Voice and Data, September 2000
This is Just the Beginning…
TITLE OF THE BOOK: The Business of Telecommunication-Networking in the New Millenium
AUTHOR :
Niraj K. GuptaPUBLISHER
: Tata McGraw HillPAGES : 506
PRICE : Rs. 450
Go to any bookstore, and it will be flooded with books on computers and software. But you will be in for a shock when you ask for books on telecom. There would be very few of them. And you would be asking for too much if you wanted a book on Indian communications scenario-a book that will tell you all about communications in India including history, technologies, markets, and industry.
"The Business of Telecommunication-Networking in the New Millenium", a book by Niraj K. Gupta, will solve a lot of info needs of the new millenium communication professionals. A regular speaker at telecom seminars, and a regular writer, Niraj K. Gupta is not a new face for the Indian communications industry, Presently, Director (South Asia), FLAG Telecom, Niraj has earlier served at senior positions at Alcatel and Ericsson. This book is a good tribute to the industry he has been so closely associated with.
The book has been very nicely packed in 8 chapters and a glossary of very common, yet important and relevant communications terminologies. The first chapter deals with global technological developments, including those which find relevance in India. For someone who wants to know the genesis of technologies that are around us today, this chapter describes in simple yet crisp details how communications has progressed form the days of Graham Bell. The next chapter enlightens readers about the most interesting and the fastest growing region in the world (as far as communications go)-the Asia Pacific.
Today, the best benchmark for any country, specifically India, would be a comparison with Asia Pacific. The author has put together some very interesting and thought provoking data which will help the communications professional-be he a vendor, user or policy maker-to get a feel of how India is placed vis-à-vis the growing and liberalizing economies. Country case studies presented by the author are good barometres to judge the growth and direction fo communications in India.
To give a better perspective to Chapter 2, the third chapter focuses on the evolution of telecom liberalization in India-both manufacturing and services. This section discusses at length the issues faced by manufacturers, service providers and users in India, and how governmental policies, as well as corporate business strategies, are evolving to address the challenges. The next chapter dwells on the complex and challenging subject of telecom project financing and discusses the financing strategies of Indian companies, and introduces various sources of finance, ECBs, project risks, and how to go about preparing a business plan. The fifth chapter will be of great interest and use to marketing professionals as it explains how, with the commoditization of communication products and services, the concepts of business management are being implemented to gain market shares and leadership. And last but not the least, Niraj devotes a full chapter to corporate and enterprise networking because their success is being guided by communications capabilities as they transform from bricks to clicks. In between, Niraj also discusses convergence with specific reference to wireless.
Putting it across very simply, Niraj says, "This book is an endeavour to answer the many questions that have been raised to me at different fora." It would, however, not be an over statement to say that the book will be of good value to anybody and everybody who is involved with communications. And that is not all. Niraj plans to keep the book updated online at his website: www.telecombyNirajGupta.com. So, keep in touch.
Ibrahim Ahmad
Editor,
Voice and Data, September 2000, page 29.