Samsung to replace Vi's Chinese gear with 5G equipment in priority circles Vodafone Idea's (Vi’s) latest order of network equipment from new partner Samsung will lead to 5G gear deployment in its six to seven telecom circles where the telco has existing gear installed from Chinese equipment makers Huawei and ZTE, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Jagbir Singh told Business Standard. Equipment from global vendors Nokia, and Ericsson will be used to boost the company’s 4G capabilities and raise the 4G population coverage to 90 per cent in the next 12 months from the current 77 per cent, he said in an interview. Last month, the telco inked a Rs 30,000 crore deal for the supply of network equipment from the three global vendors. It marked Vi's first-ever tie-up with Samsung. The deal is the first step towards the roll-out of the company’s three-year capex plan of about $6.6 billion or Rs 55,000 crore announced earlier. ©SHIRSENDU KARMAKAR

SHIRSENDU KARMAKAR

Police release striking Samsung workers detained for planning protest march The Samsung protests have cast a shadow on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plan of courting foreign investors to "Make in India" and tripling electronics production to $500 billion in six year Indian police late on Monday released most of the 104 striking workers at a Samsung Electronics plant who were detained for planning a protest march without permission, with the dispute disrupting output at the factory for the past week. The detention marked an escalation of a strike by workers at the Samsung home appliance plant near Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu. Workers who want higher wages have since Sept. 9 stopped work at the plant that contributes roughly a third of Samsung's annual India revenue of $12 billion. ©SHIRSENDU KARMAKAR

SHIRSENDU KARMAKAR

Samsung to replace Vi's Chinese gear with 5G equipment in priority circles Vodafone Idea's (Vi’s) latest order of network equipment from new partner Samsung will lead to 5G gear deployment in its six to seven telecom circles where the telco has existing gear installed from Chinese equipment makers Huawei and ZTE, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Jagbir Singh told Business Standard. Equipment from global vendors Nokia, and Ericsson will be used to boost the company’s 4G capabilities and raise the 4G population coverage to 90 per cent in the next 12 months from the current 77 per cent, he said in an interview. Last month, the telco inked a Rs 30,000 crore deal for the supply of network equipment from the three global vendors. It marked Vi's first-ever tie-up with Samsung. The deal is the first step towards the roll-out of the company’s three-year capex plan of about $6.6 billion or Rs 55,000 crore announced earlier. ©SHIRSENDU KARMAKAR

SHIRSENDU KARMAKAR

Police release striking Samsung workers detained for planning protest march The Samsung protests have cast a shadow on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plan of courting foreign investors to "Make in India" and tripling electronics production to $500 billion in six year Indian police late on Monday released most of the 104 striking workers at a Samsung Electronics plant who were detained for planning a protest march without permission, with the dispute disrupting output at the factory for the past week. The detention marked an escalation of a strike by workers at the Samsung home appliance plant near Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu. Workers who want higher wages have since Sept. 9 stopped work at the plant that contributes roughly a third of Samsung's annual India revenue of $12 billion. ©SHIRSENDU KARMAKAR

SHIRSENDU KARMAKAR