TVS Velocity 160

TVS recently unveiled the concept for the TVS Velocity 160 at the Jakarta Motorcycle Show. This bike looks more like the modified version of the Apache RTR 160. The bike also has lots of similarity to the Yamaha FZ 16 that we see on the Indian roads. The bike employs the saber tooth design that has taken over many Honda design on the tank element. This bike is more like a street fighter version of the Apache RTR 160 and has huge front petal disc brakes, upside down forks, a non-faired front, wide tires and wait for it, a rear mono-shock as the hallmarks of its design.

Though Yamaha and Honda both have already introduced such street fighter concept bikes in Indonesia earlier, this launch by TVS was a measure to understand the first reactions of the Indonesian markets to such style of bikes.

The front tires on the Velocity 160 concept are Battlax 120/70-17, while rear alloys are wrapped in 150/60-17 Battleax rubber. The monoshock unit at the rear is said to be an YSS unit.

Benny Yuniardi Widiatmoko, GM TVSMCI Marketing Group said, “This is a street fighter concept of TVS Indonesia to see the market reaction on the design of this bike”

TVS Velocity 160 rough specs

Head lamp: TVS Neo X3i

Brakes: Kitaco

Front tyre: Bridgestone Battlax 120/70-17

Rear Tires: Bridgestone Battlax 150/60-17

Front Suspension: upside down forks (Mito)

Rear Suspension: YSS Monoshock unit

Front / Rear disc: After Market

Swing Arm: Custom

Body Work: Custom Fiberglass

Tank: TVS Apache RTR 160 DD

Speedo Meter: TVS Apache RTR 160

Revision of electoral rolls

Niranjan Mardi, Poll Observer for Tuticorin District, reviewed the progress of receipts of claims and objections to the summary revision of electoral rolls at a meeting here on Saturday, the last date for revision. 

Collector and District Election Officer C.N. Maheswaran, Electoral Registration Officers of six Assembly constituencies, tahsildars and revenue officials, besides representatives of major political parties and cadre were present.

When the cadre demanded that the title page should have details of part number, poll area and number of electors for the booths, Mr. Mardi replied that a software to give the details in print form would be ready soon. Till Friday, 14,427 applications had been received.

According to draft rolls released earlier, Tuticorin district had 10,47,550 voters of which 5,17,543 were men and 5,30,007 women. Sajjansingh R. Chavan, Sub-Collector; D. Ravichandran, District Revenue Officer; Samuel, Tahsildar (Election); Sivan, Personal Assistant to Collector (General); and N.B. Nagarajan, PA to Sub-Collector, were present.

BSNL introduces 3-G mobile services

3G Postpaid and Prepaid Data Service

3.1 Activation of Data Plans : SIM and Activation charges as applicable to 3G Postpaid & Prepaid voice plan will also be applicable for 3G data services.

(i) In place of existing FRC 120 for activation of 3G data plan, the following two new FRCs for activation of data plan are introduced.

Particulars	FRC 51
MRP of FRC (Incl. of S.Tax)	Rs.51
Free usage value in Rs.	Nil
Validity	180 days
Free Data usage	1 GB per Month for 2 months
Availability	Through C-Topup
Applicability	Any data plan with sale of BSNL data card or any of the BSNL bundled data card
Base Voice Tariff plan	As per prepaid General 120 plan

• In case of postpaid connections, the customer will be allowed 1GB/Month for two months or 500MB/Month for 3 months from the date of activation depending upon the data card purchased by customer.
• The customer buying data card from open market will have to use FRC 120 for activation of data plan and use any of the data RCV for usage.
• The above free data usage will be allowed at the time of activation only.

3.2.1 3G Postpaid Data Plans & Prepaid Data Recharge Vouchers

a) 3G Postpaid Data Plans

Fixed Monthly Charge in Rs.(Service Tax Extra)	Day/Any time usage in GB	Night * usage in GB	Total bundled free Usage in GB	Data Charges in Rs./10 KB*** (except APN 'bsnlstream')	Data Charges in Rs./MB***(For APN bsnlstream)
299 199 Promotional Tariff valid up to 20.12.2010	0.50	--	0.50	0.01	0.25
399 319 Promotional Tariff valid up to 20.12.2010	1	--	1	0.01	0.25
549	1	5	6	0.01	0.25
649 519 Promotional Tariff valid up to 20.12.2010	2	--	2	0.01	0.25
999	10	--	10	0.01	0.25
1359	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	--	--

b) 3G Prepaid Data Plans

Data RCV in Rs.(Inclusive Service Tax)	Day/Any time usage in GB	Night * usage in GB	Total bundled free Usage in GB	Validity (days)**	Data Charges in Rs./10KB*** (except APN 'bsnlstream')	Data Charges in Rs./MB***(For APN bsnlstream)
275 222Promotional Tariff valid up to 20.12.2010	0.50	--	0.50	30	0.01	0.25
440 352 Promotional Tariff valid up to 20.12.2010	1	--	1	30	0.01	0.25
606	1	5	6	30	0.01	0.25
716 572 Promotional Tariff valid up to 20.12.2010	2	--	2	30	0.01	0.25
1102	10	--	10	30	0.01	0.25
1499	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	30	--	--

