49. Telecom

The study of telecommunications includes radio, television, cable, satellite services, telephony, multimedia, and the Internet. Students learn about the design and production of programs, the managerial and legal aspects of the business, and the impact electronic media has on society. Our Telecom grads find jobs in all areas of electronic communications. Career possibilities lie in front of and behind the camera, in radio and television and in all related industries, including advertising, promotions, public relations, telephony, and the Internet.

A large population, low telephony penetration levels, and rise in consumer income and spend owing to strong economic growth have contributed to making India the fastest-growing telecom market in the world. The first and largest operator is the state-owned incumbent BSNL, which is also the 7th largest telecom company in world in terms of number of subscribers. BSNL was created by corporatization of the erstwhile DTS (Department of Telecommunication Services), a government unit responsible for provision of telephony services. Subsequently, after the telecommunication policy was revised to allow private operators, companies such as Bharti Telecom, Tata Indicom, Vodafone, MTNL, Idea and BPL have entered the space. Major operators in India. However, rural India still lacks strong infrastructure.

Most Telecom classes in the production track are hands-on workshops. Production coursework involves the use of a professionally equipped TV studio, pro field gear, tape and digital editors, tape and digital sound systems, and advanced multi-media computer software. Check out the Telecom production tools page. The Telecom curriculum only requires two prerequisites for intermediate and advanced production courses: T101, Living in the Information Age, and T206, Introduction to Design and Production.

On the way ahead for telecom companies, Bhavesh Gandhi, Telecom Analyst at India Infoline, said margins are going to be a concern for all telecom companies. “Capex is mostly done for major telecom companies. So from FY10 onwards, it should not be a concern. Margins are a concern for all players including Bharti and Reliance Communications. Then there are concerns for all private-sector players. ARPUs, or average revenue per user, should also decline going forward, although they have fallen quite significantly from four quarters ago.”