Broadband connections are in huge demand at the moment. Looking at the opportunity and demand, many internet service providers (ISPs) have started expanding through India. One of those ISPs is Excitel. More than 3,00,000 Indian homes are connected with the Excitel broadband. Excitel is considered as one of the fastest-growing broadband networks in India. Until now, Excitel was only serving in these cities — Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Jaipur, and Bangalore. But now the company has expanded its operation into two new cities — Lucknow and Kanpur.

Uttar Pradesh One Of the Most Promising Markets

“Uttar Pradesh is one of the most promising markets and we are elated to begin operations in the Capital city of Lucknow and Kanpur. During the COVID-19 lockdown, there has been an exponential rise in the need for internet connectivity as the majority of populations are currently operating from home. Businesses, students, and households are relying majorly on internet services for their day to day activities. With an aim to meet this huge demand we have aggressive plans of getting the world-class FTTH services at affordable rates in the western belt of UP”, said Vivek Raina, Co-founder and CEO of Excitel.

Excitel has plans to enter into Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 cities. It believes that telcos have so far neglected the smaller cities. But Excitel believes in eliminating digital exclusion. Adding to this, it has plans of reaching 50,000 customers in Lucknow and Kanpur by 2021. At present, the broadband company is serving to 12,000 people in Kanpur and 6,000 people in Lucknow.

One of the most interesting things about purchasing a plan from Excitel for people in Lucknow and Kanpur is that there is no FUP limit on their data plans. So you can enjoy unlimited data at great speeds without any worry. Excitel has plans for only selling FTTH services by the end of the year. The internet service provider has a range of plans all with 100 Mbps speeds and different validities.

Original article: Excitel Broadband Offering Unlimited Data With 100 Mbps Speeds at Rs 699

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People prefer broadband connections over mobile networks for a variety of reasons. One of them is stability and another is speed. Broadband connections are very secure as well. But let’s face it, they are very expensive. Even though they are better than 4G networks, they are much more expensive as well. Fiber broadband connections are even more expensive. At the same time though, they are worth it. If you want not so expensive broadband plan but one which still provides you with good speed, then you should look for plans which are priced below Rs 1,000. Keep reading ahead to find the best broadband plans under Rs 1,000 in India.

Airtel Xstream Fiber Entertainment Plan

Airtel Xstream Fiber has become one of the most popular FTTH services in India. Airtel has been very fast in expanding its fiber connection services and it has paid off well for the telco. Talking about one of the best plans it offers under Rs 1,000 is the Entertainment Plan. It comes for Rs 999 and offers 300GB data with up to 200 Mbps speed. You get other benefits such as Airtel Thanks Gold membership. A free subscription of Amazon Prime Video, Airtel Xstream Premium, ZEE5 Premium and much more is included. One thing to note is that the amount mentioned is exclusive of taxes.

ACT 75 Mbps Speed Plan

ACT is also becoming very popular in the space of internet service providers (ISPs). It offers the ‘ACT Rapid Plus’ plan for a monthly rental of Rs 985. With the plan, you will get 350GB data for the month. If you exhaust the data, your internet speed will drop to 512 Kbps. There are no other benefits included with this plan.

ACT 40 Mbps Speed Plan

Another Plan from ACT which makes it to the list is ACT Swift. It offers 40 Mbps speed along with 200GB monthly data. Once your data is exhausted for the month, the speeds will drop to 512 Kbps. It comes for a monthly rental of Rs 710.

BSNL BB Home Combo ULD 900

The BSNL BB Home Combo ULD 900 plan comes for Rs 900 per month. With this broadband plan from BSNL, you will be offered 10 Mbps speed till the first 15GB data for the day. After exhausting the 15GB data, speed will be drop to 2 Mbps. You also get a landline connection with unlimited calling.

BSNL Bharat Fiber Superstar 500

The BSNL Bharat Fiber Superstar 500 plan comes for Rs 949. But this one comes with 500GB data for the month at 50 Mbps speed. Beyond the 500GB data, your internet speed will drop down to 2 Mbps. With this BSNL plan as well you get the facility of landline with unlimited calling.

Tata Sky Broadband Rs 950 Unlimited Broadband Plan

The first and foremost benefit that you get with this plan is that offers unlimited data throughout the month. The speed of the internet will be 25 Mbps. While its nothing too high, it is not bad as well. With the plan, you will get a free router and safe custody as well.

Original article: Best Broadband Plans to Choose Under Rs 1000 in India

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Choosing something to get for yourself requires a lot of information about that particular thing. You would not want to spend your precious money on something which is not good or worth the value you are spending. One thing that you don’t want to get wrong is the broadband internet plan that you choose. There are two types of broadband plans that you can get — fixed data plans and unlimited data plans. The fixed data plans come with a limited amount of data. But the unlimited broadband plan comes with unlimited data mostly with a FUP limit. Let’s take a look at what you must know in order to choose the best-unlimited broadband internet plan for yourself.

Factors for Choosing Unlimited Broadband Plans

1. Choose the Right Service Provider

Choosing the right service provider is very essential. This is because there are many internet service providers offering broadband internet plans at different rates and benefits. So how do you choose the right internet service provider (ISP)? Again, there are a lot of factors in deciding one. But most simply put, go for the one which provides the maximum speed in your area at a reasonable price. If you end up choosing the wrong broadband plan for yourself, you won’t be able to reap the benefits of a broadband plan.

2. Understand Your Internet Usage

There are a lot of things you need to understand to get the best-unlimited broadband plan. At the core of them, you need to identify the kind of internet user you are. When broken down, there are three types of broadband internet users. They are – light, medium, and heavy Internet users. Let’s take a deeper look at how these users are and what kind of user you are.

Identify the Kind of User You Are

Light Users

If you are someone who gets by with a minimal amount of data, then you will fall under the light users category. Light users don’t usually want a lot of high-speed data and they can stream music and movies in low res as well.

