Holux GPS receivers

nishad.hameed · 15th June 2007, 14:49

Hi all,

Let me introduce myself, we are the countrywide exclusive distributors of Houlux branded GPS devices in India.
Currently we sell all models of Holux GPS receiver in India. Expecting the exclusive car navigation system in a month time which is capable of working in 60+ indian cities as well as the highways.

Samurai · 15th June 2007, 15:49

Welcome Nishad to Team-BHP,

But kindly stop short of advertising your products here. We don't allow any kind of commerical activities.

Sudipto-S-Team · 15th June 2007, 21:08

Is the license issue for GPS solved now? Last year I had a Garmin brought in from abroad and someone told me you actually need a license to use it. I found out that while that is true, there is no official system of obtaining a GPS license in India. So going strictly by the rule you can't use a GPS in India.
There was a lot of confusion on this issue.
Are those confusions gone now? Are you officially importing GPS in India? How does customs classify it? What are the duties?
Thanks and regards
Sudipto

Rehaan · 15th June 2007, 21:50

Hi nishad.hameed,

How about telling us something about yourself as well....

Welcome to TBHP
cya
R

Sks_Biker · 18th June 2007, 11:14

There is no such license required now. There was a link somewhere on the net clarifying it, have to search for it (but remember reading it).

I had got a garmin receiver from US too. no problems in customs.

nishad.hameed · 18th June 2007, 11:18

There is no license problems for GPS in India right now. We are importing all types of gps products including GPS receivers and GPS navigation devices without any issues. The customs people may ask you for a technical write-up of the items on the first shipment. There are no probelms if the next shipment is coming on the same IE license. The customs duty is like 34.75% max. I think this is little high

.

GPS car navigators are going to take the Indian car industry soon.

DerAlte · 18th June 2007, 11:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sudipto-S-Team

Last year I had a Garmin brought in from abroad and someone told me you actually need a license to use it

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sks_Biker

I had got a garmin receiver from US too. no problems in customs.

How are you guys managing for maps? Are there Garmin maps available for India?

I guess we need to start a separate thread for GPS (under the ICE section perhaps? Finding directions in India provides more entertainment than information lol) rather than messing up the "Introductions". @sys_whiz, @abhi182, @ddawg, @ankur etc. have described Car PC installs under DIY, but those are from a different p-o-v.

What say you, amigos?

nishad.hameed · 18th June 2007, 12:03

even maps are available in India. I can source 60+ indian city maps, that too most accurate. Unavailability is the old story.

Sudipto-S-Team · 18th June 2007, 12:56

Please type "GPS license India" in google and hit search. The first item is an interview of the Wireless Advisor to the Government of India on this issue where he clarifies that yes technically you do need a license to use a GPS receiver in India. The interview came out in a magazine called Coordinates - India's only magazine on positioning, navigation etc. But I agree that yes, the interview happend two years ago and as of last year when I called up the office of the Wireless Advisor, I was told that it is true that you need a license to use it. I don't know if it has been sorted out. I couldn't for the life of me find out how to obtain this licence.
We are lucky that the government is not implementing this ridiculous rule to arrest us.
The issue is, as per the Indian Telegraph Act you need a license to use any radio frequency. Now, some items are exempted through government notification like the humble radio (a couple of decades back you indeed needed one - old timers might remember) or certain remote control devices or some networking devices. The notifications clarify the frequency that is being exempted. There is no such exemptions for GPS so far, therefore by default it means you need a license.
It is quite possible that Customs officials are either unaware of all this or are deliberately shutting their eyes. Anyway, the more handsets come in the better - there will be pressure on the government to do something about this ridiculous rule.
Sudipto

