Sify may opt for unified licence

Sify Ltd is considering the acquisition of unified licence to offer unrestricted internet telephony.

"We are considering this proposal to opt for unified licence. At present, we are studying the Trai recommendations. We will decide our future course of action after the next move is taken in this regard," R Ramaraj, managing director and chief executive officer told reporters on the sidelines of a press meet to announce the company's 2,000th cyber cafe.

With a unified licence, Sify will be able to offer all types of net telephony. At present, net telephony offered in India is restricted, which allows personal computer to personal computer (PC) calls, Internet protocol device to IP device using leased line only and PC to phones outside India.

If the present recommendations come into effect, phone-to-phone and cell-to-cell calls can also be carried through the net. This has the potential to generate additional revenue streams for companies with unified licence.

The entry fee set for acquiring unified licence will be around Rs 180 crore for a pan-India presence, which small internet service providers may not afford. Only big players such as Sify will be able to afford such high entry fee.

Sify will expand its chain of cyber cafes under the brand name of "iway" to 500 cities and small towns from the present 67 cities, Ramaraj said. " We will continue with our 40 per cent rate of growth," he said.