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Hans India
01-08-2025
- Business
- Hans India
India's 1st mobile phone call was between Sukh Ram and Jyoti Basu
New Delhi: It was exactly 30 years ago on 31st July 1995, when India's first mobile call was made, marking a new chapter in the country's communication history. The first call on 31 July 1995 was made between then Union Telecom minister Sukh Ram in Delhi to then Chief Minister of West Bengal Jyoti Basu in Kolkata. Since then, over the last three decades, this journey has not only revolutionised communication but also redefined the country's economic and social landscape. It all started in 1991, when Dr Manmohan Singh, then Finance Minister, dismantled the government monopoly in the sector and invited private investments. The National Telecom Policy of 1994 was followed, and the Government issued tenders for mobile licences. This became the game changer for India's telecom sector, which later became the poster boy of India's economic reforms. In 1997, following the Supreme Court directive, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) was constituted for dispute resolution and regulations of the Industry. Previously, the sector was regulated by the Department of Telecom, which was also a policy-maker, with conflicting interests for private players.
India Today
01-08-2025
- Business
- India Today
Paying Rs 16 to receive calls to ultra-cheap data: 30 years of India's mobile journey
On July 31, 1995, a phone call between Union Telecom Minister Sukh Ram in Delhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu in Kolkata opened India to mobile telephony. The call was brief and ceremonial, but it marked the beginning of a journey that would redefine how the country lived, worked and connected. Thirty years later, on July 31, 2025, the anniversary of that first call is a reminder of how an elite luxury turned into the backbone of everyday life for more than a billion mobile networks began with Modi Telstra's GSM service in 1995, limited to Delhi and Kolkata, running on 2G technology with patchy coverage and high tariffs. At the time, both outgoing and incoming calls were charged at Rs 8.40, which even went up to Rs 16 per minute during peak time, the sector expanded with Airtel, Hutch, Idea and BSNL building 2G networks nationwide, ushering in mass adoption by the early 2000s. To mark the 30th anniversary of the first mobile call, Union Minister for Telecommunication, Jyotiraditya Scindia, inaugurated an exhibition on Thursday in Delhi that featured over 300 mobile handsets spanning three decades — from the earliest bulky devices to sleek modern smartphones."From voice to value, India's mobile journey is a global case study. What began with a phone call in 1995 is now powering a trillion-dollar digital economy," BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal, who is also the president of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), said at the value was unlocked over the years and India moved from 2G to 2008 spectrum auctions introduced 3G, followed by 4G in the mid-2010s, which truly unlocked internet access. Reliance Jio's entry in 2016 made 4G ubiquitous and affordable, cementing data as central to Indian operators are rolling out 5G, promising faster speeds, lower latency, and the backbone for India's digital the road from that scratchy first call to a billion connections was anything but smooth, shaped by policy stumbles, market battles, and technological leaps that slowly pulled mobile phones out of elite circles and into the hands of everyday the late 1990s, the sector was weighed down by a rigid duopoly and crippling licence fees, leaving subscriber numbers stuck in the low millions and casting doubt on whether mobiles could ever truly go mass in were luxury gadgets, limited by high tariffs and patchy coverage. The promise of mass connectivity seemed distant, almost implausible. Mobiles were still viewed as luxury gadgets, limited by high tariffs and patchy coverage. (Image: AFP) The promise of mass connectivity nearly government's duopoly model restricted competition, while exorbitant licence fees strangled the late 1990s, subscribers numbered barely a million. Industry insiders recall the sector as "crippled before it could even walk." Motorola's early flip phones like the StarTAC and Razr made mobiles a status symbol in India's first decade of mobile adoption. (Image: AFP) It took the New Telecom Policy of 1999 to reverse the switch to a revenue-sharing model was the lifeline telecom companies needed. Only then did expansion seem feasible, though still slow and limited to real inflection point came in 2003, when "Calling Party Pays" was longer did Indians have to pay to receive a call, a small regulatory shift that unlocked a psychological mobiles became less intimidating. Coupled with the arrival of affordable, nearly indestructible Nokia handsets, mobile phones slipped into the hands of clerks, shopkeepers and students. Nokia's sturdy, affordable handsets like the 1100 turned mobile phones from status symbols into everyday tools for millions. (Image: Pexel) advertisementCall rates plunged to under a rupee, prepaid cards worth as little as Rs10 made mobile access possible even in villages, and the missed-call — that peculiar Indian workaround for saving money — became a cultural mid-2000s also saw India's telecom operators battle for Hutch, Idea, BSNL and Reliance Infocomm vied for subscribers, pushing tariffs lower. India was adding millions of users every month, earning the tag of the world's fastest-growing mobile market. Nokia's N70 signalled a new era in India, putting cameras and internet into the hands of everyday mobile users. (Image: India Today) Spectrum auctions for 3G in 2008 were hailed as the next big leap, though high entry costs and poor infrastructure meant the dream of high-speed internet remained SMS was booming, and mobile phones were entrenched in the social fabric — for work, romance, family ties, and the 2000s belonged to voice, the 2010s marked the rise of data. Cheap Chinese handsets and homegrown brands like Micromax and Karbonn flooded the market, riding on Google's Android revolution. Micromax's Q55 'Bling' (2010) epitomised India's turn to homegrown, affordable style phones during Nokia's decline and before smartphones took over. (Image: Amazon/Micromax) Smartphones, once aspirational, became 2011, India crossed 800 million subscribers, with Facebook and WhatsApp