Tata Tele eyes enterprise biz

Keeping in view the huge untapped potential in the enterprise customers segment, the mobile service provider Tata Tele Services (TTSL) will put increased focus on this segment for its Orissa operation.

It has chalked out a plan to cater to the requirement of this section of customers who mostly require high speed data, voice and broadband services.

To cater to the growing demand of the offices, executives on the move and other professionals, it has installed an Wireline switch at Bhubaneswar.

The testing of this switch is currently underway and the commercial services are likely to start from October 2007.

"There is a huge untapped potential in the enterprise segment. We want to tap it", Ajay Shrivastav, chief operating officer (COO), Orissa circle. told Business Standard.

While the company introduced USB port for the moving executives recently, it introduced mobile internet on Samsung explore handsets last week.

Along with improved and value added services the company plans to expand its network to more areas in Orissa.

As a part of the expansion plan, it has started laying a 330 km long backbone fibre network from Sambalpur to Chhatishgarh.

Once completed, this will help to provide mobile services in about 40 towns in districts like Bolangir, kalahandi, Nawarangpur, Nuapada.

The company had minimal presence in the western part of the state.

This important project, taken up at an estimated cost of Rs.30 crore, will enable the company to penetration further into the remote villages in these areas.

It is expected to be completed during the current fiscal.

'Our focus is on augmenting capacity in the existing towns and to roll out services in new towns', he pointed out.

TTSL plans to spend more than Rs.100 crore during the current fiscal.

This is proposed to be spent for expanding the cell sites and setting up related infrastructure.

While the number of cell sites was 214 by the end of March 2007, it is targeted to increase by 150 to 364 by the end of this fiscal.

The company, meanwhile, has set up 25 cell sites in different locations of the state.

While it installed only one Wireless switch by March 2007, it plans to add one more Wireless switch and one Wireline switch during this fiscal.

In view of the intense competition in the state's mobile market, TTSL will concentrate on service quality, trust and affordability, he said.

It is targeting a customer base of 4,62,000 by March 2008 from 2,32,000 in March 2007.