Editorial -- Action needed
The new telecom policy has its main objective as offering affordable telecom services to the Indian masses. An altruistic and definitely an honourable motive.

Heady days ahead
The world is on the threshold of a new industrial revolution. A revolution which promises to be at least as significant as that which has brought most of the growth to the world's economy in the past two centuries. A revolution which promises to have just as far reaching an impact on a wide variety of aspects of life.

Convergence, the buzzword
Rapid advances made in the telecom world, specially in the last two decades, shock conventional minds. With different technologies and services converging these shocks are but inevitable.

Competition sets the pace
Competition todayis one of the prime drivers of the global telecommunications market both in terms of overall growth as well the structural changes that it is stimulating.

New Technologies -- Wireless Access
It offers high-speed Net access, cable TV, and other communication services using cellular-like base stations. Exploiting microwave radio technology, LMDS offers speeds of 500 kbps.

Interesting times chime
One man's curse is another’s blessing. Interesting times these. It sure is a blessing for many even as anathema for others especially in the telecommunications industry. Around the globe, the industry has been witnessing upheavals of sorts with industry structures and norms collapsing, giving way to a new order.

Happenings -- Converging world
Microsoft has set up a mobile device unit to make and market handheld devices and mobile phones Windows CE based. It’s reworked operating system (OS) includes new on-line services and user interfaces.

"There is hope for the consumer ’’
At the heart of the storm in the telecommunications industry has been the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), the regulatory body. Recently, the government reconsituted it and has realigned its role as a regulator.

"VSATs are very competitive ’’
Very Small Aperture Terminals or the VSATs are seen as a technology that holds great promiseFor developing countries. Despite widespread usage, there are a few impediments that are hampering the growth of this technology.