Future Group launches GSM mobile service in UP

Homegrown retailer Future Group today launched its ‘T24’ GSM mobile service in the Uttar Pradesh (East) telecom circle.

The company is planning to launch the service in UP (West) circle next week and eyeing a consolidated subscriber base of almost half-million in the next 12 months in UP.

T24 is a joint venture between Future Group and Tata Teleservices Limited. The service was first launched in Andhra Pradesh (AP) in June 2010.

“So far, T24 services have been launched in AP, West Bengal, Kolkata and Orissa, and we have already reached a subscriber base of about 225,000. We plan to become a pan-India telecom brand by the end of this fiscal,” T24 Chief Executive Officer Mayur Toshniwal said at a conference call.

Pan-India, the company is looking at a subscriber base of 4-5 million in the next 12 months.

“T24 brings the unique marketing concept of ‘retailer-telecom partnership’ to India and has the value proposition of ‘shop more, talk more’ and ‘talk more, shop more’ for our customers,” he said.

Future Group customers will be given free talk-time for every purchase above Rs 351 at any of its shopping outlets, which together attracted over 250 million footfalls in 2009-10.

“Even if we have a conversion rate of 2-5 per cent of our customers, we will have a significant number of subscriber base by the end of year,” Toshniwal said.

Future Group has about 400 outlets in various formats, including Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar, Pantaloons and Central stores, in 76 towns and 65 rural locations of the country.

“This partnership gives us direct access to Future Group customers through its widespread retail presence,” Tata Docomo’s UP (East) circle CEO Anjan Patole said.