overtaking SMS as the dominant forms of the first time, the internet was not just on desktops but in people's pockets. Yet for all its promise, data remained costly and uneven. Rural users were often priced out of the inequality collapsed in 2016 with a disruption that upended the market. Reliance Jio's entry offered free calls and months of free 4G data. Rivals called it predatory; consumers called it liberation. BlackBerry, once the phone of India's elite professionals, lost ground as touchscreens and affordable Android smartphones reshaped the market. (Image: Pexel) advertisementWithin two years, Jio had rewritten the rules, forcing mergers, exits and prices plunged by over 90 percent. India became the world's largest consumer of mobile data, streaming cricket matches, bingeing on Bollywood, paying bills on UPI, and discovering a new economy that lived inside their phones. The Jio moment didn't just change telecom, it reshaped commerce, media, and governance itself. Apple's iPhone, launched in India in 2007, set the benchmark for smartphones and remains aspirational. (Image: Pexel) The rollout of 5G in 2022 brought another leap, but by then, the phone had long stopped being a phone. It had become a bank for the unbanked, a television for the masses, a classroom for students, and a tool of political 2025, India sits with over 1.2 billion connections and 750 million smartphone users, the world's second-largest market. They serve simultaneously as India's bank, enabling seamless digital payments; as a classroom, opening access to education across geography and class; as a television, streaming entertainment into the palm of one's hand; and as a vital lifeline, linking millions to healthcare, government services, work opportunities and personal networks.- Ends
NDTV
01-08-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Elon Musk's Starlink Gets Satellite Internet Permit In India
New Delhi: Elon Musk-led Starlink has received a licence to launch satellite service in India, and a framework for spectrum allocation is also in place for a smooth rollout, Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Thursday. The announcement was made on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the first cellular call made in the country in 1995. "Starlink has been granted a Unified License to launch satellite internet services in India. Frameworks for spectrum allocation and gateway establishment are ready, ensuring smooth rollout," Mr Scindia said. Along with Starlink, Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio SES are also awaiting spectrum allocation to roll out their satcom services. The minister said that over the last 11 years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's digital transformation has been nothing short of extraordinary. "From remote villages to bustling cities, digital access has empowered citizens, bridged divides, and made India a global leader in affordable, inclusive technology," he added. The minister said telephone connections in the country now stand at 1.2 billion, and internet subscriptions have surged by nearly 286 per cent to 970 million. "Broadband usage has seen explosive growth of over 1,450 per cent, rising from 60 million in 2014 to 944 million today. Most notably, the cost of mobile data has dropped by 96.6 per cent, making India the global leader in affordable data at just Rs 8.9 per GB," he said. Mr Scindia said the revival of BSNL has been a major breakthrough. "For the first time in 18 years, BSNL reported back-to-back net profits of Rs 262 crore and Rs 280 crore in FY 2024-25. Over 83,000 4G sites have been installed, with 74,000 already operational, all built on indigenously developed technology. Crack Teams, AI-powered monitoring, and fibre fault resolution within 12 hours have raised service standards across the board," the minister noted. He said India's rapid 5G rollout has covered 99.6 per cent of districts, with 4.74 lakh 5G towers and 300 million users. "With the world's highest per capita 5G usage (32 GB per month) and 100 Use Case Labs in place, India is also among the top six countries in 6G patent filings. Investments under the Production Linked Incentive scheme have touched Rs 4,305 crore, resulting in Rs 85,391 crore in sales and over 28,000 jobs. Foreign direct investment has nearly tripled from USD 282 million to USD 710 million," the minister added. Commenting on the 30th anniversary of the first cellular call in India, telecom industry body COAI Director General SP Kochhar said India's telecom sector has witnessed a phenomenal transformation since the country's first cellular call in 1995. "Today, India stands as the world's second-largest telecom market, boasting over 1.2 billion subscribers and some of the most affordable tariff rates globally. An Indian subscriber now uses over 21 GB of data each month on average, which is a testament to the world-class infrastructure developed by leading Indian telecom operators," Mr Kocchar said. He said that the mobile service landscape in the country started with 2G and now over 85 per cent of India's population and more than 99 per cent of the districts in India enjoy access to 5G services. Domestic telecom gear maker HFCL managing director Mahendra Nahata said that while the late 1990s and early 2000s saw a rapid expansion of mobile infrastructure, the sector truly came of age with the advent of affordable services and innovative prepaid models that made mobile access available to millions across both major cities and remote villages. "While India followed the global curve during the 2G and 3G eras and caught up with the world in 4G, it surprised many by emerging as the country with the fastest 5G rollout in the world. Now, with a bold vision to lead in future technologies, India is actively working on developing 6G, not just to adopt, but to help shape and set global standards," Mr Nahata said. Telecom gear maker GX Group CEO Paritosh Prajapati said as India marks the 30th anniversary of its first cellular call, the country stands at a defining moment in the journey of self-reliance. "The telecom sector has been the backbone of our digital transformation, and initiatives like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme are ensuring that India doesn't just consume technology, but designs, develops and manufactures it for the world. The next three decades will belong to a truly Atmanirbhar Bharat, leading global innovation from within our borders," Prajapati said.
