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| Blackberry service in two months: Tata Tele |
| Press Trust Of India / Agra Aug 11, 2008, 04:31 IST |
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Tata Teleservices (TTSL) will launch the premium Blackberry mobile services in the next two months, although security concerns about the service remain.
However, the company has promised to abide by the rules whenever the government firms them up.
"We have communicated to the government about our decision to launch the service and they have appreciated Tatas' approach to seek prior approval... But the company cannot be put to commercial disadvantage," TTSL Managing Director Anil Sardana said here.
Asked by when the service is expected to be available, Sardana said the soft launch of the service is already complete and a commercial launch will be announced soon.
The Blackberry service, which allows users to send and receive e-mails just like text (SMS) messages, has been under a security cloud ever since intelligence agencies raised concerns that terror outfits may use it to their benefit as content transmitted through it cannot be monitored in India.
The announcement is significant in the wake of the Ministry of Home Affairs and security agencies questioning the non-availability of interception facility on Blackberry handsets.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked Canada-based Blackberry licensor Research-in-Motion to place the server in India.
"Whatever policy is made on Blackberry, it will apply on us also," Sardana said, adding the company is going ahead with the service. As soon as logistic arrangements are in place, the company will start offering the service, he added.
Tatas' Blackberry service has been held up since last year. The company later argued that since others are offering the service, Tatas cannot be put to disadvantage.
Reliance Communications, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone-Essar are other telecom players who offer the Blackberry service.
Bharti arm plans high-end services for operators
With the allocation of 3G spectrum kicking off, Value-Added Service (VAS) players are gearing up to effectively leverage the technology. Global VAS solution provider Bharti Telesoft considers 3G as an opportunity that would allow players to introduce high-end services not available earlier.
"With third-generation guidelines in place in the telecom sector, the business metrics of telecom players in India are all set to undergo a change," Bharti Telesoft Chairman Manoranjan Mohapatara told PTI.
The launch of 3G services in India is expected to create a shift from volume-based to high-end markets, he said.
Mohapatra described 3G as an opportunity to port rich media on the mobile with operators being able to provide innovative and enhanced services due to greater availability of bandwidth.
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