*11.00 PM to 07.00 AM
** This will increase the validity of main and dedicated accounts both. *** Data charges beyond free usage shall be deducted from the available balance in his main account. Free data usage is available both from home LSA and while roaming.

3.2.2 Short term validity data recharge vouchers for 3G prepaid services

MRP of RCV in Rs. (Inclusive of Service Tax)	Service Tax in Rs.	Cost of RCV in Rs.	Free data usage in MB	Validity in days
10	0.93	9.07	20	1
25	2.33	22.67	50	3
50	4.67	45.33	100	7

Note: In case of STVs/Data RCVs, the circle can suitably adjust the MRP in the price band up to Rs.3 (+/-) of price mentioned in the website, considering the technical feasibility.

3.2.3 3G Data Top-up Voucher

Type of Voucher	MRP (Incl. of S. Tax)	Free Usage in MB	Validity
3G Data Top-up	Rs.197	500 MB	Nil

Promotional Scheme:
A) Promotional Scheme for 90 days: The 3G customers who make a commitment of longer period may be provided 3G data card (Make/Model-Linktop/LW 272, Data speed-3.6 Mbps, Single Band, USB Type) free of cost as per following scheme:-

i) Postpaid data plan:-

Free Usage in GB/Month	FMC in Rs.	No. of months advance payments	Total advance payments in Rs. (S. Tax Extra)
2 GB	519	19 months	9861
10 GB	999	10 months	9990
Unlimited	1359	7 months	9513

ii) Prepaid data plan:-

Bundled free Usage in GB/Month	FRC in Rs. (S. Tax Extra)	Validity of FRC in months
2 GB	9861	19 months
10 GB	9990	10 months
Unlimited	9513	7 months

iii) No other freebies/discounts are allowed with the above scheme.

iv) The above free data card scheme shall be made available through BSNL, CSC only.

v) This is a promotional scheme for 90 days w.e.f. 22.09.2010.

B) Promotional 3G unlimited data plans:
i)Postpaid plan:-

Sl. No.	Amount in Rs. (Incl. of S. Tax @ 10.3%)	No of months advance FMC
a)	Rs.2000	2 Months
b)	Rs.2500	3 Months
c)	Rs.4200	6 Months

The amount will be recovered as advance Fixed Monthly Charges (FMC).

ii) Prepaid plan:-

Sl. No.	Amount in Rs. (Incl. of S. Tax @ 10.3%)	Validity
a)	Rs.2000	60 Days
b)	Rs.2500	90 Days
c)	Rs.4200	180 Days

The amount mentioned above will be charged through RCVs.

iii) This offer will remain open for a promotional period of 90 days from 01.11.2010.

3.3 Trial Pack :( Inclusive of Service Tax)

1	MRP of Trial pack in Rs. (Incl. of S. Tax)	Rs.121
2	Free usage in MB	300 MB
3	Validity in days*	15 days

Data charges for trial pack customers after use of 125MB / 300MB or 15 days expiry shall be as per his base plan.

*This will increase the validity of Main and dedicated accounts both.

3.4 Base Voice Tariff for Data plans:-

(A) POST-PAID

Sl. No.	Particulars	Postpaid Plan-99
1	Call Charges	Rs./Min
2	Voice Call
3	Local- On-net	0.49
4	Local - Off-net	0.49
5	STD - On-net	0.49
6	STD- Off-net	0.49
7	Video Call
8	Local-Video calls	0.70
9	STD - Video calls	1.00
10	ISD Calls in Rs./Min
11	Voice Call	As per 2G postpaid plan 99
12	Video Call	Not available
13	P2P SMS	Rs./SMS
14	Local	0.49
15	National	0.49
16	International	5.00
17	National Roaming	Rs./Min
18	Voice - Local Outgoing	1.00
19	Voice - STD Outgoing	1.00
20	Voice Call - Incoming	1.00
21	Video Call - Local Outgoing	1.50
22	Video Call - STD Outgoing	1.50
23	Video call - Incoming	1.00
24	Local/National SMS (Rs./SMS)	1.00
25	International SMS (Rs./SMS)	5.00
26	Data usage charges	As per data plan
27	All other charges not covered above	Postpaid plan 99

