Tata Tele will take Don’t Stop Mobile national

MUMBAI: Tata Teleservices Ltd is considering extending its newly introduced scheme, Don’t Stop Mobile, across the country. Currently, under the scheme, customers can make free outgoing calls to any Tata Indicom mobile or fixed phone within the state for two years.

Highly placed sources said the extension could come on or before August 15, depending on the response. It is also planning to counter the new tariff war initiated by MTNL on the fixed line front.

The company is focusing on the eastern part of the country and is investing Rs 600 crore, including around Rs 270 crore for Kolkata and the West Bengal circles. It has already invested over Rs 800 crore on network building and customer acquisition in the region since 2005.

In Maharashtra, the company would spend Rs 590 crore to add capacity, expand its reach and offer business services. It has also chalked out massive rural expansion plans.

Charles Antony, managing director, Tata Teleservices, said, “In Maharashtra, we aim to increase subscriber base to 3 million by March 2007, up from 1.84 million now. The rural market would offer maximum growth potential and we are expanding into rural Maharashtra.”

The company is analysing the economic viability of initiating operations in the Andaman and Nicobar islands. It plans to garner new corporate customers through enterprise solutions and earmarked a total of Rs 4,000 crore for network build-up, wireline expansion and laying more fibre across the country.