 Medium Users

Medium users are those who don’t need very high-speed internet or a lot of data every day, but they do need internet on a regular basis to conduct their day to day basis. Medium users might stream music or movies in high quality sometimes.

Heavy Users

Heavy users are those people who basically breathe internet and require it for doing everything. They don’t want to stream anything in low res. Along with that, there might be more people connected to the same broadband network. In that case, a lot of data is being consumed every day.

Once you know the kind of users you are, you can choose a plan which caters to your needs.

Original article: Best Unlimited Broadband Internet Plan: Things You Must Know Before Considering

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A good internet connection is required if you are working from home. There are several meetings that you might have to attend via a video conference. Then for entertainment, you need a good internet speed to buffer online content at go in high res. All of this is possible with the help of a fiber connection. A fiber broadband connection can get you speeds as high as up to 1 Gbps. Airtel Xstream Fiber is one such broadband service. There are different plans offering customers the flexibility they require. There are internet plans which range from 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps. For customers who want a discount on their bills, they can purchase plans of up to 6 months or 12 months (annually). Let’s take a look at what kind of discount you will get when you go for long-term plans.

Airtel Xstream Fiber Discount for 6 Months Plan

There are four plans which Airtel Xstream Fiber is offering. These plans range from Rs 799 to Rs 3,999 monthly. The ‘Basic’ plan from the telco comes for Rs 799 and offers 150GB data at 100 Mbps. There is a free Airtel Xstream Subscription included with other Airtel Thanks Benefits. The second plan ‘Entertainment’ comes for Rs 999 and offers 300GB data at 200 Mbps speed. There are other benefits included such as Amazon Prime Video and many more. The third plan ‘Premium’ comes with 500GB data at 300 Mbps speed for Rs 1,499. The most expensive plan from the service, ‘VIP’, comes for Rs 3,999 and offers 1 Gbps speeds with unlimited data. There are other benefits included such as a free subscription to various OTT content platforms.

Now when you purchase any of these plans, you get an option to buy it for long term as well. So if you buy any of these plans for a period of 6 months, then you will be availed with a 7.5% discount on your monthly charge.

For the Basic plan, the discounted price of six months becomes Rs 4,434 saving you Rs 360. For the Entertainment plan, the discounted price of six months becomes Rs 5,544 saving you Rs 450. Price of the Premium plan becomes Rs 8,319 for six months saving you Rs 675. Lastly, the VIP price of VIP months for a six months plan becomes Rs 22,194 saving you Rs 1,800.

Airtel Xstream Fiber Discount for 12 Months Plan

There is a 15% discount on any plan which is bought for 12 months. The Basic plan’s cost for a whole year becomes Rs 8,150 saving you Rs 1,438. The Entertainment plan’s cost for a whole year becomes Rs 10,190 saving you Rs 1,798. For the Premium plan, the discount cost for a whole year becomes Rs 15,290 saving you Rs 2,698. Lastly, the discounted cost of VIP plan for 12 months become Rs 40,790 saving you Rs 7,198.

Original article: Airtel Xstream Fiber Long-Term Broadband Plans Can Be Availed at a Lesser Price

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Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has reintroduced its 40 Mbps plan with 250GB monthly data for a “limited time” in multiple circles including Gujarat. The 40 Mbps plan dubbed as “Fibro 3000GB Per Annum CS336 Plan” had earlier expired on June 22 with the plan largely exclusive to the Gujarat circle. Meanwhile, the operator has been expanding the availability of its Bhrat Fiber services in Gujarat in the recent months. The BSNL Gujarat circle on Twitter highlighted that the users can avail Bharat Fiber services in 48 hours in various cities including Modasa, Idar, Bharuch and Godhara.

BSNL Reintroduces 40 Mbps Plan with 250GB Monthly Data

The “Fibro 3000GB Per Annum CS336 Plan” enables users to browse up to 40 Mbps speed till 250GB data with the operator capping the speeds to 1 Mbps upon reaching the 250GB limit.

Similar to most other BSNL plans, the operator enables users subscribed to the “Fibro 3000GB Per Annum CS336 Plan” to make unlimited local and STD calls to any network in India.

The “Fibro 3000GB Per Annum CS336 Plan” is available on an annual subscription for a price of Rs 5700 which translates to an effective price of Rs 475 per month. BSNL currently offers the “Fibro 3000GB Per Annum CS336 Plan” in Gujarat, Daman and Diu, along with Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

The operator presents the Fibro 100GB as the base plan in numerous circles including Gujarat. The Fibro 100GB enables users to browse up to 20 Mbps speed till 100GB per month with BSNL capping the speeds to 2 Mbps upon reaching the 100GB limit. BSNL charges Rs 499 per month from users subscribing to the Fibro 100GB plan.

While BSNL offers one free month subscription to users subscribing to the annual plans, the scheme is not applicable to the users subscribing to the “Fibro 3000GB Per Annum CS336 Plan.”

BSNL has highlighted that the 40 Mbps plan would be available for a limited time till October 1, 2020.

BSNL Expands Bharat Fiber Availability in Gujarat Circle

It has to be noted that the Bharat Fiber service was initially launched in the key cities of the Gujarat circle including Ahmedabad, Anand, Bardoli, Kalol, Mehsana, Patan, Surat and Vadodara. In the recent months, it was said that the Bharat Fiber service has expanded to several areas including Bhuj, Mundra, Mandvi, Anjar, Adipur, Gandhidham and Rahpar. Further, the Bharat Fiber service is also said to be available in Modasa, Idar, Bharuch, Halol, Lunawada, Dahod, Ankleshwar, Dahej, Metoda, Jasdan, Jetpur, Dhoraji and Rajkot.

Original article: BSNL Reintroduces 40 Mbps Plan with 250GB Data for Effective Price of Rs 475 per Month

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Broadband connection has become an essential part of modern society. An internet connection provides a solution to almost every question which we get, and it also caters to our entertainment needs. However, Broadband Wi-Fi connection is not just limited to our four walls. The Wi-Fi signals which are transmitted in our connection are broadcasted through various cable lines and boxes. This increases the chance of cyber-attacks and fraudulent activities. Many hackers and digital criminals try to break into our connection and hack our private data. However, a broadband connection can be secured with some of the simple steps. Broadband connection holders will not even have to contact their services providers if they follow these simple steps to secure their internet connection. Here are few of the simple steps which users can do to secure broadband connection.

