Idea subscribers base exceeds five lakh

Telecom companies spruce up services to attract subscribers

Idea Cellular will invest Rs 150 crore in Gujarat this year to strengthen its network and expand into rural areas.

Having invested over Rs 500 crore in the Gujarat network so far, Idea Cellular will launch enhanced data for GSM evolution (EDGE) services in the state in the next ten days. It also plans a test launch of GPRS services.

Meanwhile, the number of Idea subscribers in the state has crossed the half-million mark. "We grew to one lakh subscribers in the first four years and, in the next two years, Idea's subscriber base has grown by one lakh every year. In the past one year though, we have grown by two lakh subscribers in Gujarat," said Vikram Mehmi (in picture), chief executive officer of Idea Cellular.

He added that this calendar year, Idea has been number two in the sate in terms of the net additions of subscribers.

Mehmi hinted that, of the Rs 150 crore that will be invested in Gujarat in the present fiscal, as much as one-third will go into putting into place the EDGE and GPRS services alone.

He said that while it will not be possible to divulge the exact costs, the EDGE services cost around Rs 50 crore in any circle. The remaining money will be invested in strengthening Idea network in the major towns and entering 22 new towns this fiscal, the CEO said.