(B) Prepaid Plan - As per prepaid General 120 plan

3.5 Sale price of USB and PCMCIA type HSDPA data cards

Sl. No	Name of the Vendor (Type)	Make/ Model	Data Speed	Frequency Band	MRP (Rs.) (Incl. of all taxes)
1	M/s. TERACOM LTD (USB Type)	Linktop / LW272	3.6 MBPS	Single Band	2000
2		Linktop / LW273	7.2 MBPS	Tri Band	2500
3	M/s. Capitel Wireless Pvt. Ltd (PCMCIA Type)	Option / GTMAX having Qualcom chipset 7200 Globe Trotter HSUPA	3.6 MBPS	Single Band	4000
4			7.2 MBPS	Tri Band	4500

Airtel 3G Tarrif

Bharti Airtel to unleash Broadband Revolution in India – To launch 3G in 2010

• Set to lead the next phase of India’s telecom success story by introducing a new range of services in areas of Mobile Commerce, Health and Entertainment • Airtel in advanced stage of discussion to offer all India coverage  New Delhi, October 25, 2010 : Bharti Airtel, which has been at the forefront of the mobile revolution in India, today said that it will launch its 3G services before the end of 2010, to usher in broadband data revolution in the country. Airtel, the largest mobile services provider in India, will offer customers the widest 3G network in India. Airtel successfully bid for 3G spectrum in 13 telecom circles across India and is rolling out state-of-the-art networks in these geographies. These 13 telecom circles also constitute 68% of Airtel’s revenue market share. This includes key metros such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad, which account for 21% of all data traffic in the country and are expected to have the strongest uptake of 3G services. Airtel is also in advanced discussions with other quality operators to offer 3G services to its customers across the country. This will not only ensure seamless roaming, but also offer 3G broadband to its entire customer base in India. Mr. Sanjay Kapoor, CEO – India and South Asia, Bharti Airtel said, “3G services will mark the beginning of the next phase of India’s telecom growth story and elevate India’s telecom sector at par with most advanced telecom markets in the world. 3G services have the potential to transform the lives of millions of Indians by taking a variety of life enhancing services on high speed broadband to the remotest corners and bridge the digital divide. In addition, 3G services will have a strong multiplier effect on economic growth and bring in enhanced efficiencies. It will be Airtel’s endeavor to lead India’s journey on the information superhighway with world-class 3G services.” Bharti will be deploying high speed HSPA networks provided by Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Network and Huawei. The High Speed Packet Access network will be the best in world in terms of technology and will enable high peak user throughputs. Airtel's 3G services will usher in a new era of unique life style enabling products. Along with meeting the growing demand of high speed surfing and wireless entertainment, Airtel will introduce a suite of products in areas such as mobile commerce and mobile health. In 2006, Bharti became the first Indian operator to launch 3G services when it started 3G operations in Seychelles. Currently, Bharti Group is successfully running 3G broadband services in four countries - Sri Lanka, Jersey, Guernsey and Seychelles. For India, Bharti will also draw significantly from the expertise of its partner Singtel, who offers one of the world’s most advanced 3G networks in Singapore, Australia, Philippines and Indonesia.

Airtel 3G Data Card Price

Airtel 3G data card – Now surf wirelessly at broadband speed with Airtel 3G USB modem. Airtel has started offering 3G broadband services in India.

But there is a catch currently you can access internet with Airtel 3G Data Card at only 256kbps of speed not 3.6 Mbps. The reason behind this – India is yet to complete the auction of licences for the 3G spectrum.

As we know 3G auction will be completed in next three months then you can access Internet at speeds up to 3.6 Mpbs with Airtel 3G USB modem.

Airtel 3G Data Card Price in India – Rs. 3,499/- Indian Rupee (INR)
Airtel 3G USB modem is available in both prepaid and postpaid tariff. It will take minimum 6 months to enjoy full freedom of 3G but if you are very eager to use 3G data card then we suggest you to try MTNL or BSNL 3G data card.

Airtel 3G to Launch

After the bidding war we witnessed during the 3G Auctions, Indian telcos are all set for another race. To (finally) begin offering 3G services in India. Tata DoCoMo and Vodafone have already announced their timelines for rolling out 3G. While DoCoMo is set to win this race by declaring November 5th as their D-day. Vodafone is expected to begin their 3G operation sometime in the first quarter of 2011. Airtel has one-upped them with this announcement.

