News digest: Telco's price war, Amazon's algorithm, Reliance, and more

From Telecom companies to New Jalpaiguri express, BS brings you top stories to keep up with the latest news

With Idea-Voda merger, telcos may see an escalation in price battle
 
The country’s top three telecom players continue to face downward pressure on average revenue per user (ARPU) and the trend might continue in the coming months, impacting their profitability as well as share prices, indicate the June quarter results.
 
The stocks of Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular have been lagging the key indices such as the BSE Sensex in 2018 — they are down 30-45 per cent versus a rise of over 9 per cent in the Sensex. Read more here
 

 
How sellers outsmart Amazon's product-ranking system to boost sales

 
Every day, dozens of young men crowd into tiny rooms with 30 computers each in northern Bangladesh. Their mission: Trick Amazon.com Inc.
 
They open Amazon.com and repeatedly type in search terms, each time clicking on the links of products they were paid to boost, according to people familiar with the practice. Amazon’s algorithms begin recognizing that these products are popular, ranking them higher in the search results. The higher the ranking, the better chance of sales. Read more here
 
Srikrishna panel's predominance of privacy over RTI raises eyebrows
 
The fears that the Justice Srikrishna panel report would give importance to individual privacy over the fundamental right to information and disturb the RTI (Right to Information) framework do not seem to have been allayed.

 
The report on data protection, along with a draft privacy bill, was submitted to the government on Friday, and seeks to strengthen India’s data protection laws and provide for individuals’ right to privacy. Read more here 
 
Reliance Industries signs deal to sell CB10 block stake to Sun Petro
 
Oil-to-telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries (RIL) has entered into an agreement with Sun Petrochemicals to sell its stake in the Cambay Basin-10 (CB10) block in Gujarat as part of its portfolio rationalisation strategy. The company, however, has not disclosed the deal size.
 
“RIL signed a sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with Sun Petro to farm out its 70 per cent interest in the block. The application for assignment has been submitted to the Government of India for approval,” the company said in its results statement on Friday.

 
UK-based oil major BP holds the remaining 30 per cent interest in the block. Read more here

When it’s lucky to be 12-hr late to Jalpaiguri
 
NJP or New Jalpaiguri, a familiar railway junction for most Darjeeling regulars, is also a transit point for travelling to many north-eastern states, Nepal and even Bhutan. But this journey to NJP, next to Siliguri in West Bengal, aboard New Jalpaiguri Superfast (SF) Express— the most delayed train over the past six months — was more experiential than touristy.        
        
Just when this reporter reached NJP in 39 hours (against less than 28 hours scheduled travel time), there was an announcement at the station—the return Super Fast Express would start seven and a half hours late. The real story, however, is about the long travel, covering some 1,500 km, which often takes as much as 20 hours extra on this train. Read more here