UK telecom firm opens Indian testing subsidiary

Spirent Communications, a testing business which is part of UK-based communications equipment and electronics components maker Spirent Plc, has started a wholly-owned Indian subsidiary Spirent Communications India Private Limited, to be based in Bangalore.

The New York stock exchange-listed firm provides "integrated performance analysis and service assurance systems". Soon, it plans to "undertake test automation and training in India," the firm's executives told reporters here on Tuesday.

Spirent was attracted by the "dynamic growth of the Indian communications industry", including the emergence of technologies like voice-over internet protocol, virtual private networks, 3G wireless and Internet Protocol version 6. India was now a significant market for the company, they said.

Spirent's initial investment of $1 million in its Bangalore centre includes a 5,000 sq ft office. The firm will spend another $2 million over the next three months on infrastructure and product support.

Stephane Johnson, vice president for worldwide sales at the firm, said, "There is a positive trend among major global network equipment manufacturers to establish quality assurance and research and development facilities in India and China. Our Indian subsidiary will help us leverage this burgeoning market and build stronger relationships with our existing customers in India."

H S Bhaskar, regional manager of the firm in India, will head support and operations at the Indian subsidiary. "Spirent is on a path of high growth and India will play a key role in our plans," Bhaskar said.

"A significant number of our global clients have set up extensive operations in India. Being a highly customer focused company, we believe we need to be in India to deliver high quality service with low turnaround time."

Enterprises are deploying next-generation networks to meet the accelerating demand of digital communication, content and data. These complex networks have to be validated before large-scale deployment, to ensure quality and security.

Global telecom companies in India have recognised this need and are investing in test and measurement tools, a Spirent release said.

The firm's key clients in India include network equipment makers Cisco and Juniper Networks, and computer chip maker Intel, a release said.

Spirent's solutions are used by some 1,500 customers worldwide, including equipment manufacturers, service providers, enterprises and governments.

The firm had reported fiscal 2004 revenues of $460 million and has 1,700 employees worldwide, the release said.