Idea Cellular forays into HP; to invest Rs 200 cr in the state

Shimla, Sep 6 (UNI) Aditya Birla Group-owned Idea Cellular said it will invest Rs 200 crore in Himachal Pradesh, where it launched its mobile services today.

The investment in the state is a part of the planned Rs 1,200 crore investment in eastern Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh, Idea Cellular President and CEO Vikram Mehmi said.

Of the planned Rs 200 crore investment, its ninth telecom circle, the company has already spent Rs 85 crore till date, he said.

The call rate for the service in the state has been fixed at 60 paise, calling it as a step not to attract customers but to redefine the mobile call charges in the state.

According to the tariffs, a customer would be charged 60 paise for a two minute call to any Idea mobile, call to other networks, to landline phones as well as for an SMS.

The customer will be charged at 60 paise for a 30 second STD call.

Idea Chief Operating Officer (HP) Ambrish Jain said the tariffs were competitive and would force the rivals to make ''interesting changes'' in their tariff structures.

Mr Mehmi said mobile services in the state would be provided in two phases with Shimla, Mandi, Solan, Baddi, Kullu and Sunderngar being covered in the first phase, while services to Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Manali, Kufri, Chail, Kasauli, Parwanoo and Nalagarh would be provided in the second phase.

''As such, there is no time gap between the first and the second phases. As soon as the first phase is completed, the second phase will begin immediately,'' he said.

He said Idea was recognised all over the country for its quality customer service to its customers, besides providing congestion free and voice clarity to its customers due to its new CS 3 technology.

The company is cellular service provider in eight telecom circles of Maharashtra (except Mumbai), Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Western Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Haryana, Keral and Delhi, including the National Capital Region with over 90 lakh subscriber base, he said State Governor V S Kokje, who formally launched the mobile services, said the launching of sixth mobile operator in the state was a welcome step as it was a difficult terrain, a part of which remainsd inaccessible due to extreme winter conditions.

UNI AS HS MIR RN1710