Tata Docomo invests Rs 350 crore in state GSM operations

Tata Docomo, the GSM brand of Tata Teleservices Limited, has invested Rs 350 crore for its GSM operations in the Orissa circle.

Tata Docomo’s GSM services in the Orissa circle would cover 390 towns and 14,303 villages in the state. Tata Docomo is a strategic alliance between Tata Teleservices and NTT Docomo, the Japanese telecom major which has 26 per cent stake in Tata Teleservices.

Orissa is the fourth telecom circle in the country where Tata Docomo has rolled out its GSM services. Earlier this month, Tata Docomo had launched its GSM services in the Chennai, Tamil Nadu and Kerala circles.

Addressing media persons at the launch of the Tata Docomo GSM services here, Anil Kumar Sardana, managing director, Tata Teleservices said, “Tata Docomo has earmarked an investment of $2 billion for its pan-India GSM services out of which Rs 350 crore is the investment on the Orissa circle. Our GSM services would be available in 390 towns and 14,303 villages of Orissa right from the day of launch.”

Tata Docomo which has the license to run its GSM services in all the 20 telecom circles of the country aims to cover the whole of south India within 10 days.

The Kolkata, West Bengal, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh circles are expected to be covered by August this year. Tata Docomo aims to roll out its GSM services in all the 22 telecom circles of the country except Jammu & Kashmir and North-East by October this year.

Asked on the pan-India subscriber base which Tata Docomo was aiming at for its GSM services, Sardana said, “We are aiming to be among the top three players in the GSM segment in the country by the end of this fiscal.”

Speaking on the occasion, Deepak Gulati, president, Tata Docomo said, “In a market that is cluttered with many operators and throws up confusing options, we will offer simplicity to the consumers by being the country’s most transparent, innovative and liberating telecom brand.”

In a video address, Toshinari Kunieda, senior vice-president and managing director, global business division of NTT Docomo said, “NTT Docomo has provided technical inputs to make the Tata Docomo GSM network world class. NTT Docomo shall bring to India the products and services that we offer in Japan in due course of time.”

According to Sardana, the USP of Tata Docomo’s GSM services would be the tariff of one paisa per second which would be applicable for all voice calls and value added services including interactive voice response systems.

Tata Docomo’s products and services in the Orissa circle would be available in over 6,000 retail outlets across the state. The life-time GSM services of Tata Docomo would be available to the subscribers at Rs 49.