Idea Cellular roams to Asia Pacific travellers

New Delhi, Sep 13: Continuing the telecom growth story, Aditya Birla-owned Idea Cellular today entered into an alliance with the Asia Mobility Initiative (AMI) for providing an enriching roaming experience and services for travellers to the Asia Pacific region.

''Since a large number of people from different countries are travelling across the globe for business and leisure, it is imperative for telecom operators to deliver superlative connectivity through roaming services to enable them stay connected,'' Idea Managing Director Sanjeev Aga told reporters here.

''The purpose of this association is not to limit the customers' choices, but to make them simpler and easier,'' he said.

Analysts believe the association with AMI, Idea Cellular, whose subscriber base is over 17 million, would enable it to generate more international revenue.

The company is still in the process of finalising the enhanced services to be provided. ''It will be completed by next month,'' company Chief Marketing Officer Pradeep Shrivastava said.

AMI Executive Director Steven Chan added, ''each member has its own unique features, and the alliance with Idea Cellular will improve services and widen customers' choice''.

India is among the top ten 'outroamer' countries in the world, Mr Chan said.

On being asked whether AMI will alliance with other operators also, he said, ''We partner with one telecom operator in a country''.

The alliance is expected to offer the Idea customers free talk back at home, lucky draw, preferred treatment from partner networks, virtual home environment, loyality programme etc.

AMI subscribers travelling in India can avail free SMS, while roaming with Idea Cellular network as well.

At present, about 34 per cent of the Indian travellers route to the Asia Pacific region.

With a total subscriber base of over 58 million, AMI comprises Celcom of Malasia, Singapore's MobileOne, Excelcomindo of Indonesia, Telstra of Australia and DTAC of Thailand.

UNI