thenewsbit.com

Month: March 2025

  • Starlink needs to comply with to the rules for an India license

    Starlink needs to comply with to the rules for an India license

    Starlink must meet all application guidelines to secure a license in India, the government remains company-agnostic and open to competition in the satellite broadband sector, Union Minister for Communications and Development of the North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia said.

    “The market is open for anyone who wants to come and operate in India, provided they fill up the pro forma, get the license, avail of the spectrum—which would be administratively assigned—and get into operation,” Scindia said.

    On Starlink’s pending applications since 2021, Scindia clarified, “That is between the company and the application process. They have to check off all the boxes, and the minute they do that, they will get their licence.”

    Reaffirming the government’s pro-competition stance, he added, “I’m company-agnostic and consumer-focused, and therefore, I need to give choice to my consumer. For instance, a consumer will decide whether he wants to go on broadband or mobile, and I have to provide that choice.”

    Scindia highlighted the growing role of satellite-based communications in India, particularly in disaster management and connecting underserved regions.

    “I see satcom’s role as very complementary in terms of providing connectivity. So is the case in India. We’ve got two licences that have already been given out to OneWeb and Jio-SES. And our market is open for anyone who wants to come and operate in India, provided they fill out the pro forma, get the licence, avail of spectrum, and get into operation.”

    Meanwhile, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is expected to announce spectrum pricing soon. After that, the government will allocate spectrum based on TRAI’s recommendations, he said.

    Bharti Airtel and Jio Platforms recently announced partnerships with SpaceX to bring Starlink’s high-speed satellite internet service to India, aiming to enhance connectivity in remote areas. However, Starlink is still awaiting regulatory approvals and spectrum allocation for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite operations.

    Moneycontrol reported on March 12 that SpaceX and Starlink are likely to secure faster approvals from India’s telecom department and IN-SPACe following their tie-ups with Jio and Airtel. This could also pave the way for Amazon’s Kuiper to gain similar regulatory clearances.

    SpaceX has already submitted the necessary details for Starlink’s Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license and agreed to key conditions, including setting up a ground station and a network control centre in India. Sources suggest the Department of Telecommunications and IN-SPACe may soon process Starlink’s application. CNBCTV18

  • Starlink may result in valuable spinoffs

    Starlink may result in valuable spinoffs

    While India has made remarkable progress in its overall digital journey, on closer examination, one notes a deep digital divide or gap between urban and rural India. And this has not improved since the last 4-5 years. Considerable challenges have been faced in rolling out terrestrial networks of fibre and towers to the remote and difficult-to-access areas. However, the announcement a few days back, of two major Indian telcos tying up with Elon Musk’s Starlink, has created a buzz.

    While this now only involves Starlink and two telcos, other satcom players and telcos are bound to take similar action, and soon we can hope to have a seamless, fully interconnected and intermeshed network of satellite players and telcos in India.

    Earlier, Indian telcos viewed satellite players as rivals and intruders and were antagonistic. However, after having struggled for decades to bridge the digital divide, they have apparently realised that no single technology can address this complex problem. Forging partnerships with satcom to complement their existing terrestrial networks, the telcos have adopted a collaborative approach to offer high-speed internet to areas where fibre and mobile networks are unviable. This is a golden example of ‘coopetition’ — that is, collaborating with a competitor to grow the market healthily.

    The collaboration between telcos and satcoms can work on multiple fronts, including: (i) backhaul support: telcos can use satcom links to provide backhaul for mobile towers in remote areas where fibre deployment is costly and impractical; (ii) direct-to-home connectivity: satcom can directly serve the rural households that are able to afford it and Gram Panchayat locations; and (iii) agriculture, schools, government services, healthcare centres and businesses: the partnership can enable the much needed net-connectivity for agriculture, telemedicine/healthcare, schools, businesses and digital governance initiatives in remote regions.

    By integrating satellite broadband into the broader internet ecosystem, the telcos and satcom players can provide uninterrupted nation-wide coverage.

