iWorld
UTStarcom enters into contract with BSNL to help new generation networks
NEW DELHI: UTStarcom has announced a $24 million contract with Indian telecoms BSNL to supply multi-service access network (MSAN) equipment and support design, engineering and installation.
The public-sector company, BSNL is upgrading its network to offer next generation multi-media services to its customers and this entails migrating existing PSTN/ISDN customers to next generation network (NGN) to enable supplementary services using Internet Protocol (IP) along with basic telephony.
The upgrade will cover broadband lines for a wide swath of residential and enterprise customers across western and northern regions of India that include large urban centers such as Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakand and Chattisgargh.
Recently, the Chinese telecom network vendor Huawei announced its NGN switch deal with BSNL to migrate its traditional telephone exchanges to IP based NGN. The IP transition will be in phases and will cover all major telecom circles of BSNL.
As part of the NGN deal, BSNL will migrate four million existing PSTN subscribers to IMS platform and offer next generation services besides voice, such as video, IPTV, IP-Centrex and MMVC. One million lines will be replaced in Phase-1 and 3 million lines in Phase-2 to migrate existing four million PSTN subscribers to IMS (IP Multi-media Subsystem) platform.
UTStarcom is working with Indian government-owned telecom equipment vendor ITI for the BSNL network upgrade.
BSNL chairman and MD R K Upadhyay said: “UTStarcom has been a reliable partner in the past, and we have deployed a large number of their broadband access products on our network.”
UTStarcom India claims that it already holds 35 percent share for broadband Internet network equipment.”
There are approximately 15 million wireline broadband customers in India, of which UTStarcom has supplied more than six million DSL ports.
UTStarcom’s customers in India include telecom service providers, such as Bharti Airtel and Tata Communications.
Recently, UTStarcom launched a major sales and marketing initiative to promote its latest broadband products to carriers in the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific.
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