DerAlte
Kumar uses an in-vehicle GPS and some maps. Get his feedback also. My Foretrex is not equipped to take maps. It's a very basic handset. Basically just for fun. But yes you can go to a jungle with it and trace back your steps without getting lost.
Garmin doesn't have maps for India. Check out their website.
And I agree that we do need a section on GPS.
Sudipto

tsk1979 · 18th June 2007, 13:09

The telegraph act talks about "Transmissions" not reception. GPS receiver is just a receiver.
But better to be safe than sorry. I won't be surprised if somebody is booked for using GPS as a "Terrorist".
There are many rules which are not enforced, if they start enforcing those rules.....
Anyways this rule is not being enforced as you can import a GPS receiver after paying the customs duty.

nishad.hameed · 18th June 2007, 13:18

The restriction was before three years. This particular restriction has been taken back by Government of India, especially by Survey of India department in early 2005's. You may refer to the Import export policy notifications from valid from 2005 to 2009 december under the section/catagory 8526, all the equipements other than GPS and DGPS is still restricted. The DGFT website clearly shows that import of GPS and DGPS equipments are free from restrictions.

Now, In India, you can freely use GPS recievers or GPS navigators or even GPS tracking units without any requriement of lincense.

tsk1979 · 18th June 2007, 13:22

Thanks for the clarification Nishad. That information clears a lot of things.

Sks_Biker · 18th June 2007, 13:43

@nishaad: Do you have any info on maps availability for Garmin receivers also?

@DerAlte: Currently I'm in Malaysia and I there are free maps available for Malaysia and Singapore. Its a community based project and works perfectly.

GPS Maps of Malaysia & Singapore

I wish there was something like that in India too

rishibravo · 18th June 2007, 13:49

I am using a simple bluetooth GPS receiver (got it from chipsilicon in pune) and simply pair it with my pocket PC and use it with MapKing pro . The Delhi map they have is pretty detailed.

nishad.hameed · 18th June 2007, 14:01

boss, there is maps for garmin too in India. Tell me which are the maps you are interested in. I mean the cities.

That sounds a wounderful concept. Google is trying to make it free in future.

15th June 2007, 14:49	#1
nishad.hameed BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 90 Thanked: 24 Times	Holux GPS receivers Hi all, Let me introduce myself, we are the countrywide exclusive distributors of Houlux branded GPS devices in India. Currently we sell all models of Holux GPS receiver in India. Expecting the exclusive car navigation system in a month time which is capable of working in 60+ indian cities as well as the highways.
	() Thanks

15th June 2007, 15:49	#2
Samurai Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bangalore/Udupi Posts: 25,828 Thanked: 45,516 Times View My Garage	Welcome Nishad to Team-BHP, But kindly stop short of advertising your products here. We don't allow any kind of commerical activities.
	() Thanks

15th June 2007, 21:08	#3
Sudipto-S-Team Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kolkata Posts: 1,320 Thanked: 290 Times View My Garage	License for GPS Is the license issue for GPS solved now? Last year I had a Garmin brought in from abroad and someone told me you actually need a license to use it. I found out that while that is true, there is no official system of obtaining a GPS license in India. So going strictly by the rule you can't use a GPS in India. There was a lot of confusion on this issue. Are those confusions gone now? Are you officially importing GPS in India? How does customs classify it? What are the duties? Thanks and regards Sudipto
	() Thanks

15th June 2007, 21:50	#4
Rehaan Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 24,042 Thanked: 34,074 Times	Hi nishad.hameed, How about telling us something about yourself as well.... Welcome to TBHP cya R
	() Thanks

18th June 2007, 11:14	#5
Sks_Biker BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bangalore, India Posts: 113 Thanked: 47 Times	There is no such license required now. There was a link somewhere on the net clarifying it, have to search for it (but remember reading it). I had got a garmin receiver from US too. no problems in customs.
	() Thanks

18th June 2007, 11:18	#6
nishad.hameed BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 90 Thanked: 24 Times	There is no license problems for GPS in India right now. We are importing all types of gps products including GPS receivers and GPS navigation devices without any issues. The customs people may ask you for a technical write-up of the items on the first shipment. There are no probelms if the next shipment is coming on the same IE license. The customs duty is like 34.75% max. I think this is little high . GPS car navigators are going to take the Indian car industry soon.
	() Thanks

