BPL Mobile plans Rs 1,000 cr investment

BPL Mobile Cellular Ltd will invest Rs 1,000 crore (Rs 10 billion) for the development of infrastructure in the next 12 months, and install 550 base stations even as the mobile telephony service provider is all set to launch Push-To-Talk services in the country.

"The investment will be for enhancing the network coverage, increase capacity, bringing in cutting edge technology and delivering better value for customers," Krishna Angara, executive vice-president, BPL Mobile, told reporters in Mumbai on Wednesday.

The company would invest around 90 per cent of the total amount in upgrading infrastructure, while the remaining has been earmarked for the upgradation of technology, he said.

The investments would be under the company's second phase of development, under which BPL Mobile would be installing another 550 base stations and hike capacity to correspond with an expected growth in subscribers.

BPL Mobile had recorded a 90 per cent growth in subscriber base during the past seven months from all the four circles it operates in, and expects a same growth after the upgradation, he said.

The company is also planning to launch its PTT services in June, for which the technology is "being tried and tested".

The services would be launched over a GPRS platform, which would help a customer use his cell phone as a walkie-talkie, he said.

BPL was the leading player earlier, he said, adding that these initiatives, which have been titled as 'Operation Clawback', are to re-capture its earlier market presence in the country.