AirTel to start J&K service

No pre-paid connections

Even though it is not official yet, AirTel is set to launch its services in Jammu and Kashmir this month.

Though the executives are still shying away from giving a date of launch, company sources have confirmed Bharti Cellular Ltd (BCL) is going ahead with simultaneous launches in the Kashmir and Jammu regions in September.

The company has finalised 16 franchised outlets "" eight each in the Kashmir Valley and the Jammu region "" that will issue mobile connections to consumers in the state immediately after the launch.

While five outlets have been finalised for the city of Jammu and also five for Srinagar, the rest will cater for customers of other parts of the two regions, including one exclusively for Katra, the base camp of Vaishno Devi.

Bookings are likely to begin a week before the launch. However, it was learnt there would be an open sale of sim cards.

The company has set up two switching centres (main switching centres) in the state, one in Jammu and the other in Srinagar. According to a senior company executive, AirTel will bring a range of special packages and schemes specially devised for local corporates, which will differentiate the firm from others.

"Good customer care, service and reach are the unique selling prepositions on which AirTel plans to do viable business in J&K," the executive said.

It was also learnt that AirTel was setting up two customer-care facilities, one each in Jammu and Srinagar. These facilities will be connected online, with the main customer care centre being in Mohali.

The company plans to add local flavour to customer care. While the customer care centre in Srinagar will answer queries in Kashmiri and Urdu, besides English, the one in the Jammu region will handle queries in Dogri, Hindi, and English.

The service provider will offer just post-paid connections, because defence authorities have not allowed pre-paid services due to security reasons.

AirTel operates in 16 circles. Including those in J&K, it will operate in five more. It hopes to receive overwhelming response in the state.

AirTel is likely to offer customised products such as closed user group and call conferencing.

Call from the Valley

• Simultaneous launches in the Kashmir and Jammu regions this month
• The company has finalised 16 franchised outlets "" eight each in the Kashmir Valley and the Jammu region
• Bookings are likely to begin a week before the launch
• AirTel will bring a range of special packages and schemes specially devised for local corporates