COLT to shift 10% jobs to India

COLT, the UK-based 1.1 billion pound telecom services provider despite the backlash over outsourcing in Europe and America, has decided to shift 10 per cent of its work force requirement to India.

The company is setting up a business process unit in Gurgaon with a capacity to seat 350 professionals by end of next year.

Richard Adams, chief operations officer, COLT India told Business Standard, "We have taken a well considered decision to shift a significant amount of jobs to India. Apart from the obvious cost benefits from the move, we are also amazed at the skill set possessed by the professional here."

COLT provides business communication services such as leased lines services for voice and data, data centre solutions and managed network services to business and government customers across Europe.

COLT operates networks in 32 cities across 13 countries. The COLT EuroLAN is a 25,000 kilometre wholly owned, long distance, fibre optic network. The company has over 17,000 customers in sectors such as service, manufacturing, finance and government.

While in the initial phase COLT will only set up its back office unit in India, the company has not ruled out entering the optic fibre cable market currently dominated by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.

"We will explore the possibility of launching our commercial services in India. This could be either through acquisitions or through laying our own cable network in partnership with an Indian company," Adams said.

COLT would be investing about Rs 20 crore initially and plans to take the total workforce to 800 over the next few years. Adams said the company was competing with large incumbents such as British Telecom and France Telecom in Europe.

The company partly owned by Fidelity Investments. COLT Telecom Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. Currently, COLT has 3,834 professionals.