18th June 2007, 12:03	#8
nishad.hameed BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 90 Thanked: 24 Times	even maps are available in India. I can source 60+ indian city maps, that too most accurate. Unavailability is the old story.
	() Thanks

18th June 2007, 12:56	#9
Sudipto-S-Team Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kolkata Posts: 1,320 Thanked: 290 Times View My Garage	Please type "GPS license India" in google and hit search. The first item is an interview of the Wireless Advisor to the Government of India on this issue where he clarifies that yes technically you do need a license to use a GPS receiver in India. The interview came out in a magazine called Coordinates - India's only magazine on positioning, navigation etc. But I agree that yes, the interview happend two years ago and as of last year when I called up the office of the Wireless Advisor, I was told that it is true that you need a license to use it. I don't know if it has been sorted out. I couldn't for the life of me find out how to obtain this licence. We are lucky that the government is not implementing this ridiculous rule to arrest us. The issue is, as per the Indian Telegraph Act you need a license to use any radio frequency. Now, some items are exempted through government notification like the humble radio (a couple of decades back you indeed needed one - old timers might remember) or certain remote control devices or some networking devices. The notifications clarify the frequency that is being exempted. There is no such exemptions for GPS so far, therefore by default it means you need a license. It is quite possible that Customs officials are either unaware of all this or are deliberately shutting their eyes. Anyway, the more handsets come in the better - there will be pressure on the government to do something about this ridiculous rule. Sudipto DerAlte Kumar uses an in-vehicle GPS and some maps. Get his feedback also. My Foretrex is not equipped to take maps. It's a very basic handset. Basically just for fun. But yes you can go to a jungle with it and trace back your steps without getting lost. Garmin doesn't have maps for India. Check out their website. And I agree that we do need a section on GPS. Sudipto Last edited by tsk1979 : 18th June 2007 at 13:07.
	() Thanks

18th June 2007, 13:09	#10
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,825 Times View My Garage	The telegraph act talks about "Transmissions" not reception. GPS receiver is just a receiver. But better to be safe than sorry. I won't be surprised if somebody is booked for using GPS as a "Terrorist". There are many rules which are not enforced, if they start enforcing those rules..... Anyways this rule is not being enforced as you can import a GPS receiver after paying the customs duty.
	() Thanks

18th June 2007, 13:18	#11
nishad.hameed BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 90 Thanked: 24 Times	The restriction was before three years. This particular restriction has been taken back by Government of India, especially by Survey of India department in early 2005's. You may refer to the Import export policy notifications from valid from 2005 to 2009 december under the section/catagory 8526, all the equipements other than GPS and DGPS is still restricted. The DGFT website clearly shows that import of GPS and DGPS equipments are free from restrictions. Now, In India, you can freely use GPS recievers or GPS navigators or even GPS tracking units without any requriement of lincense.
	() Thanks

18th June 2007, 13:22	#12
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,825 Times View My Garage	Thanks for the clarification Nishad. That information clears a lot of things.
	() Thanks

18th June 2007, 13:43	#13
Sks_Biker BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bangalore, India Posts: 113 Thanked: 47 Times	@nishaad: Do you have any info on maps availability for Garmin receivers also? @DerAlte: Currently I'm in Malaysia and I there are free maps available for Malaysia and Singapore. Its a community based project and works perfectly. GPS Maps of Malaysia & Singapore I wish there was something like that in India too
	() Thanks

18th June 2007, 13:49	#14
rishibravo BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 579 Thanked: 11 Times View My Garage	I am using a simple bluetooth GPS receiver (got it from chipsilicon in pune) and simply pair it with my pocket PC and use it with MapKing pro . The Delhi map they have is pretty detailed.
	() Thanks

18th June 2007, 14:01	#15
nishad.hameed BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 90 Thanked: 24 Times	boss, there is maps for garmin too in India. Tell me which are the maps you are interested in. I mean the cities. That sounds a wounderful concept. Google is trying to make it free in future.
	() Thanks