Sistema-Shyam launches MTS brand in Rajasthan for cell service

Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd (SSTL), a joint venture between Russia's Sistema and the Shyam Group, today re-branded their existing mobile telephony services under the 'MTS' brand in Rajastan.

With this, the existing Rainbow brand, which has over 0.5 million subscribers in Rajasthan, would operate as MTS.

"We are delighted to re-brand Rainbow in Rajasthan to MTS. This is a natural progression to rationalise the mobile telephony offering from SSTL under a single brand name in India," SSTL President and Chief Executive Officer Vsevlod Rozanov told reporters here. 

SSTL, which launched its operations in Rajasthan under the brand name Rainbow last year, has already launched the MTS brand in the Tamil Nadu and Kerala circles. 

Rozanov said the company intends to increase its network coverage in Rajasthan to over 900 towns and 13,000 villages from the current presence in 600 towns and 12,000 villages. 

MTS, which provides mobile services in six other nations, has a subscriber base of about 100 million globally.

Under the re-launch, SSTL is offering free calling from MTS to MTS and from MTS to fixedline for six months. 

Apart from free calls on the MTS network, MTS mobile subscribers can also make local calls at 50 paise per minute and STD calls at Re 1 per minute.

Moreover, SMS to any MTS mobile would be free for six months within Rajasthan.