDA has charged Asian Sky Shop with violation of Section 3 and
4 of The Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954;
the section prohibits advertisements of medical drugs.
Asian
Sky Shop is a well-known telemarketing company, which
advertises its products on leading national TV channels.
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