eNews
Govt defers mega spectrum auction to Oct 1
NEW DELHI: The Indian government has deferred to Oct 1, 2016 mega sale of mobile frequencies that are aimed at ushering in quality telecoms services, including 4G services capable of delivering hi-speed broadband speed for easy video delivery.
“For start of the auction 29th September READ start of the auction 1st October,” PTI quoted a revised government communication inviting application for spectrum auction as saying.
As per an earlier schedule, bids for airwaves was scheduled to start from September 29 that fell during the ‘shradh’ period considered inauspicious to start new ventures as Indians pay homage to departed souls during this period.
Telecom operators had demanded that the spectrum sale, which is the biggest ever auction, should begin with the start of Navratra festival, considered auspicious, the PTI report states.
Department of Telecoms (DoT) has put on the block a total of 2,354.55 megahertz of mobile frequencies for auction in bandwidths of 700 Mhz, 800 Mhz, 900 Mhz, 1800 Mhz, 2100 Mhz and 2300 Mhz.
All the radiowaves being put for auction can be used for high speed 4G services.
Recently during Vidnet2016, an OTT-specific conference organised by Indiantelevision, Star India’s chief of digital initiative (Hotstar) Ajit Mohan had opined that for platforms like Hotstar high data cost and low quality bandwidth were major challenges.
At base price, the sale of all spectrum would fetch bids worth Rs 5.63 lakh crore. Of this, spectrum in premium 700 Mhz band alone has potential to attract bids of Rs 4 lakh crore.
Industry experts, however, have cast doubts over success of the spectrum auction due to high base price of mobile airwaves, but DoT has expressed confidence saying buyers of airwaves in the most expensive frequency band 700 Mhz would be able to save 70 per cent of the cost they will spend on rolling out infrastructure, the PTI reports states.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