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Elon Musk's Starlink gets licence to launch satellite internet in India; spectrum framework ready, says Telecom minister Scindia
In a major step towards expanding satellite broadband access, Elon Musk's Starlink has been granted a Unified Licence to provide satellite internet services in India, Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced on Thursday. Alongside the licence, the government has also finalised frameworks for spectrum allocation and gateway setup to facilitate a smooth rollout of services. "Starlink has been granted a Unified License to launch satellite internet services in India. Frameworks for spectrum allocation and gateway establishment are ready, ensuring smooth rollout," Scindia said, speaking on the eve of the 30th anniversary of India's first cellular call made in 1995, reported PTI. Along with Starlink, Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio SES are also awaiting spectrum allocation for their satellite communication services. Scindia said that in the past 11 years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's digital transformation had been 'nothing short of extraordinary.' 'From remote villages to bustling cities, digital access has empowered citizens, bridged divides, and made India a global leader in affordable, inclusive technology,' he said. The minister shared key figures showing telecom sector progress: India now has 1.2 billion telephone connections and 970 million internet subscribers, with broadband usage jumping over 1,450% — from 60 million in 2014 to 944 million today. The cost of mobile data has dropped 96.6%, making India the global leader in affordable data at Rs 8.9 per GB, he noted. Scindia said the revival of state-run BSNL has been a 'major breakthrough,' with the telco reporting back-to-back net profits of Rs 262 crore and Rs 280 crore in FY24 and FY25. Over 83,000 4G sites have been installed, of which 74,000 are operational, using indigenously developed technology. He also highlighted AI-powered monitoring systems and fibre fault resolutions within 12 hours as improvements that have raised service standards. India's rapid 5G rollout, the minister added, has reached 99.6% of the country's districts with 4.74 lakh towers and 300 million users. India now has the world's highest per capita 5G data usage at 32 GB per month. The country has also set up 100 5G Use Case Labs and is among the top six countries in 6G patent filings. He added that the telecom PLI scheme has generated Rs 4,305 crore in investments, resulting in Rs 85,391 crore in sales and the creation of over 28,000 jobs. FDI in the sector has nearly tripled from $282 million to $710 million. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . Discover stories of India's leading eco-innovators at Ecopreneur Honours 2025
The Print
31-07-2025
- Business
- The Print
India will remain competitive: Scindia on US tariff impact on telecom equipment exports
'We will remain competitive,' Scindia said when asked about the impact of the proposed US tariff on telecom equipment export. According to official data, telecom equipment worth about Rs 85,000 crore have been produced under the PLI scheme, of which equipment worth Rs 16,000 crore have been exported to various countries. New Delhi, Jul 31 (PTI) Indian telecom equipment exports to the US will remain competitive even after imposition of additional tariffs, Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Thursday. He was speaking on the sidelines of an event organised by retailers' body CAIT on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the first cellular call in India. According to government and industry sources, Indian electronics industry has around two weeks' breather from the proposed tariffs due to the pending review of a key section that covers technologies under the ongoing bilateral negotiations. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced imposition of a 25 per cent tariff on all goods coming from India starting August 1, plus an unspecified penalty for buying military equipment and crude oil from Russia. 'Section 232, which covers electronics and technology products, is expected to come up for review after two weeks. When the US had imposed basic 10 per cent duty, then also technology products were exempted due to pending review of Section 232. This is the position as of now. We don't know what will (happen) after two weeks,' a government source said. PTI PRS TRB This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
