MUMBAI: Idea Cellular Ltd, the telecom venture of the Aditya Birla group will launch operations in Mumbai circle by August 2007, aimed at taping the most lucrative and crowded mobile phone market in the country.
 
"We have got letter of Intent for Mumbai and Bihar and will launch operations, most probably, by August next year," Idea Cellular CEO Sanjeev Aga told reporters here on Wednesday.
 
The company is also seeking licences to enter nine new circles, which will give Idea a pan-India presence. Few weeks ago, the company entered three new circles, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Eastern Uttar Pradesh.
 
Aga said Idea would invest $1.5 billion to $2 billion onwards creating infrastructure facilities in the 11 Circle, where it operates.