TTSL in deal with Future for new GSM brand

Tata Teleservices today entered into a franchisee agreement with retail giant Future Group to offer GSM mobile telephony services under a new brand-- T24 to tap the loyal customer base of the Kishore Biyani firm.

"This is a franchise model. Under the partnership, Future Group will sell TTSL GSM connections under the brand name T24 to customers in its retail outlets," Tata Teleservices Ltd (TTSL) Managing Director Anil Sardana told reporters after launching the service.

For TTSL, it is the second franchisee deal as it also has a similar agreement with Virgin Group wherein it offers mobile telephony services under Virgin brand targeting the youth.

TTSL, which offers GSM services in 15 telecom circles in the country under the brand DoCoMo is exploring the concept of Retailer-Telco partnership with T24 launch.

"This is a unique marketing alliance between retailer and telecom operator. The service is only available to Future Group consumers. The starter-kit for T24 will be available from Future Group stores," Sardana said.

With the tagline of 'Shop more, talk more and Talk more Shop More' the mobile GSM service will work like a loyalty programme wherein a customer of Future Group will get some talk time when he shops at Future Group and vice versa.

"Customers will get shopping benefits for talking and talk-time benefits each time they shop," Future Group CEO Kishore Biyani said.

However, the details of the tariff plan are yet to be worked out. T24 brand will be shortly available from the South circles of TTSL.

TTSL has added about three million customers last month taking its total subscriber base to 60 million at January-end from both GSM and CDMA telephony, Sardana said.