Use WPA Password

One of the easiest and simplest way to protect Wi-Fi network is by keeping a long and random password to ensure that hackers cannot access your connection. The default access name and password of the router is easy to decode, and hackers get easy access to your network using a few tricks. However, if both access name and password are secured with a strong password, hackers will not be able to hack into a broadband connection and get private data of users.

Establish Separate Network for Guests

One of the most common requests we get from guests and visitors is the access to Wi-Fi connection. To ensure that the broadband connection is safe from any unethical guest, a user must always provide a separate network for guests. The separate network will just allow users to get an internet connection. However, guests will not be able to breach into the internal network of the users. All the modern wireless routers have the capability of running two Wi-Fi networks that is one for the main network and another one for guests.

Enable MAC Authentication

To ensure complete safety of the broadband connection, users can enable the MAC authentication for guests. MAC Authentication will allow the users to allow certain devices and restrict the rest. With MAC Authentication enabled, unofficial and unauthorised devices will not be able to access network resources, and it will add an extra layer of security in your broadband connection. All the broadband users get a unique serial number which is known as MAC address which can be used to allow access to the network from a set of addresses defined by the user.

Limit Range of Wi-Fi Signal

In case if you are using Wi-Fi in a smaller area, limiting the scope of the Wi-Fi signal will be one of the easiest steps to secure your broadband connection. The Wi-Fi signal can be limited by switching from 802.11b or 802.11n to 802.11g. Apart from this, the Wi-Fi signal can also be reduced by using Wi-Fi blocking paint. The Wi-Fi blocking paint will absorb the Wi-Fi signals, and it will not allow the signals to go beyond the wall.

Hide SSID

Broadband connection can also be secured by hiding the service set identifier (SSID) which is also known as the network name. Once the network name is hidden, unethical hackers will not be able to search the connection and users who know the name of the Wi-Fi connection will be able to connect their devices with the broadband connection.

If users follow these simple steps, they will not have to worry about the data breach and cyber-attacks from hackers and cybercriminals. All the steps can be followed without any external hassle, and users will enjoy a secured broadband connection which will cater to their work and entertainment needs.

Original article: Secure Your Broadband Connection in 5 Simple Ways

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The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Tuesday released the Telecom Subscription Data as of March 31, 2020 that highlighted that the wireline broadband subscriber base in India touched 19.18 million. According to the TRAI data for the month of February, India registered a wireline broadband subscriber base of 19.07 million. The data highlights that the wireline broadband operators in India added over 100,000 users in March despite the COVID-19 lockdown that was enforced since March 24. It has to be noted that India registered a decline in the wireline broadband subscriber base in the prior three month period. While India had registered a wireline broadband subscriber base of 19.14 million in December, the number dipped to 19.08 million in January and to 19.07 million in February.

BSNL Continues to Lose Wireline Broadband Subscribers

The Trai data released on Tuesday highlights that the state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) registered a subscriber base of 8.08 million in March. The operator in February had a registered subscriber base of 8.11 million. In the previous months, BSNL recorded a customer base of 8.39 million in December, 2019 with the number dipping to 8.23 million in January. The data highlights that BSNL has now lost over 300,000 users since December 2019. Despite the drop in the subscriber base, the operator continues its position as the top fixed broadband service provider in India.

Bharti Airtel has continued to occupy its position as the second largest provider in India with a subscriber base of 2.47 million as of March 31. In the previous month, the operator had registered a wireline subscriber base of 2.45 million.

Similarly, Atria Convergence Technologies has retained its position as the third largest wireline broadband service provider in India with a subscriber base of 1.61 million as of March 31. The operator had registered a wireline subscriber base of 1.56 million in February indicating that ACT Fibernet has added over 50,000 users in one month.

Hathway and Reliance Jio Add Over 30,000 Users in March

Further, the Trai data highlights that Hathway Cable and Datacom had a registered subscriber base of 0.97 million as of March 31. In the previous month, the operator had recorded a wireline subscriber base of 0.94 million.

Reliance Jio through its JioFiber service retained its position as the fifth largest service provider in India with a subscriber base of 0.87 million in March. The operator in the previous month had a registered wireline subscriber base of 0.84 million.

Original article: India Registers Growth in Fixed Broadband Subscription in March, ACT Fibernet Registers Noticeable Spike

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Tata Sky Broadband plans are catching up with the customers all around India. At the moment, Tata Sky is providing its broadband internet services in over 18 major cities of India. There are two kinds of data plans which Tata Sky offers. One is the unlimited data per month wherein you purchase a plan and get unlimited data for the month. Then there is the second kind of plan which offers a fixed amount of data for a month. We are going to be focusing on fixed monthly data for today. Tata Sky offers plans with four different timestamps – 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. There are four plans inside each timestamp. Let’s take a look at all of them.

Tata Sky Broadband Fixed Data Plan for 1 Month

The first Fixed GB broadband plan from Tata Sky comes for Rs 790 alone with 150GB monthly data at 50 Mbps speed. The second plan comes for Rs 950 offering 250GB data at 100 Mbps speed. Moving on, the third plan comes for Rs 1,000 offering 500GB data at 50 Mbps speed. Lastly, there’s a Fixed GB plan for Rs 1,050 which offers 500GB data at 100 Mbps speed.

There is no special offer included in any of the plans. With every plan, you get a free router, safe custody and data rollover facility. But you will have to pay the installation charges.

Tata Sky Broadband Fixed Data Plan for 3 Months

Moving onto the Tata Sky Fixed GB broadband plans with 3 months validity, the first offering comes for Rs 2,250 with 150GB data at 50 Mbps speeds. The second plan is priced at Rs 2,700 offering 250GB data at 100 Mbps speeds. The third plan comes for Rs 2,850 offering 500GB data at 50 Mbps speed. The last plan is retailing for Rs 3,000 with 500GB data at 100 Mbps speeds.