    Regulatory support
    Much has happened through several government initiatives over the last 2-3 years to transform Indian satcom. The IN-SPACe programmes, spectrum clarity from Telecommunications Act 2023, satcom reforms from DoT, etc., have turbo-charged satcom sentiments. While these have facilitated the latest developments, a couple of important actions are still awaited.

    First, details of administrative pricing are most important and, needless to say, these should be kept at the lowest possible nominal levels since the objective is to connect the unconnected and enhance inclusive economic development of the nation.

    Second, there may be actions needed to include satellite broadband in all satcom licences. And, third, government support through subsidies or the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) programme is necessary to cover the cost for any dish or installation. After all, ₹50,000-60,000 crore was incurred through USoF programmes to connect the unconnected using terrestrial networks.

    Of the digitally unconnected/ underserved mass of approximately 700 million, the addressable market with some government subsidies would be at least 400 million people. Assuming an ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) of only ₹300 per month, the size of the market could be around ₹1.44 lakh crore. Consumers would, of course, be the primary beneficiaries from the net-connectivity achieved. The government would benefit from the inflow of corporate income taxes and GST from this market. Obviously, both satcom and telecom would share the new market. A clear win-win for all stakeholders.

    India’s latest initiative on creating a telco-satcom continuum could serve as a model for other developing nations facing similar connectivity challenges. By facilitating the latest initiative, India is demonstrating how innovation, collaboration and competition can come together to drive inclusive digital growth. The future of connectivity lies not in specialised segments but in synergy. Going forward, the interconnected mesh network should also include complementary PM WANI Public WiFi networks. The Hindu BusinessLine

  • Global shipments of VR headsets drop 12% year over year in 2024

    Global shipments of VR headsets drop 12% year over year in 2024

    Global virtual reality (VR) headset shipments fell 12% YoY in 2024, the market’s third consecutive year of declines, according to the latest update from Counterpoint’s Global XR (AR/VR) Headset Model Tracker. In Q4 2024, the shipments fell 5% YoY. Hardware limitations, lack of compelling VR content and usage scenarios, and decreased consumer engagement continued to impact the market. However, demand from the enterprise market, though relatively limited in size, remained more resilient, particularly in large-scale immersive Location-Based Entertainment (LBE), education, healthcare and military.

    Meta continued to dominate the global VR headset market in 2024 with a share of 77%. In Q4 2024, Meta’s market share rose to 84% primarily due to the launch of the more affordable Quest 3S headset. Sony’s PSVR2 shipment share surged to 9% in Q4 2024, fuelled by aggressive promotions and discounts during the Black Friday and Christmas sales. Apple’s Vision Pro shipments saw a steep 43% QoQ decline in Q4 2024, reflecting a slowdown after the initial market hype. In Q4, Apple expanded the Vision Pro’s availability to new markets, including South Korea, UAE and Taiwan, which helped partially offset the overall decline. The device’s enterprise sales also saw an uptick.

    Chinese OEMs Pico and DPVR also benefited from the growing enterprise market demand in 2024. For Pico, shipments to the enterprise segment surpassed those to the consumer segment, while DPVR saw over 30% YoY shipment growth in 2024, driven by its strong focus on enterprise customers.

    According to our projections, the global VR market’s growth will remain limited over the next two years. Despite the potential of spatial computing, significant challenges persist, including a lack of compelling content beyond entertainment, eye fatigue from prolonged use, and the ongoing trade-offs between performance, headset weight, battery life and heat dissipation. Until more substantial technological advancements are achieved, the global VR market’s growth is likely to face challenges.

    The global AR smart glasses market also faced challenges in 2024, experiencing an 8% YoY decline. Birdbath-based video-watching AR smart glasses remained the dominant category, growing 27% YoY in 2024. In contrast, waveguide-based information display glasses saw a sharp 67% YoY decline, primarily due to weak INMO product sales.

