Idea plans Rs 300 crore network spread

Idea Cellular is planning to invest Rs 300 crore in 2004-05 to expand and upgrade its network.

The company is also upgrading its Maharashtra circle network to general packet radio service (GPRS) by May 2004.

Vikram Mehmi, chief executive officer, Idea Cellular, said, "We plan to invest Rs 300 crore in the new financial year for network expansion and quality upgradation. We will also upgrade our Maharashtra circle network to GPRS by May 2004."

The company has crossed the one million subscriber mark in the Maharashtra circle and has a 60 per cent market share among private global system for mobile phone players.

The company has witnessed an unprecedented growth as compared to all the operators in other telecom circles of India, according to a press release.

Mehmi said, "Today every third cell user in Maharashtra is an Idea customer and I wish to thank each one of them for their continued association with Idea."

With the recent acquisition of Escotel, Idea Cellular has enhanced its footprint to cover around 60 per cent of the country's population and over 65 per cent of the potential telecom market.

Idea now has its presence in 11 circles and a subscriber base of 3.3 million across the country.