There is no special offer included with any plan. But similar to the monthly plans, you get a free router along with free installation as well. Data rollover facility along with safe custody is provided as well.

Tata Sky Broadband Fixed Data Plan for 6 Months

Talking about the half-yearly plans, they start at Rs 4,050 offering 150GB data at 50 Mbps speeds. The second plan comes for Rs 4,860 offering 250GB data at 100 Mbps speed. The third plan comes for Rs 5,130 offering 500GB data at 50 Mbps speed. The last plan comes for Rs 5,400 offering 500GB data at 100 Mbps speed. All the plans come with a 10% discount. With that, you get a free router, free installation, data rollover facility, and safe custody.

Tata Sky Broadband Fixed Data Plan for 12 Months

During the lockdown, majority of users are opting annual broadband plans and Tata Sky Broadband has covered those as well. The first plan comes for Rs 7,650 offering 150GB data at 50 Mbps speed. The second plan comes for Rs 9,180 offering 250GB data monthly at 100 Mbps speed. The third plan comes for Rs 9,690 offering 500GB data monthly at 50 Mbps. The last plan comes for Rs 10,200 offering 500GB data at 100 Mbps speed. All the plans get a 15% discount. Along with the discount, you also get a free router, free installation, data rollover facility and safe custody.

Original article: Tata Sky Broadband Fixed GB Data Plans Offer Up to 500GB per Month

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Gone are the days when normal router would work with your high-speed internet plan. Earlier, internet routers regardless of their size or type would work with any kind of plan. So a user/customer didn’t really take out the time to research the perfect router for them. They just went with the router which fell within their budget. But time has changed. Internet routers are no more just routers. They have become a lifeline for people who earn their livelihoods through the internet. 4K streaming and online HD gaming have completely changed the needs of people out of their routers. So the perfect high-speed broadband internet plan which can support all the heavy internet needs of today requires a router which can withhold the connectivity. The thing is, there are multiple devices connected to a Wi-Fi router and at different distances. To cater to the needs of every device in an efficient manner creates a lot of load for a router. That results in a lot of buffering and frequent network disconnections. So here are a few tips you can follow.

Understand the Extendability and Range You Require

This is a very important thing for you to understand if you want a good Wi-Fi router for yourself. If you have a large home then get a Wi-Fi router which can send signals throughout your house. But there is also an extension available which can be connected to the other part of your home and will give you great speeds. Routers with large internet coverage get you good connectivity and are most probably the ones which come with gigabit speed support.

Use 802.11n Router

Before the 802.11n router, there was the 802.11g/a router. Now it could only support speeds up to 60 Mbps. So clearly, it isn’t enough for someone who is looking to stream in 4K and go for HD online gaming. With the 802.11n router though, you can get speeds up to 600 Mbps which is more than enough for heavy internet usage when there is more than one device connected to the router.

Use 802.11a/c Router

With the advancements in technology, we can now get internet speeds up to 1 Gbps. But for speed like that, even the 802.11n router won’t be enough. That is why there is 802.11a/c router. This router can carry speeds up to more than one gigabyte easily. These routers are also known as Gigabit router. With these ones, 4K streaming won’t be an issue for you. You will be able to download things in seconds and you will get the true seamless internet experience. Even multiple devices connected to this router won’t create any issues for you.

Original article: Broadband: How to Choose the Best Router for Yourself?

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GTPL Hathway on Wednesday said that the company added 50,000 broadband subscribers including 20,000 Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) users in its first quarter ended June 30, 2020. The company shared the data in its first quarter financial results for the period ended June, 2020. GTPL Hathway said that the addition of broadband subscribers in its first quarter of the current financial year represents two times growth as compared to the same period in the previous year. The company said that it also added 180,000 new Home-pass, broadband enabled homes in the first quarter ended June.

GTPL Hathway Broadband ARPU Remains Flat at Rs 422

Despite the additions, GTPL Hathway said that its average revenue per user (ARPU) in the broadband space for the first quarter ended June remained flat at Rs 422. However, GTPL Hathway said that the data consumption per user was at 162GB per month as of June 2020, up from 120GB per month in June 2019. The company said that the spike in data consumption represented an 35% increase Year-over-Year (YoY).

GTPL Hathway said that its broadband subscriber base touched 455,000 as on June 30, 2020 of which 120,000 are said to be FTTH subscribers.

Meanwhile, the company is said to have seeded 10.21 million Set-Top Boxes (STB) to users while 7.21 million were classified as Paying Subscribers as of June, 2020.

GTPL Hathway highlighted that the “successful implementation” of the New Tariff Order (NTO) has created expansion opportunities in its existing markets. Crucially, the company said that the NTO has also lifted the entry barriers in untapped markets.

“GTPL Hathway delivered another strong quarter. The highlight of the quarter was strong profitability and debt reduction,” Anirudhsinh Jadeja, managing director of GTPL Hathway, said in the release. “Our CATV Business expansion in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telengana is on track and it will gain momentum in the coming quarters [sic].”

GTPL Hathway Set to Launch Hybrid Box with Cable, Broadband and OTT Access

It was said that the company will launch an hybrid box in the current financial year that will enable users to access broadband, cable and Over-the-Top (OTT) content from one access point.

“During the current financial year, we plan to launch a Hybrid box, which will enable us to provide multiservice product that will have Broadband, OTT and Cable service at an attractive price point,” Jadeja said.

The company reported an 10% YoY increase in its overall consolidated revenue while its cable TV subscription revenue is said to be up 7% YoY. Further, the consolidated broadband revenue of GTPL Hathway is up by 34% YoY.