    However, we expect the global AR smart glasses market to rebound in 2025, achieving over 30% YoY growth through 2026, driven by the potential entry of major tech giants and the accelerating momentum of the ‘AR+AI’ trend. As generative AI technologies advance, an increasing number of companies are positioning AR smart glasses as a key platform for AI integration, driving further market expansion. Besides, Google’s introduction of Android XR OS, designed to support existing Android apps and seamlessly integrate with its suite of large AI models, is expected to unlock new use cases and further propel the growth of the AR smart glasses market. Counterpoint Research

  • ASCI reports that India is a testbed for cutting-edge AI advertising tactics

    ASCI reports that India is a testbed for cutting-edge AI advertising tactics

    With Indian consumers showing greater acceptance for AI-solutions, India can potentially serve as a testbed for advanced AI advertising strategies that could later be adapted for global market, a report released by the Advertising Standards Council of India’s Academy stated. The report also advocated for development of an industry-wide frameworks for the responsible use of AI in advertising where technology serves both businesses and consumers equitably.

    The report highlighted that business leaders have an optimistic outlook regarding AI integration in advertising as it has the potential to drive efficiency and personalisation. “A significant finding is the understanding that AI’s true strength lies in augmenting, not replacing, human creativity, enabling advertisers to craft compelling and nuanced narratives,” ASCI noted in a statement.

    Digital-native industries are seen embedding AI more seamlessly into their core operations compared to legacy sectors, which are finding creative ways to integrate AI through customer-centric applications.

    Greater acceptance and trust
    “Unlike many global markets, Indian consumers show greater acceptance and trust towards AI-powered solutions. This receptiveness places India in a unique position—potentially serving as a testbed for advanced AI advertising strategies that could later be adapted for global markets,” the report added. However, the report also noted that it is critical to ensure responsible adoption frameworks for deployment of AI in advertising.

    “AI-driven advertising should aim to be socially beneficial. In India, this means ensuring that advertising content does not promote harmful stereotypes, misinformation, or products that could negatively impact public health or social well-being. AI should be used to create ads that are relevant and useful to users, rather than be manipulative or deceptive,” it added.

    Manisha Kapoor, CEO & Secretary General, ASCI, said, “The advent of AI presents an unprecedented opportunity for the advertising industry in India to innovate and connect with consumers in more meaningful ways. However, this power must be wielded responsibly, with a focus on transparency, responsibility, and building lasting trust with consumers.” The Hindu BusinessLine

  • India will have 770 million 5G users by 2028

    India will have 770 million 5G users by 2028

    Average 5G data consumption in India has peaked to 40 GB per user per month and its total subscriber base is expected to grow by 2.65 times to around 770 million in the next three years, telecom gear firm Nokia said on Thursday.

    The mix of data consumption across 4G, 5G etc has increased by compounded annual growth rate of 19.5 per cent over five years to 27.5 GB in 2024, Nokia’s annual mobile broadband index (MBiT) report said.

    According to the report, there was a remarkable three-fold year-on-year surge in 5G data traffic across India in 2024.

    “Average 5G data consumption in India per user was recorded at 40 GB in December 2024. We expect the 5G user base to grow to around 770 million by 2028 from 290 million in 2024,” Nokia India, Head of Technology and Solutions (Mobile Networks), Sandeep Saxena said during the report launch.

    According to the report, the continued rise of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is driving increased data usage, with FWA users now consuming over 12 times more data than the average mobile data user, driven by new services in both residential and business settings.

    “The 5G device ecosystem in India continues to evolve rapidly, with the number of active 5G devices doubling year-on-year to reach 271 million in 2024. This trend is expected to accelerate, with nearly 90 per cent of smartphones to be replaced in 2025 are expected to be 5G-capable,” Saxena said. PTI

  • Microplastics are detected in IV infusions by new research

    Microplastics are detected in IV infusions by new research

    Medical device and pharmaceutical packaging is a necessity to keep products sterile and ready for consumer use. But what happens when there is a risk that the packaging itself can harm the device or drug?

    New research cited in a recent article from Packaging Insights states that that is the case for IV bags, claiming that microplastics are present in (intravenous) IV infusions used in medical treatments.

    The research, published in the ACS partner journal Environment & Health, found that, after filtering, infusion solutions from PP bottles contain thousands of plastic particles.

    “The scientists estimate that a single 250 mL IV infusion bottle could introduce thousands of microplastics — ranging from 1 to 62 micrometers in length — directly into a patient’s bloodstream.”

