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Tata-Star DTH proposal gets DoT clearance
New Delhi: The Department of Telecom (DoT) has cleared the Tata-Star Group's Direct-To-Home (DTH) proposal paving way for the company to foray into the digital television segment.

The company had recently announced that it has signed an agreement with the Indian Space Research Organisation to lease all 12 KU-band transponders on the new INSAT 4A satellite. The transponders leased on INSAT 4A, to be launched later this month, will allow Tata-Star to transmit around 150 channels in digital quality to Indian homes including those even in the remote interiors.

The Tata-Star DTH service, once operational, is slated to become India's largest digital television platform, offering consumers a wide array of programming choices with interactive features. The joint venture was established in 2004 with the Tata group holding 80 per cent and the Star Group holding a minority 20 per cent. The project cost is estimated at Rs1,600 crore.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has already cleared the proposal from its side.
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Satyam, Microsoft in enterprise readiness initiative
Mumbai: Satyam Computer Services Ltd and Microsoft Corporation on Wednesday announced an industry enterprise readiness initiative called EDGE, aimed at training and certifying the Hyderabad-based giant's engineering work force on Microsoft technologies.

Managed by the Satyam's Microsoft Global Alliance and the Company Learning Center, EDGE will train up to 3,000 Microsoft Certified Professionals each year. Customers will benefit from enhanced IT optimization, making the enterprise more efficient, agile and ultimately more competitive.

"Satyam has successfully pioneered ideas, technologies and strategies with the goal of expanding the business value for our customers worldwide, and providing high quality and agility in delivery and customer relationships," said Ram Mynampati, president, Satyam. "EDGE will be one such key initiative, which will elevate and strengthen our quality and productivity on Microsoft technologies."
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HCL validated as 'Ready for IBM technology'
Mumbai: HCL Technologies Ltd (HCL) has announced that it is the first India-based design house validated as 'Ready for IBM Technology.'

The Ready for IBM Technology' mark identifies solutions that have been pre-tested and validated for Compatibility with IBM Microelectronics products and services by the solution developers.

HCL, under the programme, will design and carry out the silicon level implementation of advanced integrated circuits (ICs) for manufacturing in IBM's state of-the art wafer foundries. With its vast systems design experience, HCL will now offer comprehensive silicon design and implementation services.

And by engaging with HCL for chip design services, customers can accelerate time to market, reduce development risk, increase first time silicon success and incur lower development costs.

"The IBM foundry partnership gives HCL an opportunity to broaden our comprehensive VLSI design services, to offer concept to silicon solutions using leading-edge fabrication technologies," said Divakar Maddipatia, Corporate Vice President & Head - Semiconductor Practice at HCL.
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GHCL acquires soda ash business in Romania
Mumbai: GHCL Ltd on Wednesday announced the acquisition of a majority stake in S. C. Bega Upsom S.A.- a leading soda ash manufacturer in Romania, in an all cash deal through its international subsidiary.

GHCL has acquired a controlling stake of 65% in the Romanian firm at a price of US$19.5mn with a requirement to make a public offer to purchase the balance 35% by the local Romanian regulations.

With this acquisition, the company's total soda ash capacity globally would increase by 3,00,000 MTPA to 9,00,000 MTPA. GHCL has financed the acquisition through the recently made FCCB issue of US$ 80.5 Million.

GHCL and its subsidiary have also entered into an MOU to acquire majority stake in the only other Soda Ash plant in Romania. Upon completion its capacity in Romania will rise to 7,00,000 MTPA and its global capacity will increase to 13,00,000 MTPA.

It is already implementing a project to increase soda ash capacity from 6,00,000 MTPA to 11,00,000 MTPA at its plant at Gujarat. This would enable it to achieve leadership position in the domestic soda ash market. On completion of the expansions, the company's global capacity would be 18,00,000 MTPA

"This acquisition is a first step towards attaining leading position in the global soda ash industry with a strong presence in the European markets," said Sanjay Dalmia, chairman, GHCL. "The Romanian acquisition would provide us with the comprehensive knowledge of the European markets keenly required for a robust growth strategy of ours."