Original article: GTPL Hathway Adds 50,000 Broadband Subscribers, Set to Launch Hybrid Box

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Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) on Thursday expanded its Bharat Fiber service to the city of Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu. According to a flyer shared by a Twitter handle, Dharmapuri Pillars, a local retailer is offering the service with four major Bharat Fiber plans including the top-tier 200 Mbps plan. Crucially, the ad highlights that the Bharat Fiber service is available with complimentary access to Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar. It has to be noted that the complimentary Amazon Prime subscription that was introduced by the operator in 2018 was discontinued in April, 2020.

BSNL Bharat Fiber Service Now Expands to Dharmapuri

The residents of the Dharmapuri city are offered four major Bharat Fiber plans including the “Super star 300” plan that is priced at Rs 749 per month. The Super star 300 plan enables users to browse up to 50 Mbps speed till 300GB with the operator capping the speeds to 2Mbps upon reaching the 300GB limit.

The retailer also offers the “600GB CUL” plan, the 750GB Plan and the Fibro Combo ULD 1999 CS55 plan.

The 600GB CUL plan priced at Rs 849 enables users to browse up to 50 Mbps speed till 600GB with the operator capping the speeds to 2Mbps upon reaching the 600GB limit.

Further, the 750GB Plan priced at Rs 1277 enables users to browse up to 100 Mbps speed till 750GB limit with the operator limiting the speeds to 2 Mbps upon reaching the limit.

The top-tier Fibro Combo ULD 1999 CS55 plan enables users to browse up to 200 Mbps speed till 1500GB for Rs 1999 per month. While BSNL normally limits the speed to 2Mbps upon users reaching the 1500GB limit, the flyer highlights that the 200 Mbps plan in the city is revised to offer 4Mbps post the 1500GB.

The operator enables Bharat Fiber users to make unlimited local and STD calls with the bundled landline service.

BSNL Resumes Amazon Prime Video Subscription with Bharat Fiber Plans

It is said that the Bharat Fiber users in Dharmapuri will be offered complimentary one year access to Disney+ Hotstar and Amazon Prime Video service. The one year access to Amazon Prime and Disney+ Hotstar is said to be worth Rs 999 per year.

According to a senior BSNL employee, the Amazon Prime subscription provided by the BSNL retailer in the Dharmapuri city is restricted to the particular area. The BSNL employee said that the operator has not resumed the Amazon Prime subscription on a pan-India basis.

However, BSNL does offers one year complimentary access to Disney+ Hotstar service with select plans including the Super star 300 plan and Super star 500 plan across India.

It also has to be noted that BSNL initially offered the Bharat Fiber service in select cities of Tamil Nadu including Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Pollachi, Trichy and Vellore. However, the operator has since expanded the service to several areas including Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Erode, Karaikudi, Kumbakonam, Madurai, Nagarcoil, Ooty, Thanjavur, Tirunelveli and Tutucorin. Further, BSNL in June expanded the Bharat Fiber service to additional areas of Tamil Nadu including Salem, Namakkal, Mettur, Yercaud, Omalur, Sankagiri, Tiruchengode, Attur, Valapady, Rasipuram, and Velur.

Original article: BSNL Expands Bharat Fiber Service, Resumes Amazon Prime Subscription

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The mobile and fixed broadband speeds in India remained flat in the week of July 6 to July 12, as compared to the prior week, Ookla said in a report on Thursday. Ookla, the company behind the Speedtest platform in its weekly report of the COVID-19 Impact on Global Internet Performance said that the mean fixed broadband download speed in India touched 40.09 Mbps. In the prior week of June 29 to July 5, Ookla data highlighted that the mean fixed broadband download speed in India hit 40.05 Mbps.

Global Fixed Broadband Download Speed Increases

The mean fixed broadband speed in India remained at the 38 Mbps level for the majority of June before registering a noticeable spike in the week of June 29.

Crucially, Ookla data highlights that the mean fixed broadband download speed recorded in India during the week of July 6 represents an 4% increase as compared to the peak week of March 2. During the week of March 2, Ookla data highlights that India recorded a mean fixed broadband download speed of 38.66 Mbps.

Globally, Ookla said that the mean fixed broadband download speed increased during the week of July 6 with a speed of 79.93 Mbps. In the prior week of June 29, Ookla data highlights that the global mean fixed broadband download speed hit 78.73 Mbps.

Ethiopia recorded a significant increase in the fixed broadband download speed with the country registering an 313% increase in download speeds as compared to peak week of March 2. The mean fixed broadband download speed in Ethiopia in the week of July 6 touched 47.02 Mbps as compared to 10.27 Mbps in the prior week. During the week of March 2, it was said that Ethiopia recorded a mean fixed broadband download speed of 11.38 Mbps.

Mobile Internet Speeds in India Remain Flat

Ookla said that the mobile internet speeds in India during the week of July 6 remained flat as compared to the prior week of June 29. It was said that India recorded a mean mobile download speed of 12.28 Mbps as compared to 12.74 Mbps in the prior week. The company said that the mean mobile download speed registered in India during the week of July 6 represented an 5% increase as compared to the peak week of March 2.

Similar to the mean fixed broadband download speeds, the mean mobile download speeds in India has remained at the 12 Mbps level since the last week of May.

Globally, Ookla said that the mean mobile download speed during the week of July 6 touched 34.69 Mbps as compared to 35.61 Mbps in the prior week.

Original article: Fixed Broadband Download Speeds in India Touch 40.09 Mbps

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Broadband internet has become one of the most important elements of our lives. Gone are the days when slow and unstable internet sufficed. In the modern-day, everyone who is streaming content in 4K quality and going for HD gaming online, they need fast and stable internet. Something that has swept up the whole broadband market is the fiber internet technology. The usual DSL connection uses copper wires to transfer data but with fiber, totally different technology and material is employed. With fiber internet, you can get speeds of up to 1 Gbps and even more than that. But sometimes the broadband plans that we choose don’t seem to work for us. So we immediately think of switching them. If you want to know what you should do and know before switching your internet plan, keep reading ahead.

