>> pg 8 THE ECONOMIC TIMES, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012 ADVERTORIAL & PROMOTIONAL FEATURE Telecom: A wider spectrum of hope The way forward Buoyed by new technologies and As the telecom sector looks forward to a new dawn, the soon-to-be-implemented telecom policy is all set to transparent policies, telecom create a transparent and level playing field with impetus for high growth operators in are looking forward to another glorious aving passed through a turbulent needs of the community. With the power period of growth period in the recent past, the tele- of information and software technology, com industry in India is looking there will be opportunities to explore in s India advances further in the new century, Hforward to high growth in some the areas of education, healthcare, skill A the telecom services are expected to play a of the latest communications technologies development and other relevant communi- key role in its socio-economic development. that have recently emerged. The ET Tele- ty concerns. Particularly important is their role in bridging com Awards 2012 presented by Global Adding to all this will be India’s national- the rural-urban divide by bringing a host of Group, now in its second edition, therefore electronic manufacturing policy that will services at low costs in the hands of consumers. came as a welcome opportunity for indus- aid in making the country a hub of manu- India has an envious scope of scale com- try leaders to meet at a common platform facturing of hardware products. Mr. Sibal pared to the rest of the world. Last year saw an to recognise and honour innovative work expressed his confidence in the conver- addition of over 800 million subscribers. Dereg- and discuss the issues that concern the gence of technologies, hoping that the ulation and progressive policies from TRAI have telecom industry at large. convergence will help disseminate infor- stimulated the industry, which has just emerged Delivering the keynote address at the mation and provide seamless data flow to out of the 2G auction related crisis. event, Mr. Kapil Sibal, Minister for HRD, the consumers. Riding on the back of such Communications and IT, outlined his vision stimuli, we can therefore look at a robust for the industry’s next steps and shared his growth for the telecom sector in the next views on the various issues affecting the 20 years. evolution of the sector in India. Observing that the telecom sector has OVERCOMING CHALLENGES been the real symbol of India’s growth The telecom sector has been ridden with story, he dismissed the gloom and doom many problems in the past, and many of scenario that had been painted for the the government decisions had been industry in view of the recent 2G auction Mr. Kapil Sibal, Hon’ble Union Minister of HRD, Communications & IT, Government of India knee-jerk reactions arising out of particu- related cases. The telecom sector has emerged out of this scenario and is look- com companies to use any technology market in the next twenty years. ing ahead at a brighter future. A framework they wish to utilise. A long term license will The new policy framework, apart from Nearly 14 million people for taking the sector forward at an expo- allow entrepreneurs to fully capitalise on being liberal in very sense of the term, use 3G today. By 2020 Mr. Kapil Sibal interacting with some of nential speed has therefore been worked the market potential for the next 20 years. including the auction terms, will set the this number may go up the dignitaries upon to revive the growth story of the tele- With a transparent policy in place, the tele- stage for using spectrum for any technolo- to 600 million – you can com sector. com auction is likely to take place this year, gy. With the ability to buy more spectrum Some of the key drivers of India's telecom after a final clearance from the Supreme in the years to come, the task on the imagine the enormous sector in the near future will be transparent poli- ROADMAP FOR THE FUTURE Court. The base shoulders of tele- opportunities for the cies and new technologies such as cloud com- A liberal policy framework which instills price for the new com entrepre- telecom operators in the puting, smart device targeted services and intro- investor confidence, allows for free play 2G auction for the neurs will be to future. duction of 4G bandwidth. The 'One Nation, One and minimises the role of bureaucracy has 20-year period utilise the infra- License' policy will eliminate the difference in been the need of the day. According to Mr. will be Rs 14,000 crore, and with aggres- structure not just for promoting their busi- local and STD calls with no roaming charges, Sibal, a 20-year policy framework will bring sive bidding by industry players, may touch ness, but also taking care of the needs of lar problems faced. A particularly