Tata Tele To Launch Gsm Services Soon

[vmsanghrajka 0]

Tata Tele to launch GSM services soon

New Delhi: Tata Teleservices on Monday said it will launch GSM service shortly, thereby following in the footsteps of Reliance Communications, which got into the arena last week, the first company in the country to be operating both in the CDMA and GSM fields.

“We will start our GSM services soon. We have got spectrum in 13 circles in one or two months. We expect to get spectrum in all the circles barring one or two,” TTSL managing director Anil Sardana said.

RCom has launched GSM services in 11,000 towns, which would be extended to 22,000 towns in the next few months.

TTSL currently has a subscriber base of 32 million.

Source: http://www.livemint.com/2009/01/05132155/T...GSM-servic.html

[situ1962 21]

But they are yet to start the infrastructure development so far.reliance completed that exercise even before the allotment of spectrum.so i think tata,s gsm roll out will take more time than they are saying.

[savramesh 37]

so may be after 2 years, we can see a very good competition in telecom industry..

[savramesh 37]

Tata to launch GSM with NTT DoCoMo co-branding

Business Standard

Monday, Apr 27, 2009

Tata Teleservices (TTSL) is planning to extend its marriage with Japanese telecom major NTT DoCoMo to upcoming GSM mobile services, too.

The company, currently a CDMA player, is working on a new brand name for the GSM service. “This new name brand will incorporate brand names of both Tatas and NTT DoCoMo. However, a name is yet to be finalised and we will do this before the commercial rollout of our GSM services,” TTSL Chief Marketing Officer Lloyd Mathias told Business Standard.

NTT DoCoMo is predominantly a CDMA player, though its co-branding initiative with Tatas would be for GSM services.

TTSL has a well-established CDMA presence, across all 22 circles in the country.

Hence, the company does not want to change its brand name. More, GSM services are aimed at niche subscribers.

TTSL will be bringing NTT DoCoMo’s technology and popular value added services into the Indian market.

Tatas will also leverage the data service abilities of NTT DoCoMo to differentiate its GSM services offerings.

However, these would be customised for the Indian market, Mathias said.

The Japanese telecom major had acquired 26 per cent in TTSL, Tata group’s unlisted telecom company, for around $2.7 billion in November last year.

At present, the Tata group provides all telecom services under one brand, Tata Indicom. However, the company has also created sub-brands like 'Walky’ (fixed mobile services) Plug2Surf and 'Photon’ (data services).

TTSL had received a cross-over licence (also to provide GSM services) last year and was gearing up to commence operations.

[shashank 8]

WOW! I expected this!

Tata Indicom doesn't have that good brand image as compared to others like Vodafone or Airtel or Idea.

Launching GSM with diff brand name is a brilliant idea.

I guess they will have something like "Tata DoCoMo"

[savramesh 37]

Yes.. this is a good thinking.. reliance failed to do so and still many people dont know reliance is having gsm services.. they thinks 'reliance' means 'cdma'....

[ravi_patent 28]

^

i have seen many who think nokia phones are GSM phones only .Even today in this country people use the word Xerox in the verb form instead of Photocopy

[KumaarShah 143]

^^^

OT and sorry!!!

Add Cadbury's for chocolates and chocolates for confectionery...

And yes what SAVRAMESH says is true, many people do not still believe when we say RCOM has GSM also. And to top it, RCOM has given more or less the same plans as in CDMA like 225, etc....

[shashank 8]

Also these high niche subscribers(especially urban youth) look for good brand name/image. So having a good brand will help them a lot in getting high value subscribers...

Hope they offer good data plans as they have in CDMA....

At present none of the GSM operators offer decent data tariffs.

[thinkpositive 0]

Any chance for the brand name "Virgin" for TATA's GSM service ???

[Himanshu Singh 19]

Tata will surely grow up and lose its 'virginity'.

[shashank 8]

@thinkpositive,

Virgin will also start its GSM service on Tata's Network as they are doing in CDMA.

So Tata's GSM launch will mean 2 new mobile operators

[amit.shah 51]

hope.. the number portability starts soon... then we can switch over to any network of choice; which has gud coverage and better plans

[me_saket 73]

I guess they will have something like "Tata DoCoMo"

NO, because DoCoMo, means DO COMMUNICATION over MOBILE. this will not reflect NTT's identity

I think name won't having words like TATA,INDICOM, NTT, DoCoMo, GSM etc

Any chance for the brand name "Virgin" for TATA's GSM service ???

Vigin is brach from Richard which is different company than Japan's NTT,

[thinkpositive 0]

What about "NANO" ????

[bhargavachandra 3]

Tata Teleservices GSM test signal (IND 025) in Andhra Pradesh was on air since January 2009, meaning GSM hardware and antennae were already up and running since then. I have been visiting Indicom outlets since Feb and they were always saying "may be next month" everytime, but it's already May-end.....still no news when the service will be launched?

