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Tata launches basic telephone services in TN

Shobha Warrier in Chennai

Tata Tele Services Limited, India's leading private basic services operator launched its basic telephone services in the Tamil Nadu circle on Saturday.

Inaugurating the service, which included CDMA (Code Division Multi Access) Mobile and Fixed Wireless services, Tamil Nadu Governor P S Ramamohan Rao made the first call to Union Minister of State for Information Technology Sumitra Mahajan. D Jayakumar, Minister of Law and IT, government of Tamil Nadu was the guest of honour.

As part of its operations, in Phase 1, the company would launch its services in over 25 urban markets in the state by mid.2003. Besides Chennai, the other cities that would be covered initially include Coimbatore, Madurai, Erode, Salem and Trichy. Later on, it will move to the 104 semi urban areas and then to only one rural section. The company will invest around Rs 1600 crores (Rs 16 billion) in the first five years, which is expected to generate employment of up to 8000.

TTSL would offer CDMA mobile, fixed wireless, WLL (Wireless in Local Loop), Wireline and Data Services that include ISDN, DSL and integrated telecom solutions and virtual networks. The most attractive of all these is the CDMA powered WLL service, which would appeal to the mobile city crowd. It would provide the mobility advantage of a cellular phone but at the same time have the call costs of a regular landline. As the Tamil Nadu government has not yet given permission to the Tatas to lay cables, they can offer only wireless services now.

"While our data solutions and future wireline services have great relevance for corporate and business users and CDMA mobile-have greater appeal for residential and small business customers. CDMA mobile is like having your home phone in your pocket or hand bag," R Balachnadran, COO, TTSL said.

The launch of TTSL's services signified a key milestone in the unfolding of the telecom plans of the Tatas, Dr Irani said.

With the Tatas entering the basic telephone service in Tamil Nadu, the customer had three choices now -- the public sector Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, Bharti Telenet and Tata Tele Services.

Compared to global standards, India's tele-density at 4.5 per cent is negligible.

"It is keeping this in mind that Tata has created a backbone network of Optic Fibre Cable stretching over 1200 kms in Andhra Pradesh. But we have a long way to go," Irani said.

TATA Indicom will be launched in Karnataka next week, and in another three months' time, it will reach New Delhi. Gujarat also is on its map. After the acquisition of Hughes Telecom India Ltd, Maharashtra and Goa have come into its fold.

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