    What I found surprising is that the article states that the smaller the particles, the bigger the danger.

    “It’s important to note that smaller particles potentially pose greater hazards. While most particles we measured were between 1–10 μm, even smaller nanoplastics have greater penetration capabilities and may even cross the blood-brain barrier, reaching more critical organs in the human body,” says Liwu Zhang, one of the leading researchers in the study.

    The research is meant to shine a light on the medical packaging industry and encourage developers to explore alternative materials or processes that could eliminate this threat while still offering the devices the protection they need. Healthcare Packaging

  • NC Senate to take severe measures toward hospitals’ excessive billing

    NC Senate to take severe measures toward hospitals’ excessive billing

    The practice of “surprise billing” by hospitals should be severely restricted, state Senate health policy leaders said Wednesday, as they took a bipartisan vote to crack down on the practice and require more transparency for patients.

    The idea is to give people a better idea of what a medical procedure might cost them before they agree to it, to give patients more certainty over whether their care will be in-network or out-of-network, and to stop new bills from continuing to arrive months or even years after the fact.

    Supporters say if Senate Bill 316 becomes law, it would at least give people more information to make decisions on their health care. And ideally, they say, it could potentially also lead to lower costs for everyone in the future.

    “There is, I think, no other industry that a consumer agrees to pay for a service in advance with no clue as to what the cost will be, and no clue as to what they will be charged in full for those services,” Sen. Amy Galey, R-Alamance, said Wednesday.

    She added that the bill “is an attempt to shine a light on every part of the health care system — to begin to see where the cost drivers truly exist, and to start to tamp down on those costs.”

    The Senate has passed similar bills twice in recent years. But both bills went nowhere in the state House, in face of intense lobbying in opposition by the hospital industry. The North Carolina Healthcare Association, which lobbies for hospitals, declined to comment Wednesday on the new bill.

    In addition to the various requirements to give patients more information before a procedure, the bill would also require hospitals to send patients an itemized bill — with descriptions written in what Galey called “plain English” — before the hospital could send the patient into collections for not paying their bill.

    About one in every eight North Carolina adults had medical debt before the state approved Medicaid expansion, according to health policy analysis group KFF. Part of the deal for Medicaid expansion, which the legislature passed following heavy pressure from then-Gov. Roy Cooper, was for hospitals to forgive approximately $4 billion in medical debt held by low-income North Carolinians. Cooper announced last year that every hospital in the state was participating.

    No lawmakers or members of the public spoke against the bill Wednesday, although Sen. Gale Adcock, D-Wake, said that based on her experience as a nurse there are probably some parts of the bill that would be difficult if not impossible for hospital staff to comply with.

    She suggested further conversations on how to amend the bill to ensure hospitals could follow it — and the state could enforce it.

    “It could provide clarity moving forward, and make sure you can enforce what you’re trying to do,” Adcock said.

    AI claims denial
    The Senate Health Committee also debated a separate bill — but stopped short of taking a vote on whether to advance it — that would ban health insurance companies from relying too heavily on artificial intelligence to deny people’s claims.

    Insurance companies could still use AI to help review and make decisions on claims, even if Senate Bill 315 becomes law. But it would ban AI from being used as “the sole basis” of any decisions to deny or modify someone’s health care services.

    “It’s 2025 — AI is a fact of life,” Sen. Jim Burgin, R-Harnett, said. “It’s something that’s being used by doctors around the state, and health insurers, and hospitals. It’s inevitable. It’s going to be here, but I know that every person in this room has heard stories about their health insurers across the nation having some issues with it.”

    UnitedHealthcare, the nation’s largest private health insurer, faces a class action lawsuit accusing it of using AI to deny many people’s claims. Last year the company’s CEO was gunned down in what police have said was a targeted assassination, apparently based on the company’s policies and practices.

    Burgin said the other bill on surprise billing also would exempt health insurance staffers from having to put their contact information on certain forms given to customers. He said it “addresses the aftermath of fear for employee safety after the tragedy that occurred a few months ago involving the UnitedHealthcare CEO.”

