Uninor to turn profitable in all circles by year-end: CEO

Company's two circles -- UP East and Gujarat -- have achieved break-even while Andhra Pradesh on course to achieve break-even soon

Uninor today said it would turn profitable across all circles by the end of this year. The focus on mass market with the Sabse Sasta (cheapest price among all the service providers) offer and constant improvement in reach and quality of service would contribute to this turnaround, said its chief executive officer Yogesh Malik on Friday.

The company earlier declared its two circles, Uttar Pradesh East and Gujarat, had achieved break-even while Andhra Pradesh was on the course to break even soon.

Serving a subscriber base of 31 million across six circles having a total population of 600 million, the company now wants to increase its penetration and business in these areas before venturing into other circles, including some which it had to lose after failing to win spectrum allocation.

He said the available spectrum, including the newly added 5-megahertz, would be sufficient to serve the client base across voice and data.  To get close to the customer, it is trying initiatives like roping in autorickshaws and milk vendors in Maharashtra and the 'Mee Stores' concept with exclusive service counters in multi-brand mobile stores in Andhra Pradesh.