CDOT GPON Technology- developed, patented globally and transferred to industry- but not a success story

C-DOT's GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) technology offers an excellent mix of triple play services (voice, data & video) to end users. This is an indigenous development of C-DOT and offers advantages in terms of appropriateness for Indian environment, Innovation & local manufacturing. Current technology delivers a downstream data rate of 2.5 Gbps and an upstream data rate of 1.25 Gbps on a single fibre over a distance of up to 60 Kms. One optical fiber from OLT can be shared with up to 128 users. Signals from the OLT to the ONT are encrypted (secure) and then broadcasted to workstation devices. Signals from the workstation devices are then multiplexed back to the OLT.

In 2011, Indian Minister for Communications and IT Kapil Sibal,  transferred Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) Technology to seven telecom manufacturers in public and private sectors – Indian Telephone Industries Ltd. (ITI), Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), VMC Systems Ltd, United Telecoms Ltd. (UTL), Sai InfoSystem (India) and S M Creative Electronics Ltd . In addition, Technology transfer agreement has also been signed with Tejas Networks Limited for customized development and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL). US patent (Patent number: 10567075) for GIS based centralized fiber fault localization system was filed in 2016 and received in 2020.

Adoption of GPON in enterprise environment was studied by Stanislav Milanovic. Applied GPON based POLs in the enterprise environment enabled the convergence of voice, data and video onto a single strand of single mode fiber, which reduced the network infrastructure hardware to a fraction of what is required in terms of cabling and electronics in the conventional Ethernet approach. The solution not only enabled easier maintenance, but also improved efficiency with regard to end user-related, adds, moves and changes. Deployed GPON based POLs in the enterprise environment extended service to any stationary Ethernet end point. It enabled the delivery of reliable and highly secure unified network providing IP voice, data, and any type of video over a single fiber. It also increased the size of the network building block which greatly simplified enterprise network deployment, operation, and management. The solution supported energy conservation, since the optical LAN infrastructure utilized passive components like optical distribution hubs and fiber plant that required no power or cooling, resulting in significant energy savings. Implemented POLs provided immediate return on investment and a low total cost of ownership compared to copper-based LANs.

GPON Vs EPON

EPON and GPON have their own advantages and disadvantages. GPON is better than EPON from the performance index. However, EPON has the advantage of time and cost. GPON is catching up and looking forward to the future broadband access market. GPON will be more suitable for customers with high bandwidth, multi-service, QoS and security requirements and ATM technology as the backbone. For cost-sensitive, QoS, security, less demanding customer base, EPON has become dominant.

EPON began massive deployments in Japan and  South Korea. In 2005, China Telecom started EPON field trial in 4 provinces to learn how to deploy EPON. Interoperability is critical for the success and deployment of  EPON widely, so China Telecom started IOP research in 2005. In 2007 CTC achieved large scale and all‐round chip and system  EPON IOP the first time in the world (3 chip vendors, 10 system  vendors). For operators with 1G EPON-based deployments — particularly Korea Telecom, Japan‘s NTT DOCOMO access, China Telecom and China Unicom, 10G EPON is quickly becoming the next-generation technology of choice for providing both asymmetric and symmetric 10 Gbps services. 10G EPON equipment shipments and revenue continue to grow, driven currently by China Telecom, which is in the process of upgrading a portion of its first-generation 1G networks to provide more bandwidth to multi-dwelling units, or MDUs.

EPON technology matured with Chinese Telecom service providers active participation. What about Indian Scenario?

venture debt in India

Venture debt was introduced in India 15 years ago. However, it has gained traction in the last decade. In these years, the Indian debt market for startups has been dominated by the likes of funds such as Alteria capital, Innoven capital and Trifecta capital. These firms combined have deployed approximately $300 mn (INR 2,200 crores) in startups such as Bigbasket, Curefit, Ninjacart, Dunzo and Lendingcart to name a few. In the last 6 years itself, approximately $4 bn of debt has been deployed across 150+ deals in India.  

Read article on Venture Debt in Economic Times prime (subscription required).
Also covered by Invest India. More at kauffman. And a legal perspective from Illinois.

Will COVID change peoples behavior in India?- Nudge theory

There are comments that Indians will be better disciplined- follow Q, do not litter garbage etc after COVID19. 

Expectations are based on Nudge theory.

According to Thaler and Sunstein , a nudge is:

any aspect of the choice architecture that alters people’s behavior in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their economic incentives. To count as a mere nudge, the intervention must be easy and cheap to avoid. Nudges are not mandates. Putting the fruit at eye level counts as a nudge. Banning junk food does not.

Richard Thaler bagging this year’s Economics Nobel for his work on behavioural economics has shone the spotlight on the ‘Nudge Theory.’ Thaler’s and Cass Sunstein’s 2008 book Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth and Happiness has had a wide impact with some governments even setting up ‘nudge units’ in their countries.Humans, being not-so-rational, often need encouragement or intervention — a nudge — to get going and do what’s best for the country or society at large. The ‘Nudge Theory’ recognises this behavioural trait. It says that people, rather than being forced, can be encouraged and influenced to pursue or desist from certain actions through nudges. Nudges are not mandates. So, while there is encouragement, there is no compulsion to comply and people have the freedom to choose other options.

Applying nudges is that public policy makers might thus supplement – or, perhaps, even replace traditional regulation with nudges to influence people’s everyday choices and behaviors in cheaper, less invasive, and more effective ways. That is, nudging seems to offer policy makers an effective way to influence citizens’ behavior without further restricting freedom of choice, imposing mandatory obligations, or introducing new taxation, or tax reliefs.

Public policy examples of ‘Nudge’ at work include automatic enrollment of employees into pension schemes in the UK and the opt-out system for organ donation in Spain. By making the optimal choice the default option for all citizens, these nudges have helped improve public participation in these programes.

Government of India’s Measures to Boost Business, Improve EoDB & Welcome FDI During COVID-19

The spread of Covid-19 in India and its mitigation plan of 40 day nationwide lockdown from 25 March 2020 to 3 May 2020 and a possibility of further extension of lockdown by several State Governments, there is likely to be a significant impact across various sectors of the economy. To address these adverse times, the Government of India has been preparing strategies and action plans not only for business continuity and sectoral revival but also re-rolling the red carpet for global investors to continue to choose India as their preferred destination for investments. The Government of India continues to enhance international co-operation for promoting FDI and improve Ease of Doing Business in the country by releasing notifications / amendments / circulars highlighting measures to improve business environment in India. Below are some of the special measures by Central government, State governments and the sectoral ministries to welcome and boost businesses in India. 

Download report here.