Bharti Airtel launches India's first 4G service in Kolkata

ndia’s 4G mobile broadband revolution has just begun with the latest launch by 4G services by Bharti Airtel in Kolkata. If reports are to be believed, India has become one of the first countries in the world to commercially deploy this cutting-edge technology. Sources informed, Airtel’s 4G (TD-LTE) network has been launched by telecom minister Kapil Sibal. The major benefits with LTE are high throughput, modest latency, plug and play, FDD and TDD in the same platform, an enhanced end-user experience and an uncomplicated architecture ensuing economical operating costs. In addition, LTE will also shore up seamless passing 4G in India, to cell towers with existing network technology such as GSM, CDMA-One, UMTS, and CDMA2000. Sunil Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Airtel shated his views at the time of launch, the 4G service launch is a major milestone for India and Airtel. We are delighted to offer leadership in setting the technology standard for 4G services in India by introducing TD-LTE networks in India. Further he added, the company is confident that others will surely follow them in this direction and participate in company’s pioneering effort of making TD-LTE the defector 4G standard in India. Market watchers added, every Indian Web user has been eagerly waiting for this service to hit the Indian shores. But the question here is; whether it will work efficiently in India or not? Well! Nothing can be said by now. Let the time decide it. Till then, stay hooked to itvoir.com for latest news in Indian IT industry.

HP, Microsoft, Polycom Strike At Cisco With Integrated Video Bundles

Strategic allies HP and Polycom, along with Microsoft, are looking to hit Cisco where it hurts by making available to the channel unified communications and video bundles that tie together networking products from all three vendors. The bundles come in two specific offerings, though only one is available for sale by HP and Polycom partners. First is HP AppSystem for Microsoft Lync, an integrated UC platform built on HP's converged infrastructure products and intended for the rapid deployment of Microsoft's Lync UC platform on top of those products. AppSystem also offers full integration with Polycom RealPresence—the software that powers Polycom's telepresence and video products—and its relevant video and virtual meeting room offerings. AppSystem will be sold by HP Technology Services, the computing giant's integrator arm, HP confirmed, and will not be made available to the channel. The second offering is what the vendors are calling HP and Polycom Rich Media Communications (RMC), which is a bundled offering of HP Networking products—including its 12500 and 10500 series switches—and Polycom RealPresence video products sold through VARs. The idea is that HP and Polycom solution providers will be able to do everything from video installation to desktop and mobile video integration using open standards-based, interoperable products from both vendors, with multi-layer security available to protect all of the various applications. RealPresence integrates with Microsoft's Lync, and Polycom's CX7000 telepresence line is custom-built for Lync integration, with a Lync client embedded in the system. Easy interoperability and unified access to UC and video assets is the goal of the bundles, according to the vendors. "One thing we hear consistently is that it is complex to bring all these different solutions together and provide unified access to the user," Kowshik Bhat, global solutions marketing manager for HP Networking, told CRN. "This is exactly the problem we are addressing." Pricing for RMC deployments depends on the products and services being bundled, according to an HP spokesperson. The RMC bundles are available now from HP and Polycom partners. HP and Polycom are tightly aligned against a mutual enemy—Cisco—and the two vendors have continued to strengthen their longstanding relationship. Last summer, Polycom acquired HP's video and telepresence business and also became the exclusive video product for HP's reseller and integrator businesses. Susan Hayden, Executive Vice President, strategic alliances at Polycom, noted, however, that RMC is the first integrated, all-in-one solution bundle to come from the two vendors with the intent of being sold through the channel. Partners should expect more such offers in the future, she said. Although the bundles focus on HP and Polycom products coupled with Microsoft's Lync platform, partners focused on other UC platforms can also integrate with HP and Polycom solutions. Bundled solutions focused on UC and video also create substantial drag for data networking products and services, Bhat noted, particularly to optimize and update a customer's infrastructure. The vendors see much cross-sell opportunity among their respective channels. Polycom in particular has sought about identifying those solution providers certified across HP, Polycom and Microsoft—a program Hayden said was called the "All-Up" program internally at Polycom—and HP and Polycom are focused on joint marketing and channel program development for those particular partners. Both vendors continue to attack Cisco's dominance in networking and video from different angles: HP through HP Networking and its overall converged infrastructure strategy as an architectural alternative to Cisco, and Polycom through partnerships and a beefed-up channel program to challenge Cisco's enterprise video supremacy following its 2010 acquisition of Tandberg.