Things to Consider Before Switching Broadband Plan

Right ISP – It is very important that you choose the right internet service provider (ISP) for yourself. Sometimes it is not the internet plan that we have but the internet service provider which is the problem. Not to take anything away from any service provider, it just so happens that in some areas, some internet service providers don’t have a very strong network distribution. So in that case, first get the right internet service provider for yourself.

Comparison of Plans – This is the most simple advice anyone can give you. But the thing is, you have to understand that comparing two internet plans is not done just on the basis of speed they provide. So before comparing, understand what you want out of your internet connection. Is it the amount of daily and monthly data and the speed at which you get it or is it something else. Then compare the plans and see which one brings you the most benefit.

Find Better Bundled Packages – Rather than just going for plans with very limited and individual benefits, try finding plans which provide benefits in bundles. If your broadband service provider doesn’t offer bundled plans, then you should immediately find a new one which does. Because it would take the load off your pockets.

Track the Hidden Charges – It is important for you to track all the hidden charges. Sometimes broadband service providers will offer you lucrative packages and deals for which you will be compelled to take their offering. But there are always terms and conditions. See what the benefit is, go through its terms and conditions, check the validity of all the benefits the plan provides and only then think about getting it. There are a lot of hidden charges in some very lucrative plans out there, so it is better that you know about it beforehand and it doesn’t come to you as shock and burn a hole in your pocket.

Speed – The most basic thing about the plan is the speed which it offers. It is not just important to focus on download speed, but the upload speed is just as important. Some of the fiber companies out there provide customers with higher downloading speed and lower uploading speed. Make sure you understand your needs and choose a plan accordingly.

Original article: Broadband: What You Must Know Before Switching Your Internet Plan

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Hathway Broadband has revised its 300 Mbps plan to now offer 12 Mbps post Fair Usage Policy (FUP) speed. The company introduced its 300 Mbps plan in Chennai in September, 2018 at an effective price of Rs 1250 per month. The 300 Mbps plan enables users to browse up to 300 Mbps speed till 2000GB or 2TB with the operator initially capping the speeds to 5 Mbps upon reaching the limit. The company offered the 300 Mbps plan on semi-annual or annual subscription. The six month pack of the 300 Mbps plan carries a price tag of Rs 9999 while the annual pack is priced at Rs 14,999.

Hathway Revises 300 Mbps Plan in Chennai

The company has also introduced multiple new variants of the 300 Mbps plan with 1000GB data limits along with the speed revision of its plan in Chennai. Similar to its 2000GB or 2TB variants of the 300 Mbps plan, the company offers its 1000GB variant in semi-annual and annual subscription.

The semi-annual subscription of the 300 Mbps plan with 1000GB or 1TB dubbed as “GPON Dual Band 300 Mbps” plan enables users to browse at high speed till 1TB for Rs 8400. Further, the annual subscription of the “GPON Dual Band 300 Mbps” carries a price tag of Rs 16,800.

It also has to be noted that the company offers an WiFi mesh router with the 300 Mbps plans that is said to cover “an area of 3000-4000 sq ft and can handle heavy traffic with wide range of network for multiple devices without any lag in signal.”

Hathway Broadband Offers Four Plans in Chennai

The company offers four plans in Chennai with speeds of 100 Mbps, 150 Mbps, 200 Mbps and 300 Mbps. Unlike the 300 Mbps plans, the company offers the 100 Mbps, 150 Mbps and the 200 Mbps plans for the three months or semi annual and annual subscription. Further, the post FUP speeds on the entry level plans is restricted to 5 Mbps.

The base plan enables users to browse at 100 Mbps speed till 1000GB or 1TB with the operator reducing the speeds to 5 Mbps upon reaching the limit. The company offers the 100 Mbps plan at an effective price of Rs 949 per month.

Similarly, the Hathway users in Chennai can subscribe to the 150 Mbps plan at an effective price of Rs 999 per month while the 200 Mbps plan is available for Rs 1049 per month.

Original article: Hathway Broadband Revises 300 Mbps Plan, Post FUP Speed Now at 12 Mbps

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India has dropped a place on both the mobile and the fixed broadband segments of the Speedtest Global Index for the month of June. Ookla, the company behind the popular Speedtest platform maintains a Speedtest Global Index that compares internet speed data of countries around the world on a monthly basis. The company on Friday released its Speedtest Global Index for June with several countries continuing to climb the charts on both mobile and fixed broadband segments. In the mobile Space, Cuba and Mozambique gained more than 10 places on the index while Seychelles, Swaziland, Morocco and Burkina Faso gained over 10 places in the fixed broadband index.

India Drops One Place on Mobile Speedtest Global Index

According to the Speedtest Global Index for June, India has dropped to 129 spot on the mobile index. India is said to have registered average speeds of 12.16 Mbps on download and 4.35 Mbps upload speeds on mobile. In the previous month, India registered 11.37 Mbps download speed on mobile and an average upload speed of 4.33 Mbps.

The mobile Speedtest Global Index covers 138 countries across the globe with Uzbekistan, Iraq, Algeria, Somalia, Bangladesh, Sudan, Venezuela, Palestine and Afghanistan registering lower ranks than India.

The global average download speed on mobile in June is said to be 34.67 Mbps while the average upload speed is said to be 11.01 Mbps.

In the mobile space, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, China, Qatar and Canada are said to be the top five countries on the Speedtest Global Index for June.

India Drops to 75th Spot on Fixed Broadband Index

The Speedtest Global Index for the fixed broadband space covers 178 countries across the globe with India dropping to 75th spot on the index for June.

It is said that India registered an average download speed of 38.19 Mbps while the average upload speed is said to be 34.22 Mbps. In the previous month, India registered an average download speed of 35.96 Mbps and upload speeds of 32.60 Mbps.

Globally, the average download speed is said to have touched 78.26 Mbps while the average upload speed is said to have hit 42.06 mbps.

Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Switzerland and Romania are the top five countries in the fixed broadband segment of the Speedtest Global Index for June.