compli- making telephony and data usage even cheaper. in the required certainty, along with similar Rs 20,000 crore. the nation, Mr. Sibal noted. cating case arose from the granting of As the industry looks forward to a better con- policies for IT and manufacturing. The tele- The telecom industry is thus clear on fixed term licenses to various players dur- nected future, it must also gear up to improve where it wishes to go. This will indeed be a THE UNTAPPED POTENTIAL ing different years, creating multiple peri- on the quality of services offered. Increasing the Time has come for us to zoom significant change from where the industry Though India still has a long way to go in ods of expiration with different reach to rural areas, capital expenditure and was seven years ago, Mr. Sibal noted. voice telephony, it has a wide mobile dis- spectrums. taking mobile broadband to a wider consumer and boom. That is what is A major upshot of the new framework tribution network with nearly 90 crore According to Mr. Sibal, the new policy base are some of the challenges at hand. going to happen in the next will be the huge cost benefit obtained people having access to cell phones. How- tries to amalgamate all of this within an 20 years. from buying a 20-year license at rates ever, there is still a huge chunk of nearly effective framework, taking care of all sec- IMPORTANCE OF ET TELECOM AWARDS available this year. Given the rate of 600 million people who are yet to be con- tors without hurting anybody and without The ET Telecom Awards plays an important role growth of the telecom sector in the last nected. The market therefore has a large holding out undue benefits to anyone, in the growth of India's telecom industry by com policy has been announced, and by decade, entrepreneurs will thus be able to hidden potential that can be exploited in thus creating a level playing field. Mr. Sibal recognising innovation and contributions made September 2012, all three policy frame- make use of the spectrum in a far more the years to come. concluded on a positive note by hoping across the industry, and by bringing key person- works will be announced. efficient and profitable way. The amount Stressing on the community factor, Mr. that the next 20 years will turn into a alities and professionals on a common platform Making way for the next phase of auc- spent by investors would thus be piffling in Sibal pointed out that this market opportu- tsunami of opportunities for the telecom to formulate the way ahead for this sector. tions, a unified license will thus allow tele- the context of the evolving nature of the nity must be placed in the context of the industry.

What They Said GLOBAL MASTER CLASS on

KAPIL SIBAL ‘Relevance of 3G & 4G Technologies in India’ Hon’ble Union Minister of HRD, Communications & IT, The Indian telecom industry has weathered tough situations in the past. It is now slated to be one of the Government of India booming sectors with a huge scope for growth in the near future The implementation of a policy has to be done by the he ET Telecom Awards country must be worried market. I can give you an 2012 presented by Glob- about its future competitive- al Group, brought togeth- ness.” environment in which you T er some of the leading figures should act. It is now for you from top telecom companies THE ROAD AHEAD to decide and use that policy to discuss the current sce- Some of the major challenges to enhance your product and nario and prospects of the faced by the telecom industry reach out to the telecom sector in India. Also that came up for discussion consumer. on the agenda was the role of were: price and lack of spec- 3G and 4G technologies in trum, affordability and the SANJAY KAPOOR paving its future growth. high debt levels. The panelists invited for the The panel discussion con- CEO (India & South Asia), Limited discussion were: Mr. Marten cluded with a Q&A session The data line business in Pieters, MD and CEO, Voda- with the audience. Mr. Kapil India will continue to grow fone India; Mr. Sanjay Kapoor, From Left: Mr. Fredrik Jejdling, Regional Head India & President Ericsson India; Mr. Sanjay Kapoor, Sibal, while taking up ques- at an even faster pace, and CEO —India and South Asia, CEO (India & South Asia), Bharti Airtel Limited; Mr. Kapil Sibal, Hon’ble Union Minister of HRD, tions from the audience, out- will bring in a revolution, Bharti Airtel Ltd; and Mr. Communications & IT, Government of India; Mr. Prashant Singhal, Telecom Industry Leader, Ernst & lined what was in store in the Fredrik Jejdling, Regional Young (Moderator); Mr. Marten Pieters, Manging Director and CEO, coming years. “A country-wide bridging the divide between Head (India) and President, fibre optics network is in the the developing and the Ericsson India. Mr. Kapil Sibal, and weakening of the Rupee, INDIA: A the developed