I've heard that Tatas' are launching the GSM services with a completely New Brand Name and Indicom brand name will be confined only to the CDMA services. So, I'm just wondering.....are they brainstorming for the new brand name, but not coming up with any idea?.......or are they strategically delaying so as to coincide the GSM launch with the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) launch due in Sept 2009??? What could be the possible reason??? For the past four months there is not a single day I went through without searching the internet for the launch details.

Well....people think that I'm crazy.....but Yes! I'm really crazy...not just about Tata Teleservices, but the entire Tata Group. I don't see it just as a business house....it's a way beyond that.

[shashank 8]

^^ Iam pretty sure that they will launch the services in June.

yes,they are planning to use new brand name for GSM services.It will be a cobranding of Tata and NTT DoCoMo. So this might be the reason for the delay.

[thinkpositive 0]

Hats off to Bhargava Chandra !!!!

me too very much keen about TATA's business

Edited June 2, 2009 by thinkpositive

[savramesh 37]

Tata Tele to now enter GSM space

Economic Times

2 Jun 2009, 0151 hrs IST

MUMBAI: For the Tatas, offering mobile services on the global system for mobile (GSM) platform is a "compulsion" and not a choice. The absence of a spectrum roadmap for code division multiple access (CDMA) operators and the limited allocation of airwaves has forced Tata Teleservices (TTSL), the group’s flagship telecom company, to offer services on the GSM platform as well.

"If one can't grow, one will have to find alternative means to exist. It is the entire policy around allocation of spectrum that caused us to look at other means," TTSL MD Anil Sardana told ET.

Spectrum refers to airwaves on which the communication signals travel and it is the raw material for operators. "In the Indian situation, we need to keep the aspect of spectrum availability in mind. The spectrum allocation for CDMA operators is only 800 MHz and no extra spectrum is available beyond what is already allocated to us. Since there is no roadmap, it is from that compulsion that one has to look at alternatives to grow," he added.

GSM and CDMA are rival technology platforms for offering voice and data services. CDMA heavyweights, Reliance Communications (RCOM) and TTSL, joined the GSM bandwagon by applying for dual technology licences in late 2007. While RCOM has already rolled out GSM services across India, Tatas are slated to start operations in a few weeks.

Incorporated in 1996, TTSL was the first to launch CDMA mobile services in India with a foray into the Andhra Pradesh circle.

"It was a conscious and deliberate decision and it was predicated largely on data capabilities of CDMA. We continue to be committed to CDMA," said Mukund Govind Rajan, MD, TTSL (Maharashtra), the listed arm of TTSL offering services in Mumbai and rest of Maharashtra.

In March, TTML rolled out 'Photon', its high-speed internet service offering speeds of up to 18mbps. Due to efficient data services, CDMA players witness higher contribution to reveunes from data. For TTSL, data brought in 10% of the revenues in FY08 and it grew to 14% in FY09. For GSM operators, the figure is an average of around 9%.

Dr Rajan said, "I do believe that India is getting ready for many of those data services and the choice of CDMA platform was right, but the other issue of availability of essential raw material — spectrum — has been a question mark."

According to Mr Sardana, it is often argued that CDMA is more efficient and requires half the spectrum compared to GSM. "But seeing from a shareholders perspective, one has to build double the networks to sustain and that is a cost both in terms of capex and opex. Therefore, efficiency is no arguement; it's a perpetual pain that is experienced," he said.

"We spend twice in terms of rollout and its hurts shareholders' interest. We have discussed it with every government committee that was set up to look into spectrum," Mr Sardana added.

[ravi_patent 28]

it is interesting to note that tata claims to have a congestion free network and now argue lack of spectrum to be the reaon for moving to gsm. Sistema/MTS is entering cdma clears one about the truth of these statements.moreover if spectrum is not going to be enough to run cdma how Tata will support Photon?

[thinkpositive 0]

in an interval of two weeks TTSL MD Anil Sardanaji repeating the same pallavi "We are planning to roll out gsm service within few weeks".

Lets wait for another two weeks to hear another edition of "going to start gsm services with in a short span of time".

I think as ususal TATA is trying to become the last mobile operator who launched gsm services in india.

Keep waiting.... keep laughing......... for another 10 years.

Edited June 2, 2009 by thinkpositive

[Greatest 55]

Interesting article Ramesh... let us now wait for their GSM rollout...

[bhargavachandra 3]

it is interesting to note that tata claims to have a congestion free network and now argue lack of spectrum to be the reaon for moving to gsm. Sistema/MTS is entering cdma clears one about the truth of these statements.moreover if spectrum is not going to be enough to run cdma how Tata will support Photon?

