iWorld
Vodafone Idea chooses HCLSoftware to automate 4G & 5G Networks
MUMBAI: It’s getting future ready. Telecom service provider Vodafone Idea (Vi) has partnered with HCLSoftware, a division of HCLTech, to enhance the efficiency and performance of its 4G and 5G networks. Using HCL Augmented Network Automation (HCL ANA), a cutting-edge AI-powered platform, Vi aims to streamline network operations, optimise energy usage, and deliver an improved customer experience.
The HCL ANA platform, a multi-vendor self-optimising network (MV-SON) system, enables seamless integration of Vi’s Ericsson and Samsung networks while ensuring future readiness with SMO (ORAN) compatibility. The platform’s open architecture allows Vi to independently manage and automate its networks, reducing reliance on OEM-specific tools and enhancing sustainability.
The key benefits include improved network reliability and speed for Vi customers, reduced energy consumption and operational costs and enhanced scalability for network expansion.
Vodafone Idea CTO Jagbir Singh highlighted: “This partnership reflects our commitment to leveraging advanced Made-in-India technologies to improve services, reduce costs, and prepare for telecom innovations.”
HCLSoftware SVP/GM Neeraj Purandare stated: “This collaboration will benefit Indian telecom users and boost local technology development and innovation.”
iWorld
Banijay Asia’s The 50 tops OTT charts with 8.1 million JioHotstar views
Reality competition becomes most watched show on JioHotstar in debut week.
MUMBAI: Fifty contestants walked into a palace, but millions of viewers showed up for the drama. Reality competition The 50, produced by Banijay Asia, has emerged as the most watched show on JioHotstar, clocking 8.1 million views in its debut week. The figure, reported by Ormax Media, places the show at the top of the OTT viewership charts and marks a strong opening for the digital reality format.
Adapted from a popular French format, The 50 brings together 50 personalities from television, digital platforms, music and reality shows inside a grand palace setting. Over the course of a 50 day competition, participants form alliances, compete in unpredictable tasks and navigate eliminations as the field steadily narrows.
Guiding the game is a mysterious figure known as The Lion, an unseen game master whose voice introduces twists, challenges and strategic turns throughout the show, adding an extra layer of suspense to the contest.
What distinguishes The 50 from typical reality competitions is its audience driven prize structure. Instead of the winner taking home the final reward, the prize is awarded to one of the winner’s registered followers through the show’s dedicated app. The mechanism effectively turns viewers into participants, allowing fans to have a direct stake in the outcome.
The contestant lineup features a mix of television actors, reality stars and digital creators, including Karan Patel, Urvashi Dholakia, Divya Agarwal, Mr Faisu and Dushyant Kukreja, each bringing their own fan following to the show.
With its blend of celebrity personalities, strategic gameplay and interactive viewer participation, The 50 has quickly carved out a strong foothold in India’s digital entertainment landscape. Its 8.1 million views in the opening week underline the growing appetite for large scale reality formats designed specifically for OTT audiences.