markets. process of being laid. We will developed world. Union Minister of HRD, Com- things don’t look any better, MANUFACTURING HUB Dwelling on the emergence connect more than 250,000 munications and IT also and the current industry seems Research clearly suggests that of 3G and 4G technologies in Gram Panchayats with fibre joined the Q&A session. The to be in doldrums,” he said. India is on its way to becom- India, Mr. Kapoor noted that optics, and we are in the MARTEN PIETERS discussion was moderated by ing a global manufacturing the data line business in India process of setting up a budget Mr. Prashant Singhal, Telecom THE EMERGING AND hub. Supporting this, Mr. was growing much faster of approximately Rs 20,000 Manging Director and CEO, Vodafone India Industry Leader, Ernst and MATURED MARKETS Jejdling added that India is in than other segments due to crore. This process will be India has a few positive Young. The issue of spectrum is one the forefront in terms of man- the large size of investments. completed in the next two to aspects. You can create of the major concerns faced ufacturing. Mr. Pieters, three years.” scale in India, which is CURRENT STATE OF by the Indian telecom sector. Achieving this An Initiative By while dis- Replying to a query on the TELECOM virtually impossible in the Mr. Pieters put the issue in will require cussing the lack of product manufactur- rest of the world. India is host to one of the perspective by comparing trained people, growth in the ing in India, he said that it toughest and most competitive India with the developed raw materials usage of 3G was now mandatory to man- telecom industries in the markets. “If you compare and lower costs, and 4G, said, ufacture 65 percent of all world. Mr. Kapoor drew an out- India with other countries, which will hap- “India has a electronic hardware, includ- line of the major internal hap- India has not given enough pen over time. “Ericsson has fantastic potential for data ing mobile phones, in India. penings and the macro issues spectrums to operators, had a manufacturing hub in and is on the right track. If This will bring in entrepre- FREDRIK JEJDLING faced by the industry. A large which is a very big problem,” Jaipur for the last 15 years. It you compare the data usage neurs in India. “In the next Regional Head (India) & President, Ericsson India number of players, declining said Mr. Pieters. was very small scale unit in we had two years ago to what ten years, the whole scenario prices and commoditisation Lack of adequate spectrum the we have today, we have of the hardware industry will The development of 3G and translate into most of the tele- has had a negative impact on beginning, which has now grown from 3 million to 30 change as a result of this pol- 4G is very device and com operators losing out on the operators and customers in evolved to do cord-level man- million. This is just the begin- icy,” he said. On the question consumer-centric; before recovering their marginal cost, India, while at the same time ufacturing,” he added. ning of a new revolution.” on reducing the price of that nothing really happens. he observed. “The spectrum the quality of services has not Commenting on the growth smart phones, he said that This is the reason why prices, spectrum usage charges been as good. When we com- 3G AND 4G of data lines, Mr. Kapoor this was for the market forces Verizon and AT&T are and the current debt level of pare the spectrum volume that The time difference between added, “Data is not an opera- to handle. The industry must successful in the US the industry reveal that, given Vodafone has in other coun- the launch of 3G and 4G in tor level challenge, or an think of making large invest- the macro-economic condition tries, we realise that India is India has been relatively industry challenge; it is a ments in the consumer markets. around GDP growth, inflation facing a big issue, he observed. shorter when compared to country’s challenge, and every markets. Product: ETNEWMumbaiBS PubDate: 05-09-2012 Zone: MumbaiCity Edition: 1 Page: ETMCPG9 User: kailashk0106 Time: 09-04-2012 20:35 Color: CMYK

>> pg 9 THE ECONOMIC TIMES, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012 ADVERTORIAL & PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Ms. Jyoti Pawar, Director legal & Regulatory at The winners of the ET Telecom Awards 2012 Bharti Airtel Ltd, receiving the award for Social Initiative category Mr. RK Upadhyay, Chairman & Managing Director, WINNERS OF ‘MY FAVOURITE Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd, receiving the award for ET Telecom Awards 2012: HANDSET BRAND’ PUBLIC POLL Innovative Product – VAS category from Mr. Arunabh CAMPAIGN Das Sharma, President, The Times of India Group As part of the ET Telecom Awards, three The Winning League lucky winners were chosen for participating in the ‘My favourite