BSNL plans to launch a mobile banking platform which will help mobile subscribers to send money orders electronically through SMS. The SMS by the sender will be encashable at all post offices. In order to send money, go to the nearest post office and transfer the money by way of an SMS. The SMS will contain a unique code. The person who receives this SMS real time, can go to his nearest post office and collect the money by showing the code. BSNL expects to roll out the service after getting the Reserve Bank of India’s approval. Read full story »

Google is developing “speech-to-speech translation” software for the first phone capable of translating foreign languages almost instantly. The basic system is expected to be ready within a couple of years. The new technology combines machine translation technology and voice recognition technology to produce software capable of understanding a caller’s voice and translating it into a synthetic equivalent in a foreign language. Read full story »

TRAI to set up online customer redressal mechanism. Any customer can log on to the web-based system and complaints, violations or any other grievance against their mobile operator. The mobile operator will immediately get the complaint. TRAI may include SMS-based and voice call based complaints as well. The process will begin next month and plans to have the platform working from the beginning of next fiscal year. Read full story »

Tata Communications Internet Services Limited (TCISL) and Tomizone have announced a partnership deal by which TCISL will use Tomizone proprietary software to usher in a Wi-Fi revolution in India. Auckland, New Zealand headquartered Tomizone is a leading Wi-Fi hotspot and metro Wi-Fi zone solutions provider across Australasia, India and China. This service enables any Tata Indicom Broadband customer to set up a Wi-Fi hotspot. The software and user authentication systems have been designed in line with the Wi-Fi security guidelines mandated by the DoT. Read full story »

Korea Times reports that Korea Telecom KT plans to introduce an upgraded version of Apple iPhone, the iPhone 4G, to Korean market in April 2010. The new 4G iPhone will be equipped with OLED screen, live video chat, removable battery, dual core processor and powerful graphic chips and an additional camera for video calls support. It is discussed that, the reason for an early introduction is deisgned to counter Google’s rush of higher speed smartphones with the open-based Android operating system. Read full story »