Original article: India Drops Places in Mobile and Fixed Broadband Speedtest Index

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With more and more people staying inside their homes because of COVID-19 scare, the internet has become a crucial part of staying connected with the world. Average time for a user staying online has increased significantly. This has put a lot of pressure on the internet and mobile network operators to provide a seamless service to the users. Millions of people have moved back from the urban areas, Tier 1 and 2 cities to their villages or rural areas. This has resulted in a higher demand for high-speed data in rural areas of India. As per research, Indian users saw a fall of internet speed during the initial phase of lockdown. What was interesting was to see that people living in Tier 2 cities saw a more pronounced downfall in internet speed than that of people living in Tier 1 cities.

Lesser Internet Speed in Tier 2 Cities

Lesser internet speed means frustration and nothing close to a seamless internet-work experience. This is what happened with people using the internet in Tier 2 cities. It is not that Tier 1 cities didn’t face any issues with internet speed, but it was more pronounced in Tier 2 cities. Since the time Janta Curfew was implemented (March 16, 2020), internet download speed started dropping. It was a clear result of network congestion as more and more people were relying on their mobile networks to get internet. On average, internet download speed dropped by 16% for the user’s reports Opensignal.

But as the lockdown progressed and reached its second phase (April 13 to May 3), internet download speed started going up gradually. However, it was still not the pre-COVID-19 level speed, but better than the initial phase of the first lockdown. Finally, in the third phase of the lockdown (May 4 to May 17) users got their normal download speed back in the majority of cities.

The pattern for Tier 1 cities was a little different than that of Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in the first phase of lockdown. Chennai and Bangalore did not see any significant decrease in the download speed, whereas users in Pune faced a further decrease in speed by 6.9% to 12.5%. Post the first lockdown phase though, Tier 1 cities also started getting higher download speeds.

More Internet Speed for People in Urban Cities

By the end of the fourth phase of lockdown, download speed for users in most of the cities returned to normal. But surprisingly, some users started getting higher download speed than they have ever got. This trend of higher download speed started spreading to more and more cities. It started happening from July 1 when the lockdown rules were relaxed to the most extent. But it was more of the Tier 1 cities which saw the speed improvement.

For the week ending July 12, internet users in Delhi got a 38% higher download speed than usual. This was followed by users in Mumbai who got a 33.5% higher download speed, Hyderabad with 33.1% higher download speed, and Ghaziabad and Chennai with 32.4% and 30.4% higher download speed.

There are a number of reasons why the downfall in internet speed came. One of the major reasons is telecom operators removing limits on data usage and also providing cheaper data packages. Another is that the operators themselves reduced the max speed for users to ensure that their network can handle the increasing demand without an outage.

The reason why Tier 1 cities are getting higher internet speed is the underutilisation of network infrastructure which is made for managing higher internet load. Since people already migrated back to their hometowns from these Tier 1 cities, there are a lesser number of people using the internet than before in the Tier 1 cities. Thus, it has resulted in better internet download speed for the users.

Original article: Internet Speed in India Improved by 24% for Tier One Cities Post Lockdown

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Tata Sky is slowly expanding its broadband services throughout the country. The company has been the number one DTH operator for quite some time now. Broadband services of the company are however still growing in the market. Tata Sky broadband comes with different kinds of plans. There are cheap plans, expensive plans, short-term plans, medium-term plans, and long-term plans. But all these features are categorised under two kinds of plans – Fixed data plans and unlimited data plans. Fixed data plans come with a fixed limit of data every month. You can opt for data rollover once you have exhausted your monthly data. Then there are unlimited data plans. Don’t go by the name though, even though its unlimited data, there is a FUP limit to it. Keep reading ahead to find out more about it.

Tata Sky Broadband FUP Limit for Unlimited Plans

Tata Sky broadband’s unlimited plans come with a FUP limit. There are two different FUP limits. One limit is of 1,500GB data every month. The other limit is of 3,300GB data every month. The 1,500GB FUP limit is put on plans for all the unlimited data plans which do not offer 300 Mbps speed. The 3,300GB FUP limit is put on the unlimited data plan which offers 300 Mbps speed.

That’s right, you don’t just get unlimited data. Even though it is a lot of data to exhaust and would actually never exhaust in a month, still it has a certain limit to it. But you still get data after you have reached the FUP limit of your unlimited data plan.

Tata Sky Unlimited Broadband Speed Post FUP Limit

After the customer has reached the FUP limit for their plan, they will keep getting data. The only difference will be the speed at which they get it. After the FUP limit has been reached, the customer would get the data at a speed of 3 Mbps. Regardless of the kind of plan, it is, post FUP limit, the internet speed for the broadband plan will be brought down to 3 Mbps.

This policy has been revised by Tata Sky. Earlier the speed post FUP limit was set at 2 Mbps. But very recently, Tata Sky has updated on its website that the speed will be 3 Mbps from now on.

On a similar note, Airtel Xstream Fiber also comes with a FUP limit for its unlimited data plans. You can upgrade your normal data plan to an unlimited plan by paying Rs 299 if you are an Airtel Xstream Fiber customer. It also offers the customers 3.3TB data every month with its unlimited plan which after exhausting will fall down.

Original article: Tata Sky Broadband Unlimited Data Comes with FUP Limit, All You Should Know

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The Indian wired broadband service providers lost 160,000 subscribers in April, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) highlighted in a report on Friday. According to the Trai report, the fixed broadband subscriber base in India dipped to 19.02 million in April as compared to 19.18 million in March. It has to be noted that India was under intense lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic since March 24. While the government eased certain restrictions in the second phase of the lockdown that was implemented from April 16, shops and businesses were allowed to function in limited capacity only in late April. The lockdown areas were also classified into red, orange and green zones in the second phase of the lockdown.

Broadband Service Providers Lose Subscribers in the Lockdown Period

However, the government permitted normal movement in the green zones only in the third phase of lockdown that was implemented from May 4 with more retail shops permitted to operate in the phase.

While certain providers including Bharti Airtel resumed sign ups for broadband installation in mid-April followed by installations in certain zones in late April, providers like Tata Sky resumed installations in early May.

