Tata Com to chair Wireless Broadband Alliance

New Delhi, Mar 12 (UNI) Tata Communications Ltd today said it has been elected to lead the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) and its Vice President (Planning-Retail Business) Prateek Pashine has been appointed as the Chairman of the alliance.

Into its fifth year of operation, the WBA was created to drive the adoption of wireless broadband technologies and services globally by developing a common commercial, technical and marketing framework for wireless network interoperatability.

The WBA is now aggressively pursuing with various other alliances and forums on other forms of wireless broadband roaming like Dual Mode devices and WiMax roaming.

Tata Communications is the only Indian telco to be a part of this industry forum and Mr Pashine is the first Indian to hold this position, a company statement said.

Tata, which has the largest number of Wi-Fi hotspots in the country and is also currently rolling out country's largest Wimax network, will now further leverage on this experience to help evolve global wireless standards, Mr Pashine said in the statement.

''Tata Communications has been the pioneer of internet services in the country and continues to be an important player in the Indian wireless broadband market, which has the potential to replicate the success story of Indian mobile market. We at WBA are confident that Mr Pashine will continue to provide robust leadership and promote the interests of the wireless broadband industry as a Chair of WBA,'' British Telecom Head (Consumer Products) and Outgoing Chair of WBA Julie Ragbourne said.

UNI SR PDT ND1848