Value-added services (VAS) over the mobile are important for both the operators and content providers. The former believe that this provides a way out of the predicament of decreasing average revenues per customer (ARPU). The latter see this as a potentially powerful distribution medium, in light of the increasing likelihood that the mobile will become the primary method of accessing the Internet for a majority of the population. (more…)

There is always the question of how exactly do we arrive at the estimates for various parameters in our products. Our products provide estimates at country, state, district, city and sub city level. How do we do it? (more…)

“It’s very lonely,” Cato’s Mitchell admits. “We’re thinking of running an ad on E-Harmony: Seeking small-government conservatives.”

Or better yet: “Single white think tank seeks Ayn Rand-type looking to share romantic dinners, walks along the beach and entrepreneurial business ventures. Must be comfortable living in philosophical exile.” (more…)

According to the latest available figures the urban teledensity (number of telephones per 100 persons) was 72.47% against rural teledensity of only around 12.72%. This is in spite of the fact that an explicit Universal Service Support Policy was framed and came into force on April 1, 2002. On January 9, 2004, the USOF was granted a statutory non-lapsable status with the passing of the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Act, 2004. (more…)

Early this month we wrote in our newsletter, “The dollar has been growing in strength worldwide, even though the fundamentals of the US economy do not warrant this trend long term.”

The rupee was 50.52 to the dollar(2^nd December). Today it is 47.94.

(more…)