    UnitedHealthcare Chief Executive Brian Thompson was shot and killed in Manhattan in a targeted attack — a killing that fueled a public outcry over claim denials by insurers.

    The anti-AI bill would also make a number of other changes to crack down on health insurance companies’ efforts to deny people’s claims, including by banning insurers from retroactively requiring prior authorization for certain types of care, and then using that to issue denials.

    The bill would also require appeals of insurance denials to be heard by licensed doctors who have experience in the type of medicine in question.

    And it would appear to ban insurance companies from paying their on-staff doctors more money for suggesting claims be denied, by requiring appeals to be heard by doctors with “no financial interest, or other conflict of interest, in the outcome of the appeal.”

    A top health insurance industry representative, Peter Daniel, spoke at the meeting to tell lawmakers they were willing to work with the Senate on the bill as it moves through the legislature. WRAL

  • 68L cancer treatments of more than Rs 13,000 crore were completed

    68L cancer treatments of more than Rs 13,000 crore were completed

    More than 68 lakh cancer treatments worth over Rs 13,000 crore have been performed under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, with 75.81 per cent of them undertaken in rural areas, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said on Tuesday.

    Of these, more than 4.5 lakh treatments worth over Rs 985 crore were undertaken for “targeted therapies” against cancer, with 76.32 per cent of their beneficiaries coming from rural areas, Nadda said responding to a question in Parliament.

    The benefits, he said, were accorded under the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY).

    He said that an initiative for screening, management and prevention of non-communicable diseases, including cancer, has been rolled out in the country under the National Health Mission.

    Under the scheme, people suspecting they have cancer can also call in for expert opinion from district and tertiary care hospitals.

    In PMJAY, treatment for several types of cancers, including breast, oral and cervical, is provided under more than 200 packages with more than 500 procedures of medical oncology, surgical oncology, radiation oncology and palliative medicine.

    Of these, 37 packages are related to targeted therapies such as chemotherapy for CA Breast, metastatic melanoma, chronic myeloid leukaemia, Burkitt’s Lymphoma, and CA Lung, the minister informed.

    Those suffering from cancer and are below the poverty line can also avail of a one-time financial assistance of up to Rs 15 lakh, provided under the Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF).

    The minister said that the scheme provides for the sale of generic medicines at 50 per cent to 80 per cent price of branded medicines through Janaushadhi Stores and the 217 AMRIT Pharmacies.

    A total of 289 oncology drugs are given at half the market price.

    Nadda said that the government had in the budget announced it would set up 200 day care cancer centres at district hospitals in 2025-26.

    Under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), 770 district NCD clinics, 233 cardiac care units, 372 district day care centres, and 6,410 NCD clinics at community health centres have been set up, he said.

    In addition, 19 state cancer institutes and 20 tertiary cancer care centres have been set up in different parts of the country to provide advanced cancer care.

    Cancer treatment facilities have been approved in all 22 new AIIMS with diagnostic, medical, and surgical facilities, he said.

    Two such centres where advanced cancer treatment is provided are the National Cancer Institute in Jhajjar, Haryana, with 1,460 beds, and the second campus of Chittranjan National Cancer Institute in Kolkata, which has 460 beds.

    There are 372 District Day Care Centres providing chemotherapy across the country, Nadda said.

    The minister said that under the Department of Atomic Energy, Tata Memorial Centre has two units/hospitals in rural and semi-urban locations, the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital in Sangrur in Punjab, and the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital in Muzzafarpur in Bihar. PTI

  • DeepSeek from China is prohibited on US govt devices

    DeepSeek from China is prohibited on US govt devices

    U.S. Commerce department bureaus informed staffers in recent weeks that Chinese artificial intelligence model DeepSeek is banned on their government devices, according to a message seen by Reuters and two people familiar with the matter.

    “To help keep Department of Commerce information systems safe, access to the new Chinese based AI DeepSeek is broadly prohibited on all GFE,” said one mass email to staffers about their government-furnished equipment.

    “Do not download, view, access any applications, desktop apps or websites related to DeepSeek.”

    DeepSeek’s low-cost AI models sparked a major selloff in global equity markets in January, as investors worried about the threat to the United States’ lead in AI.

