Crosses Million subscriber Mark in Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad, Mar 11 (UNI) Tata Indicom. leading private telecom service provider will launch in April 2006 International Roaming Service (IRS) in both CDMA and GSM service networks through 'One-World-One Number' roaming facility, which it claims is for the ''first time in the world''.

With the forthcoming launch the facility IRS, Tata Indicom will become the first telecom service provider in the world to launch a single T-SIM product for International Roaming. Subscribers will be able to enjoy both CDMA and GSM services without having to change their number by switching between the two networks freely with only one dual-mode T-SIM, Tata Teleservices Limited (TTL) CEO Darryl Green told media here today.

Besides Pan-India coverage, Tata Indicom Subscribers will be able to roam in 186 countries, across 291 GSM roaming partners, and 5 CDMA partners.

''This remarkable roaming facility, not only fills the gap where CDMA roaming is not available in Europe, Middle East, Africa and parts of Asia, but will also allow a postpaid customer the benefits of receiving and sending SMS, voice mail and zone-based tariffs'', he said. The tarif plan will be ''competitive'' but the company has no plans immediately to extend the facility to pre-paid subscribers.

With Temasakh, the Singapore based investor, proposing to invest a substantial amount, the company plans to strengthen its network, expand it and foray into third generation wireless (3G) which its expects the TRAI to sort it out by next year.

After reaching the major milestone of one million-customers in Andhra Pradesh, the company said ''it plans to double'' its subscriber base by next year. On the occasion of crossing the one million-customer mark, Tata Indicom announced the forthcoming launch of IRS for all its post-paid customers across 20 circles.

In Andhra Pradesh, Tata Indicom has consistently held the position of market leader in fixed wireless segment with over 63 per cent market share. Additionally Tata Indicom also has over 1,00,000 Public Telephony Booths making it the leading Private Sector Player in the Pay Telephony Business. Having recently launched a Pan India footprint, the company which is one of the fastest growing CDMA service provider in the country, targets 20 million subscriber base over the country in the next one year.

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