During the Auction, Airtel had successfully bid for 13 zones including key cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. These cities account for 21 per cent of data traffic in the country. They are also most likely to have early adopters who are eagerly waiting to get their hand(set)s on 3G. Incidentally, the 13 circles also account for 68 per cent of the telco’s revenue market share.

Airtel is also reportedly in talks with other operators across the country to ensure that all Airtel subscribers in India have access to its 3G services. The high speed networks deployed will be provided by the likes of Huawei, Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Network.

Apart from when, the bigger question on the minds of potential adopters is ‘how much’ these services will cost. Most Indians were very lucky to be able to use 2G data services at very low costs, and in many cases – at no cost. That is unlikely to be the case with 3G given the intense bidding battle during the 3G Auction. Several experts had even raised doubts over whether many of the telcos would be able to sustain themselves given the cost of acquiring spectrum, especially if a pricing war was to break out – akin to the one following DoCoMo’s per second pulse.

Of course, promising and actually offering services are two very different things. 3G has been ‘coming’ to India for years now. A year ago, Airtel had estimated they would be able to launch their 3G services by Diwali 2010.

It will be interesting to see how many of them are able to stick to their deadlines. Come November 5th, we will have a clearer picture of what lies ahead.

THOOTHUKUDI

Corals in Mannar Gulf dying

THOOTHUKUDI: Corals in the Gulf of Mannar may soon be a thing of the past if the current die-off trend continues. A reef research team from the Suganthi Devadason Marine ResearchInstitute (SDMRI) in Thoothukudi recorded coral mortality this October — a first since 2002 — during a meticulous rapid monitoring in theGulf of Mannar.
The reputable research institution has regularly been monitoring coralreef in the Gulf of Mannar since 2005 after developing a baseline oncoral status here during 2003-2005.
According to the director of the institute, Dr J K Patterson Edward,mass bleaching and coral mortality were earlier witnessed in 1998 and2002.
Explaining the phenomenon of bleaching and mortality, Edward saidcoral bleaching occurs when the water temperature reaches 31ºC inmid-April every year in the Gulf of Mannar and recovery is usuallyrecorded in June-July, depending on rainfall and winds.
“In 2010, we found that due to the elevated temperature (32.2-33.2ºC),which prolonged for four months (April to July), recovery could nottake place,” he said.
He pointed out that due to this six to eight per cent of live coral inthe Gulf of Mannar had died and since most are covered with turfalgae, chances of recovery were slim.
Interestingly, live coral cover in the Gulf of Mannar increased from37 per cent in 2005 to 42.85 per cent in 2009, which according toEdward had been due to the proactive measures of the government.
According to the data provided by SDMRI, the average percentage ofbleached corals during 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 was 14.6,15.6, 12.9, 10.5, 8.93 and 9.01, respectively.
Edward called for eco-friendly fishing and support for protectionmeasures by the park management to save the coral reef. The SDMRI, anacclaimed underwater research institution in India, is one of the fiveinstitutions identified by the Government of India for environmentalmonitoring of the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project.

Thoothukudi

Naval base to come up at Thoothukudi

NEW DELHI: Thoothukudi  and Paradip would be developed into forward operating bases by the Navy as it seeks to strengthen its position on the eastern coast.

The move is aimed at reducing the turn-around time of the eastern fleet that depended only on Visakhapatnam and Chennai for replenishments.

The west coast is already packed with the navy having forward operating bases at Porbandar and Mangalore apart from major hubs at Mumbai, Kochi and Karwar.

The government has finally given nod to navy’s proposal and these bases would now be developed in the next two to three years.

The issue of their development plan was discussed at the naval commanders’ conference that got underway in New Delhi.

It would not be a difficult task as Paradip and Thoothukudi are already major ports and would be able to meet navy’s logistical demands, said officials.

Along with developing new bases, the navy will also seek to engage the Indian Ocean countries in a far more aggressive manner in a move to counter China’s growing footprints in the region.

Defence Minister A K Antony told naval commanders to concentrate on this area and extend every possible help to smaller nations.

The effort has already begun with New Delhi gifting basic patrol aircraft to Seychelles.

Antony said India is committed to deploying ships and aircraft for surveillance of seas near Maldives and Seychelles.

Navy has been asked to concentrate particularly on friendly African countries in the western Indian Ocean region particularly Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya. Under the same plan, navy had organised a three-nation exercise earlier this year involving Brazil and South African off the African coast.