    U.S. officials and members of Congress have expressed concerns about the threat of DeepSeek to data privacy and sensitive government information.

    Congressmen Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood, members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, in February introduced legislation to ban DeepSeek on government devices. Earlier this month, they sent letters to U.S. governors urging them to ban the Chinese AI app on government-issued equipment.

    “By using DeepSeek, users are unknowingly sharing highly sensitive, proprietary information with the CCP — such as contracts, documents, and financial records,” the lawmakers wrote in a March 3 letter, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. “In the wrong hands, this data is an enormous asset to the CCP, a known foreign adversary.”

    Numerous states have banned the model from government devices, including Virginia, Texas and New York, and a coalition of 21 state attorneys general has urged Congress to pass legislation. Reuters

  • Incredibly, Starlink satellites were taken over for scientific study

    Incredibly, Starlink satellites were taken over for scientific study

    Researchers from TU Graz have found a way to use Starlink and other communication satellites for climate research and Earth monitoring. By analyzing how their signals change due to the Doppler effect, they can track gravitational field variations, monitor sea level changes, and even observe real-time weather phenomena.

    Unlocking Hidden Data in Satellite Signals
    Traditionally, communication satellites like those from Starlink, OneWeb, and Amazon’s Project Kuiper are designed for internet and telecommunications, not scientific observations. However, a team from the Institute of Geodesy at TU Graz realized that these satellites generate a vast and continuous stream of signals that could be repurposed.

    By studying the frequency shifts in these signals as they travel through space, the researchers have managed to extract valuable information about Earth’s gravitational field and environmental changes. This breakthrough comes as part of the FFG project Estimation, which explores alternative data sources for geodetic measurements.

    The Doppler Effect: Key to Measuring Earth’s Changes
    The core principle behind this technique is the Doppler effect—the same phenomenon that changes the pitch of an ambulance siren as it moves past an observer. When a satellite moves relative to a ground station, the frequency of its signal shifts slightly. By tracking these shifts, scientists can determine how the satellite’s orbit is affected by Earth’s gravitational field.

    Changes in sea levels, groundwater reservoirs, and ice masses all influence gravity, causing subtle shifts in satellite motion. By detecting these shifts, researchers can map environmental changes with unprecedented detail.

    Breaking Through Technical Challenges
    One of the biggest obstacles to this research is the lack of public data on Starlink and other communication satellites. Companies like SpaceX, OneWeb, and Amazon do not disclose the technical structure of their signals, making it difficult for scientists to analyze them.

    Additionally, precise orbital data and distance measurements for these satellites are not readily available, introducing potential calculation errors. Despite these challenges, researchers at TU Graz managed to detect constant frequency tones within Starlink transmissions.

    By tracking how these tones shift as satellites move, they could estimate positions with an accuracy of 54 meters. This isn’t precise enough for advanced geodetic applications, but it proves the method’s feasibility.

    Towards Higher Precision Earth Monitoring
    The researchers are now working on improving accuracy by developing mobile tracking antennas that can follow satellites in real time. By increasing the number of measurement points and refining their signal processing techniques, they aim to reduce positional errors to just a few meters.

    If successful, this method could provide real-time, high-resolution data on Earth’s gravitational field and short-term environmental changes, such as:

    • Extreme weather events (e.g., heavy rainfall, storms)
    • Sea level fluctuations
    • Groundwater depletion
    • Changes in ice sheet mass

    This new approach could complement traditional satellite geodesy missions and provide continuous, up-to-date insights into Earth’s changing environment.

    A Game-Changer for Climate Science and Geodesy
    The ability to use existing communication satellites for Earth observation represents a major step forward in geodetic science. Instead of relying solely on specialized research satellites, scientists could leverage the thousands of Starlink and OneWeb satellites already in orbit, dramatically improving data availability and resolution.

    Philipp Berglez, a leading researcher at TU Graz, emphasized that while this method uses communication signals, it does not involve decoding or analyzing message content. The focus remains strictly on tracking satellite movements to improve our understanding of Earth’s gravitational field and climate changes. DailyGalaxy