Handset The second edition of ET Telecom Awards 2012 Brand’ public poll campaign. We would like to congratulate the winners and presented by Global Group, yet again singled out the best thank all the participants for their from the rest at a glittering ceremony held in Delhi enthusiastic participation. The three lucky winners of Apple iPad are: 1. Nitin Kharat he Economic Times Telecom mer MD, ; Mr. Marten Pieters, 2. Bibhas Kanti Ghosh Awards 2012 presented by the MD & CEO, Vodafone India; and Mr. RK 3. Gajanan Jadhav T Global Group, aims to recognise Upadhyay, Chairman & Managing Director, and honour the best of telecom innova- Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. Mr. Rajat Mukarji, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, tions and services, giving the industry the popularity amongst the masses when it RECOGNISING THE BEST Idea Cellular receiving the award for Customer much needed impetus to scale greater took away the award for My Favourite Experience Enhancement category heights. The award winners for the nominated cat- Handset Brand. The Quality of Service egories were selected from more than award based on TRAI data went to STAR STUDDED EVENING hundred entries, after a rigorous screen- , while Voda- The second edition of ET Telecom Awards ing process by a panel of esteemed mem- fone India Ltd. emerged the winner in the was held on August 24, 2012 at Taj bers comprising a screening and a final Innovative Product – Rural category. Earli- Palace, . Mr. Arunabh Das Shar- jury. The Awards also included two er during the event, the chief guest of the Mr. Marten Pieters, Managing Director & CEO, ma, President, The Times of India Group, derived categories. The winner of My ceremony, Kapil Sibal, Minister of HRD, Vodafone India Ltd, receiving the award for Innovative welcomed and addressed the august gath- Favourite Handset Brand category was Communications and IT, shared his valu- Product – Rural category ering, which included eminent telecom decided through a public poll conducted able insights on the current scenario and personalities and industry professionals. across India by The Economic Times prospects of the telecom industry in India. This year too, honours were to be through print advertisements, online polls The event attended by a 250 plus audi- bagged in 13 categories with nominations and social networking websites. The ence engaged and entertained the partici- registered on the three fundamental Quality of Service award was decided on pants with plenty of insights for the road parameters of innovation, business impact the basis of the TRAI quality of service that lies ahead for the telecom sector. The and sustainability. An advisory council data for pan-India telecom service Awards ceremony concluded with a vote comprising some of the most prominent providers, using the average score of the of thanks delivered by Mr. Milind Mr. Leonid Musatov, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer, voices of the telecom industry guided the last four quarters. Bengali, COO, GTL Infrastructure Ltd, MTS India, receiving the award for Innovative development of the Awards agenda with Mr. Arunabh Das Sharma gave away the followed by cocktails and a grand dinner. Product – Retail category valuable insights on the award categories, awards to the deserving winners. Among event format and jury composition. The the winners, Bharti Airtel bagged the advisory council included the following: award for Social Initiative, while Idea Cel- Mr. Rajan S Mathews, Director General, lular Ltd established its dominance in the Cellular Operators Association of India Customer Experience Enhancement, Catch the coverage of the ET Telecom Awards (COAI); Mr. SC Khanna, Secretary General, Innovative Product – Telecom Infrastruc- 2012 on ET NOW on September 15, 2012 at 17.30 pm and repeat telecast on Association of Unified Telecom Service ture Companies and Excellence in Mar- September 16, 2012 at 17.30 pm Providers of India; Mr. Sanjeev Aga, For- keting categories. Samsung proved its

Mr. Asim Warsi, Vice President – Marketing, Mobile Screening Jury Members Business, Samsung India, receiving the award for My Selecting the Best Favourite Handset Brand category Process advisor and official tabulator for ET Telecom Awards 2012, Ernst & Young sifted through over 110 entries in the form of case studies in innovation and excellence. The entries were first scrutinised for compliance with rules of participation. Following this, an independent screening was conducted wherein three entries were shortlisted by the jury in each category after several rounds of discussion. The nominated parties then presented their cases to the final jury, following which the scores were tabulated to determine the final winners. The Awards process combined international benchmarks for inclusion, independence and Mr. Partho Banerjee, President & Managing Director, confidentiality. To maintain independence, the sponsors and their group companies have not From Left: Ranjit Shah, Managing Partner and Hughes Communications India Ltd, receiving the participated in the Awards. Co-Founder, Gaja Capital Partners; Jasmin Sohrabji, CEO, Omnicom Media Group India; award for Innovative Product – Broadband category Final Jury Members Sindoor Mittal, Director, Welspun Energy Ltd