GHCL would leverage and replicate its Indian experience to make the plant the lowest cost producer of soda ash given its strategic location to tap east and Central European markets. The company is India's lowest cost soda ash producer with control over all its captive raw materials like salt, limestone, coke briquetting and lignite.
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Vietnamese banks deploy i-flex core banking suite
Mumbai: I-flex Solutions Ltd has added two more Vietnamese banks - Cathay United Bank and Indovina Bank - to its client list. According to the company, the two banks have commenced banking operations using FLEXCUBE.

I-flex Solutions Ltd already serves two other banks in Vietnam - Eastern Asia Commercial Bank and Citigroup Vietnam. Both Cathay United and Indovina deployed FLEXCUBE last month.

Citigroup Vietnam cut over to FLEXCUBE as part of the group's global roll-out of the product as its corporate banking solution. Local Vietnamese banking major.

Eastern Asia Commercial Bank rolled out FLEXCUBE in 15 of its 40 plus branches, and the conversion of the remaining branches is underway.

"Though FLEXCUBE is internationally acclaimed and deployed at leading banks the world over, it has been locally adapted to Vietnamese banking requirements as demonstrated by the success of the four local roll-outs," said Kishore Kapoor, CEO, i-flex Solutions. "FLEXCUBE is certainly emerging as a platform of choice for banks looking at changing their legacy systems to a new generation core-banking platform for increased efficiency and higher service levels at reduced operating costs."
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Transgene Biotek develops oral delivery of insulin and Hepatitis B vaccine
Mumbai: Transgene Biotek Ltd has completed the development of Oral Delivery of Insulin and Oral Delivery of Hepatitis B vaccine in collaboration with the Pharmacology Division headed by Dr. Prakash V Diwan at the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad.

The pre-clinical trials on Oral Delivery of Insulin and Hepatitis B have demonstrated exciting results.The drug is to be administered in liquid form as oral drops.

According to the company, this new invention is a boon to the diabetic population showing not only the reduction of blood glucose levels compatible to that of the injectable Insulin but also the clinically significant plasma Insulin levels lasting upto 24 hours.

With the pre-clinical trials providing the necessary data, the management has initiated steps to take it to the next stage of clinical trials in India and Europe simultaneously. Similarly, the pre-clinical trials on Oral delivery of Hepatitis B vaccine have demonstrated the generation of anti-body titres to a single dose of Oral Delivery comparable to that of Injectable Hepatitis B vaccine.
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Mahindra Renault's Logan to share component vendors with Scorpio
New Delhi: Mahindra Renault's new car Logan, scheduled for launch early 2007, will share component vendors with the Scorpio.
Mahindra Renault is a 51:49 joint venture between Mahindra & Mahindra and the French auto major Renault.

The Logan is an entry-level C segment car, which will be made at M&M's Nashik facility. While a fresh body shop and assembly line is being set up exclusively for the Logan in Nashik, the Logan will share the press shop and stampings division with other M&M models.

"The agreement with Renault pertains to the development of all variants of the Logan. Currently there is no compact car variant of the Logan... but it cannot be ruled out," officials said.

M&M along with Renault is currently developing a right hand drive (RHD) model of the Logan for the Indian market. Subsequently, the Nashik facility would be used as an export hub to sell RHD variants of the Logan to RHD markets such as South Africa.
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Maruti to raise prices in Jan.
New Delhi: Maruti Udyog Ltd plans to raise prices of all its cars by up to Rs15,000 in January, sources said.

It is learnt that the company has informed its dealers of its intention to raise prices.

Maruti had last raised prices in October citing an increase in freight costs, resulting from higher oil prices. The company makes 11 car models, including the hatchbacks Maruti 800, Alto, Zen, WagonR and Swift.
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