The Trai data highlights that the wireline service providers registered a negative growth rate of 0.82% between March and April.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) continued its position as the top wireline service provider in India with a subscriber base of 7.97 million as of April 30, 2020. In March, the state-run operator had a subscriber base of 8.08 million indicating that BSNL lost 0.11 million or 1,10,000 subscribers in April.

Bharti Airtel retained its position as the second largest provider in India with a subscriber base of 2.44 million in April. The operator had a registered subscriber base of 2.47 million in March indicating that the operator lost 0.03 million or 30,000 subscribers in April.

Atria Convergence Technologies recorded a subscriber base of 1.59 million in April as compared to 1.61 million in March. The operator lost 0.02 million or 20,000 subscribers in April.

Reliance Jio Gains Subscribers in April While Hathway Maintains its Subscriber Base

Hathway Cable and Datacom registered identical subscriber base of 0.97 million in both March and April.

However, Reliance Jio that offers its services through JioFiber emerged as the lone gainer on the list of the top five wired service providers in India.  The operator is said to have gained 30,000 subscribers in April. According to the Trai data, Reliance Jio registered a subscriber of 0.90 million in April as compared to 0.87 million in March. It has to be noted that JioFiber provided Basic broadband connectivity with speeds of 10 Mbps for no additional charge to subscribers even with the inactive lines in April.

Original article: Indian Broadband Service Providers Lost 160,000 Subscribers in April

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Broadband connections have become very common nowadays. People prefer them most of the time when they are working from their homes or offices. Broadband connections don’t get the kind of network congestions which mobile networks face when a lot of people in the same area use high-speed internet. At the same time though, Broadband connections have a limited range of area which it can cover to provide internet. One of the things which people using a fiber connection or a new broadband connection might be noticing when they connect to the internet is two bands available to them to connect with — 2.4GHz and 5GHz. This option is available to users who have a wireless router (802.11n or newer). Let’s see the differences between the bands and how they affect your internet connection.

2.4GHz Vs 5GHz Router: Speed and Range

If you want a higher range so that you can connect to your broadband network and get internet from any part of the home, you can connect with 2.4GHz band. But if you need higher internet speed and can be near the Wi-Fi router, you should connect with 5GHz band. It is not like 2.4GHz band doesn’t offer a good internet speed. But with 5GHz it is just a notch higher and is perfect for seamless data experience. If you are a gamer and want to experience low-latency gaming, connect with the 5GHz band.

Some people don’t get the dual-band Wi-Fi router. They prefer to go with the single-band option. So let’s take a look at whether you should go for 2.4GHz or 5GHz band router.

Size of the Home

It is an important factor to be considered. If you have a big house where you like to roam around from room to hall to dining table, then you need a 2.4GHz band router. Because it will keep you connected to the internet. But if you have a small house such as an apartment, then you can get by using a 5GHz band router.

Obstacles

The thing with 2.4GHz band is that you are likely to face more disturbance and interference with it than when you use a 5GHz band. Broadband connections with 2.4GHz are more disturbed because of a lot of other devices such as Bluetooth gadgets, microwaves, and more use the same frequency.

But it is not the same case with the 5GHz band router. If you are in close proximity of your router, nothing will interfere with your broadband internet connection.

Types of Device

It is important to determine the kind of device you will connect with your broadband router. If you are going to use the broadband connection for just internet browsing and basic work-related stuff, then 2.4GHz band will suffice you.

But in case you require the internet for connecting it with devices where you will stream in HD, then it is just better to get a router with 5GHz band support.

Original article: Broadband Dual Band Routers Offering 2.4GHz and 5GHz Service: Which is Better?

©2020 TelecomTalk. All Rights Reserved.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) on Tuesday extended its “Bharat Fiber 300 GB CUL CS346” plan to October 27, 2020. The Bharat Fiber 300 GB CUL CS346 plan was introduced in early 2020 in the Odisha circle with the plan enabling users to browse high speed data till 300GB. BSNL had earlier said that the Bharat Fiber 300 GB CUL CS346 plan would be valid till July 27, 2020. It has to be noted that the operator had earlier extended several other Bharat Fiber plans including the “300 GB Plan CS337” and the “500GB CUL” plans to September, 2020.

BSNL Extends Bharat Fiber 300 GB CUL CS346 Plan to October

The Bharat Fiber 300 GB CUL CS346 plan enables users to browse up to 40 Mbps speed till 300GB with the operator capping the speeds to 2 Mbps upon reaching the limit. Additionally, BSNL enables users subscribed to Bharat Fiber 300 GB CUL CS346 plan to make unlimited local and STD calls. The Bharat Fiber 300 GB CUL CS346 plan is priced at Rs 600 per month with the plan also available for semi-annual, annual, biennial and triennial subscription.

The semi-annual pack of the Bharat Fiber 300 GB CUL CS346 plan is priced at Rs 3600 while the annual pack is priced at Rs 7200. Further, the operator charges Rs 14,400 from the users subscribing to the biennial pack of the Bharat Fiber 300 GB CUL CS346 plan while the triennial pack is priced at Rs 21,600.

The operator offers one month, three months and four months of additional service for no extra cost to the users subscribing to the annual, biennial and triennial packs.

BSNL Extends Bharat Fiber 300 GB Plan CS337 to September

In June, BSNL had extended the 300 GB Plan CS337 plan to September 9, 2020. Similar to the Bharat Fiber 300 GB CUL CS346 plan, the 300 GB Plan CS337 enables users to browse up to 40 Mbps speed till 300GB.

Further, BSNL limits the speeds to 1 Mbps upon reaching the 300GB on the 300 GB Plan CS337. The operator also offers unlimited local and STD calls to the users subscribed to the 300 GB Plan CS337. The 300 GB Plan CS337 is priced at Rs 499 per month with the plan restricted to Kolkata, Rajasthan, Sikkim and West Bengal circles.

Original article: BSNL Extends Bharat Fiber FTTH Plan with 300GB Data to October

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