Tata Indicom enters pre-paid segment, offers full talk-time

Tata Indicom has announced its foray into the pre-paid segment with the launch of True Paid services. The telecom service provider has, for the first time, launched a pre-paid service with the post paid feel. Simply put, Tata Teleservices' pre-paid service comes with a TSIM (Tata SIM) Card.

Tata has launched True Paid by offering a one-second pulse, 100 per cent talktime and one rate for local and STD calls which has been fixed at 5 paise per second.

Tata Teleservices has ensured that it does not impose any additional burden on the customer by providing 100 per cent talk time to its re-charge vouchers.

Unlike its competitors, Tata will not charge any fixed service charges for total talktime, thereby depriving users of complete value. For instance, a Rs 300 re-charge voucher will provide talk-time for Rs 300 and not for what remains after taking away the fixed service charges.

According to Prabhat Pani, chief operating officer, Tata Teleservices Ltd-Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, "True Paid customers will get talk time equal to the value of the recharge voucher, without deducting any administration charges or plan fees. Unlike our competitors, we will have a per second pulse rate, which is fixed at 5 paise per second."

Tata is banking on its approach where it is telling the subscriber about the actual value addition before hand, ensuring that a subscriber will not have to bear additional costs during the time of purchase.

"Pre-paid category has always been the real engine for the unprecedented growth of the Indian mobile market. Time has come to further charge up this segment. The onus is on mobile operators to innovate and provide 'honest and transparent' offers to the customers," Pani added.

As part of an introductory offer, a free usage period until November 14, 2004 would be extended to customers subscribing to True Paid. In this offer, 100,000 seconds call come for free along with 2,000 free SMSs. This itself is an upfront cost reduction of Rs 7,000 per pre-paid connection.

During this period, those seeking STD and ISD services could avail them by purchasing a separate Tata Indicom Calling Card of upto Rs 100 on coloured handsets and Rs 50 on black and white handsets.

Assuming that a general pre-paid call lasts for 45 seconds, Tatas will come a close second after BSNL in terms of call rates per minute. BSNL will charge Rs 1.90 for this duration while Tata True Paid will cost Rs 2.25.

By October, Tata will also come out with various options that would provide the choice to migrate between post-paid and pre-paid to its customers.

Talk more for less

• 100% talk-time without plan/administrative charges.
• One rate for local and STD calls
• 1,00,000 seconds free local call in introductory offer.
• 2,000 free SMS in introductory offer.