Dear Mr. Ravi, that was a good question. Spectrum scarcity is true (I'll discuss that later), but was only the part of the reason why Tata Teleservices is switching to GSM. The other reasons are:

(1). lower ARPUs (Average Revenue per User) of CDMA compared to GSM.

(2). lack of availability of wide range of handset models in CDMA segment.

(3). CDMA is a proprietary technology of Qualcomm which demands rolalty fees for every CDMA phone manufactured anywhere in the world, while GSM is an open technology.

(4). The Telecom Ministry is biased in terms of spectrum allocation and is more favorable to GSM service providers.

Now coming to the point of Tata Teleservices statement of spectrum scarcity: The statement doesn't imply that Tata Teleservices currently have so much spectrum scarcity that it hurts its present day operations...... It just means that the spectrum allocation process is biased and is more in favour of GSM players and if this continues to be like this,... sometime in future when subscriber rates grow exponentially it will certainly hurt CDMA operations

It is a known fact that each telecom operator is given a startup spectrum when the company is licensed to start operations. While a GSM service provider is being awarded with a startup spectrum of 4 to 5 MHz, CDMA is being given only 2.5 MHz of startup spectrum......this is very much biased, but Ministry of Telecom says CDMA is more spectrum effecient than GSM so we are allocating low spectrum to CDMA players. In several other countries like USA and Canada....there is no bias in spectrum allocation.....both GSM and CDMA players are given equal share, irrespective of the fact that CDMA is more spectrum efficient. This is what both Tata Teleservices and Reliance Communications is fighting for.

And about your last question: Yes, you are right..... If the current subscriber growth rate continues.....within few years Tata Teleservices will be unable to provide Photon Plus services owing to spectrum scarcity..........for this Tata Teleservices has some options....... It can off-load the Voice subscribers from CDMA to GSM platform and dedicate most (or all) of the CDMA spectrum for Data subscribers only, still if this is not sufficient, it can demand for more spectrum.

Having said this I would also like to say that other communication technologies like WiMax are far better for broadband services and does not have spectrum constraints......may be Tata Teleservices will tap into this unexploited technology in the near future.

[me_saket 73]

it is interesting to note that tata claims to have a congestion free network and now argue lack of spectrum to be the reaon for moving to gsm. Sistema/MTS is entering cdma clears one about the truth of these statements.moreover if spectrum is not going to be enough to run cdma how Tata will support Photon?

Dear Mr. Ravi, that was a good question. Spectrum scarcity is true (I'll discuss that later), but was only the part of the reason why Tata Teleservices is switching to GSM. The other reasons are:

(1). lower ARPUs (Average Revenue per User) of CDMA compared to GSM.

(2). lack of availability of wide range of handset models in CDMA segment.

(3). CDMA is a proprietary technology of Qualcomm which demands rolalty fees for every CDMA phone manufactured anywhere in the world, while GSM is an open technology.

(4). The Telecom Ministry is biased in terms of spectrum allocation and is more favorable to GSM service providers.

Now coming to the point of Tata Teleservices statement of spectrum scarcity: The statement doesn't imply that Tata Teleservices currently have so much spectrum scarcity that it hurts its present day operations...... It just means that the spectrum allocation process is biased and is more in favour of GSM players and if this continues to be like this,... sometime in future when subscriber rates grow exponentially it will certainly hurt CDMA operations

It is a known fact that each telecom operator is given a startup spectrum when the company is licensed to start operations. While a GSM service provider is being awarded with a startup spectrum of 4 to 5 MHz, CDMA is being given only 2.5 MHz of startup spectrum......this is very much biased, but Ministry of Telecom says CDMA is more spectrum effecient than GSM so we are allocating low spectrum to CDMA players. In several other countries like USA and Canada....there is no bias in spectrum allocation.....both GSM and CDMA players are given equal share, irrespective of the fact that CDMA is more spectrum efficient. This is what both Tata Teleservices and Reliance Communications is fighting for.

And about your last question: Yes, you are right..... If the current subscriber growth rate continues.....within few years Tata Teleservices will be unable to provide Photon Plus services owing to spectrum scarcity..........for this Tata Teleservices has some options....... It can off-load the Voice subscribers from CDMA to GSM platform and dedicate most (or all) of the CDMA spectrum for Data subscribers only, still if this is not sufficient, it can demand for more spectrum.

Having said this I would also like to say that other communication technologies like WiMax are far better for broadband services and does not have spectrum constraints......may be Tata Teleservices will tap into this unexploited technology in the near future.

that is what i want to say. low arpu and prorietry tech is stopping tata to make big profit. so currently incuring losses.

SECONDLY small range of handset and biased spectrum is stoping tata to add 2-3milion subscriber. so frm whr money will come? how they can go ahed in compition?

[bhargavachandra 3]

Dear Mr. Saket,......That is exactly what I wanted to say. What I tried to explain in quarter of a page.......you explained in just three lines..... :-)

Thank You for the short version!!!