iWorld
BSNL ties up with Softbank, NTT for 5G, IoT deal
MUMBAI: BSNL, a mobile service provider, has tied up with two top telecom operators of Japan, Softbank and NTT Communications, to roll out 5G and internet of things (IoT) technology in India, according to a report by the Press Trust of India.
The service provider will partner with Softbank for its satellite constellation which will have around 900 satellites to provide high speed internet services across the globe.
BSNL chairman and MD Anupam Shrivastava said, “We have signed agreement with Softbank and NTT Communications to roll out 5G and IoT products and services in India. Under the agreement, we will look at solutions specifically for smart cities.”
Indian telecom operators are aiming to launch 5G in 2020. Operators such as Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular and Vodafone launched 3G seven years after the technology was available in other foreign markets and 4G services after a four-year lag.
BSNL has signed an agreement with Finland-based telecom equipment maker Nokia and US-based enterprise networking company Cisco Systems for developing 5G ecosystem and working to finalise test cases for using 5G in India.
BSNL is in advance stages of starting 5G field trials. The government is in agreement to provide 5G spectrum for trials.
Earlier media reports said that the Indian government will not auction 5G spectrum in 2018 or 2019 due to weak financial conditions in the Indian telecom market.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended auction of about 8,644 MHz of telecom frequencies at an estimated base price of Rs 4.9 lakh crore. The government is yet to finalise details of allocation of spectrum for 5G services.
iWorld
X launches XChat messaging app on iOS with calls and encryption
Standalone app marks shift from “everything app” vision, adds E2E messaging.
MUMBAI: From one big app to many small chats, X seems to be splitting its ambitions. X has rolled out its standalone messaging app, XChat, to iOS users, opening up a new front in its evolving product strategy. The app allows users to connect with existing X contacts through private and group messages, file sharing, as well as audio and video calls. The launch follows a limited beta phase, where the platform tested the product with a smaller user base to refine the experience. Now available publicly, XChat marks a notable pivot from earlier ambitions championed by Elon Musk to turn X into a single “everything app” combining messaging, payments, commerce and more.
Instead, the company under xAI ownership and backed by SpaceX appears to be building a suite of standalone applications, each targeting specific use cases while expanding its broader ecosystem.
At launch, XChat includes end-to-end encrypted messaging, PIN-based access, disappearing messages, and features such as message editing, deletion for all participants, and screenshot blocking. The company has also said the app is free from advertisements and tracking mechanisms, positioning it as a privacy-first alternative in a crowded messaging space.
However, security claims around the platform are likely to face scrutiny. Earlier iterations of XChat drew criticism from experts who argued it fell short of established encrypted platforms like Signal. With the wider rollout, the app is expected to undergo fresh evaluation to assess whether those concerns have been addressed.
Beyond messaging, XChat will also house X’s Communities feature, which is being discontinued on the main platform due to low usage and spam concerns. Migrating these users could provide an early boost to adoption, effectively turning XChat into both a communication and community hub.
The move underscores a broader recalibration at X less about cramming everything into one app, and more about spreading bets across multiple touchpoints, one message at a time.
