NetCracker to invest $50 mn, eyes telecom JVs

US-based NetCracker Technology is planning to invest around $50 million (Rs 200 crore) to set up four development centres in the country, and is in talks with several leading telecom companies for tie-ups, according to a senior company official.

"We are betting big on the huge and growing Indian telecom sector," NetCracker's Vice-President (Strategy) Sanjay Mewada said.

The company is currently identifying locations to set up these centres, which would be both in metros and tier-II cities. "Tier-II cities have an immense potential and are experiencing a huge growth," he said.

NetCracker, a solutions provider to communication services firms enabling them to deliver rapidly and manage effectively their convergent and content-rich services, is currently in talks with several domestic telecom majors for tie-ups.

"We have initiated discussions with Reliance Communications, the Tata Group, Bharti, MTNL and BSNL, among others," Mewada said, adding, "I hope to seal our first transaction here in the next 6-8-months."

NetCracker had forged strategic partnerships with companies such as HP, IBM and Tech Mahindra, involving technical tie-ups and joint delivery systems, Mewada said.

"If all goes well, we might even use India as a platform to reach out to other markets in south Asia and eventually to south-east Asia," he said.