gdp's Comments

MediaNama : ValueFirst Raises $15M From Headland Asia Ventures, NEA; Targets Acquisitions

Wed, 2 Feb 2011 08:10:54 +0000

Shantanu, I was referring to something that is not dependent on SMS, and hence is not going to be as regulated as SMS, or, for that matter, as constrained. Think of a white labeled mobile Internet based push service that is used to push content, alerts and email. An alternative to SMS.

MediaNama : New Telecom Policy To Unbundle Spectrum From Licence; Fair Play?

Tue, 1 Feb 2011 10:10:28 +0000

Okay, so that sounded a little vague, I agree. I'm just saying that for future allocation of spectrum, let price discovery be through an auction process, but allocation of spectrum beyond a minimum level be based on need. Not give it free, but just because they're willing to pay, don't allow anyone to hoard either.

MediaNama : OnMobile Q3-FY11: Revenues Up 36.8%; International Driving Growth, India Flat

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 12:59:21 +0000

VASGuy, I wasn't able to ask about this standalone trend on the conference call, so I called up the company management for comments today - twice today. Once when they tried to reach me, I was on another call, and then when I contacted them again, I was told they'll call back. It's not that we didn't try contacting the management for comments. We waited, then did the story, with the intention of updating it when they respond. And we're doing a separate story with their views on 3G, from the earnings conference call.

MediaNama : OnMobile Q3-FY11: Revenues Up 36.8%; International Driving Growth, India Flat

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 12:40:10 +0000

Hi, we're independent and neutral, and there's no change in our coverage of OnMobile since they went in for an IPO. We have, in the past, been positive on their deal with Telefonica, and their acquisition of Dilithium. What we're showcasing through the chart above (four quarters), since OnMobile is the market leader in India, is that the broader trend in India is flat or negative. That shows that the company had the foresight to go international, and very aggressively so, but also that while it has grown revenues, it hasn't been as profitable. In comparison, their competitors in India haven't been as aggressive. If you think I'm against OnMobile - you're wrong. Unfortunately, we have only two players to refer to when it comes to VAS in India - OnMobile and Tanla Mobile. That neither of them is advertising with us is not in my control. What I can assure you of is that it wont make a difference even if they do. It also wont make a difference to our content if our existing advertisers decide not to advertise.

MediaNama : PayPal Restricts Payments To India, Bars Purchases; Why They're Right

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 15:44:25 +0000

I don't love regulations, but I don't despise them either. Depends on the specific regulation and what it intends to do. There are clauses that I agree with, and those that I don't agree with. Our coverage of each regulation looks at pros and cons. It's about looking at the details, and not a blanket like or dislike. In this case, I don't agree with the regulation (I'm FOR online wallets and don't agree with the $500 limit). But I think the RBI is right to force PayPal to comply with the regulation. Now they need to allow online wallets, not just payment gateways. But looks like you've already made up your mind about me...

MediaNama : PayPal Restricts Payments To India, Bars Purchases; Why They're Right

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 15:11:30 +0000

As an entrepreneur, you know that regulations are a reality of business. You make hay as long as they're not in place, then you try and define regulations with lobbying, and finally you learn to work with and around them. That's pragmatism, and entrepreneurs realize that. In fact, if you're not aware and prepared for regulations, that makes you a rather poor businessman. You'll always be caught out.

MediaNama : PayPal Restricts Payments To India, Bars Purchases; Why They're Right

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 14:02:15 +0000

businesses have to pay tax on profits, but individuals who are freelancing while still in a job would have to pay personal income tax, unless they're accepting money as proprietorship

MediaNama : PayPal Restricts Payments To India, Bars Purchases; Why They're Right

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 13:52:42 +0000

Sameer: tax evasion is the RBI's problem. They're dealing with it by regulating Paypal. I'm all for online wallets, but within reasonable regulations - linked with bank accounts, so that "know your customer" norms can be followed. It was an issue with prepaid cards like Itz cash as well, and those are now being regulated. No doubt, PayPal and online wallets will be addressed soon.

MediaNama : $35 Laptop Still A Distant Dream; HCL's Tender Cancelled: Report

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 10:27:53 +0000

Not sure of what this device has been called, but Sakshat is an education portal from the Indian government: www.sakshat.ac.in

MediaNama : Dec 2010: India Added Over 17.07M GSM Connections

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 10:24:01 +0000

Multi-SIM means that an individual user owns multiple SIM cards.

MediaNama : How Airtel Defines Unlimited

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 03:40:52 +0000

Oh, I agree that their FUP doesn't restrict data directly, but it isn't unlimited in the first place: no plan can be unlimited, because the available speed puts a maximum limit. It's just that the without FUP, it's not metered. What Airtel does is - give you metered access, and reduces your speed after you cross a certain limit, thereby further limiting your download. In that sense, they're not offering unlimited data AND they're metering access. Airtel just shot themselves in the foot by making a flawed argument, when they didn't need to.

MediaNama : eBay India Launches Social Shopping

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 11:04:10 +0000

I'm not sure. I'd say that it's more about a low barrier to entry in this space. Lack of differentiation will be an issue: the best deal will probably trump the best site. Space of aggregators

MediaNama : Apalya Raises $7.5 M From IndoUS, Qualcomm, IDG; Why It Needs Money

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 07:35:38 +0000

Information submitted to the Registrar of Companies is public information. You can get it from them too. We didn't bribe anyone, and this information was not disclosed to us by Apalya. Recently, we published Google India's numbers as well - http://www.medianama.com/2010/11/223-google-india... Going forward, we intend to publish ROC data for most companies we cover.

MediaNama : Yahoo India Launches Education Site

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 06:17:09 +0000

Sorry, didnt notice minglebox mention in the footer. hardly noticeable.

MediaNama : Advertisement: Mobile India 2011

Thu, 6 Jan 2011 07:32:08 +0000

The Chancery Pavillion Hotel, Residency Road, Bangalore http://comsnets.org/mobile_india.html

MediaNama : ECommerce Portal BuyThePrice.com Raises Funding From A Clutch Of Angel Investors

Wed, 5 Jan 2011 09:47:08 +0000

we were off then. just doing a few of those stories now. plus, we got some more details. not just about the news

MediaNama : Updated: Hungama Launches Koffee With Karan On IVR; Why Not Mobile Simulcast?

Wed, 5 Jan 2011 04:36:12 +0000

Well, that's how much of the voice based VAS business works. People pay for things that you can get on the Internet. In the long term, probably won't last, but in the short-medium term, there is money to be made.

MediaNama : Personal Finance Portal RupeeTalk Acquired By NetAmbit; 3 Recent Exits By Seedfund

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 11:46:15 +0000

Hmm..ok. Carwale didn't look like a distress sale. Will check.

MediaNama : Thank You Sponsors: IMI Mobile, Hazel Media, One97, Indiatimes, MediaTek, IndiaSocial

Sat, 11 Dec 2010 06:52:55 +0000

Thanks. So, we're looking to invest in improving our content, so would be great if you (or anyone) could send great writers our way. Alternatively, if there's any other content that we can do make things easier for you, please feel free to ask. Thanks for your support :)

MediaNama : Someone Needed To Set Up An Indian HuffPo Seven Months Ago

Tue, 7 Dec 2010 01:34:09 +0000

Well, not that it's not of any use, Shivam. Just that it needs a lot of tweaking. Remember that DailyBeast & Huffo are mass.