From Left: Atul Joshi, Managing Director & CEO, From Left: Anshoo Gaur, President and India Head, Amdocs; From Left: VP Kamath, Chief Operating Officer, Wockhardt Fitch Ratings India; Abhay Karandikar, SP Shukla, President, Group Strategy and Member – Group Executive Hospitals; Neeraj Roy, Managing Director and Chief Executive Department Of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay; Board, Mahindra Group; Shantanu Prakash, Chairman & MD, Officer, Hungama Digital Media Entertainment Pvt. Ltd; Prasoon Anil Valluri, President – India & SAARC Operations, Educomp Solutions Ltd Joshi, Chairman & CEO, McCann Worldgroup India & Executive Netapp Marketing & Services Pvt. Ltd Creative Director, Asia Pacific Mr. Arun Batra, CEO, Matrix Cellular Services, receiving LEAGUE OF WINNERS – ET TELECOM AWARDS 2012 the award for Innovative Product – Others category Category Nominees Winners Telecom Service Providers Customer Experience Enhancement Vodafone India Ltd – Online (Social Media) Grievance Management IDEA Cellular Ltd – !-Resolve Dr. Ishwar Parulkar, CTO and Mahesh Raghava, Bharti Airtel Ltd – Social Networking Director – Product Management, Cisco, receiving the IDEA Cellular Ltd – !-Resolve award for Innovative Product – OEM & Telecom Gear Manufacturer category Innovative Product – Broadband Hughes Communications India Ltd – A satellite broadband Hughes Communications India Ltd – on–line interactive distance learning product A satellite broadband on-line interactive Vodafone India Ltd – Office in a Box distance learning product MTS India – Mblaze – One day unlimited Innovative Product – Rural Bharti Airtel Limited – IKSL (Iffco Kisan Sanchar Limited) Vodafone India Limited – Value Services Vodafone India Limited – Value Services Reliance Communications Ltd – Rural BPO Innovative Product – Others Digivive Services Pvt Ltd – nextGTv Matrix Cellular Services – Data Packs Vodafone India Limited – Drive into the Big League for Smartphones when Abroad Matrix Cellular Services – Data Packs for Smartphones when Abroad Innovative Product – VAS Bharti Airtel Limited – My song My Story Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited – Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd – VVoBB service VVoBB service Vodafone India Limited – Location Tracker Innovative Product – Retail Videocon Telecommunication Ltd – Freedom 65 MTS India – Super Zero MTS India – Super Zero Mr. Sashi Shankar, CMO, Idea Cellular, receiving the Loop Mobile India Ltd – Member–Get–Member Programme award for Excellence in Marketing category Excellence in Marketing Vodafone India Limited – Vodafone Superweeks campaign IDEA Cellular Ltd – No Idea, Get Idea IDEA Cellular Ltd – No Idea, Get Idea Mr. Ajai Recriwal, Regional Manager – North India, Bharti Airtel Ltd – Har friend zaroori hai, yaar Kavveri Telecom Products Limited, receiving the CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY award for Innovative Managed Service category Social Initiative Nokia India Pvt Ltd – Crafting Agents of Change Bharti Airtel Limited – Bharti Airtel Limited – Satya Bharti School Program Satya Bharti School Program Reliance Communications – PRAYAG: Providing Grassroot Advancement to Youth Aspiring Growth OEMS, TELECOM GEAR MANUFACTURERS & TELECOM INFRASTRUCTURE COMPANIES Innovative Managed Services Nokia Siemens Networks – Service Management Solutions Kavveri Telecom Products Limited – Kavveri Telecom Products Limited – In–Building Solutions In–Building Solutions Ericsson India Global Services Pvt Ltd – Network Shark TELECOM INFRASTRUCTURE COMPANIES Innovative Product – Idea Cellular Ltd – Green Idea Idea Cellular Ltd – Green Idea Telecom Infrastructure Companies Power Grid Corporation of India Limited – Transmission Towers for Telecom Usage with Rural Telecom Focus Roamware – Network Traffic Redirection OEMS & TELECOM GEAR MANUFACTURERS Innovative Product – OEMs & Nokia Siemens Networks – TD–LTE 6 Pipes Radio Cisco – ASR 901 Telecom Gear Manufacturers Coral Telecom Ltd – Coral Air GSM BTS Cisco – ASR 901 DERIVED CATEGORIES Mr. Jacob Mathew, Vice President – Network Mr. Terry Coutinho, Head – Reliance BPO, receiving the My Favourite Handset Brand – Samsung Services, Idea Cellular, receiving the award for award for Quality of Service (Based on TRAI Data) Quality of Service (Based on TRAI data) – Reliance Communications Innovative Product – Telecom Infrastructure category Companies category