iWorld
TRAl extends last date to comments on Consultation Paper
Mumbai: In a recent notification release, The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had sought comments / counter-comments of stakeholders on the Consultation Paper on “Digital Transformation through 5G Ecosystem” dated 29th September 2023. The last date for receiving written comments and counter-comments from the stakeholders was initially fixed as 30 October 2023 and 13 November 2023 respectively, which have been extended twice.
The last date for submission of written comments was 26 December 2023 and that for counter-comments is now 8 January, 2024. Meanwhile TRAI has received requests from Industry Associations for further extension of timeline for submission of comments citing various reasons like difficulty in collecting the inputs from their members due to Christmas and New Year.
They have also mentioned that the Indian Parliament has passed the new Telecom Bill-2023 very recently, so the comments need to be updated accordingly. Keeping in view the requests of stakeholders, TRAI decided to extend the last date for submission of written comments up to 22 January 2024 and for counter-comments up to 5 February 2024.
For more information visit TRAI website
Gaming
Sony raises PS5 prices for second time in under a year
US disc edition jumps $100 to $649.99 as memory costs surge.
MUMBAI: Sony just hit the pause button on affordable gaming because when memory prices skyrocket, even the Playstation has to pay the premium. Sony has announced its second price increase for the Playstation 5 range in less than a year, citing pressures in the global economic landscape and a sharp rise in memory component costs driven by AI demand.
In the US, the PS5 disc edition will rise from $549.99 to $649.99, a $100 hike while the digital edition increases to $599.99. The more powerful PS5 Pro will jump $150 to $899.99. The Playstation Portal remote player will also rise by $50 to $249.99. The new prices take effect on 2 April 2026.
Similar increases have been applied in the UK (£90 per model), Europe and Japan. Sony last raised PS5 prices in the US in August 2025.
“We know that price changes impact our community, and after careful evaluation, we found this was a necessary step to ensure we can continue delivering innovative, high-quality gaming experiences to players worldwide,” Sony said in a blog post.
The hikes come amid an unprecedented surge in memory prices, as manufacturers prioritise supply for AI data centres. Analysts say Sony had likely secured price protections for components that have now expired, forcing the company to protect its hardware margins.
Ampere Analysis research director of games Piers Harding-Rolls told CNBC that further increases from Microsoft and Nintendo would not be surprising, though Nintendo may hesitate to raise the price of its recently launched Switch 2 while establishing the new platform.
The increases arrive eight months before the highly anticipated release of GTA 6, which is expected to drive strong console sales. However, early reactions online have been a mix of disappointment and resignation, with growing concern that premium gaming is increasingly becoming a hobby for higher-income players.
In a sector already grappling with tariffs, inflation and component shortages, Sony’s move underscores a tough reality: even the most popular consoles are not immune to the rising cost of keeping up with the latest technology.
