Reliance Webworld Express Set To Enter Small Towns

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Reliance WebWorld Express Set To Enter Small Towns

KRISHNA GOPALAN

MUMBAI: Reliance Infocomm has drawn up its plan for the “WebWorld Express” retail project which is expected to increase visibility and penetration for its Reliance IndiaMobile (RIM) service. The company will have over 1500 such outlets which will be spread across smaller towns in India.

WebWorld Express will be smaller in size since it will restrict itself to being a sales and service point for the RIM service.

It is learnt that the company is still looking for ways to offer other services depending on the response that WebWorld Express initially generates. Company officials said it would be completed by the end of the next financial year (March 31, 2005).

Reliance Infocomm is working to launch the first store in about a month. Officials said WebWorld Express will be part of the Reliance WebWorld family and will be based on the same business model. The outlets will be based on the C3 model - Customer Convenience Centre. Interestingly, WebWorld Express will have a mix of both the company-owned and franchisee models. This is an attempt to reduce risk and facilitate easier management of the project. As reported earlier, the impending petrol pumps project will also have Webworld Express outlets at the pumps.

Reliance WebWorld, on its own, today has over 250 outlets across India which act as outlets for the wireless service, apart from offering a host of convergence and broadband-related services. Among these are gaming, video chat, video conferenecing, digital music and music downloading. Reliance WebWorld outlets also offer the Java Green service which is part of its Food and Beverage (F& offering. The retail plan is said to be a significant part of Reliance Infocomm’s overall convergence project.

The company launched its RIM service a year ago and is expected to move forward on the other components of the broadband arena. A backbone network to the extent of 60,000 kilometres of optic fibre cable (OFC) will offer the consumer both retail and enterprise services.

Reliance Industries Ltd, which holds a 45 per cent stake in Reliance Infocomm, has invested about Rs 8,500 crore in the infocomm project.

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Reliance WebWorld Express to run via smaller Indian towns

Caption: "Reliance WebWorld Express to run through smaller Indian towns"

Source: Techtree News, March 29, 2004

Reliance Infocomm is charting out its "WebWorld Express" retail project plans with an aim to increase its visibility and penetration for Reliance IndiaMobile (RIM) service. The company is looking forward to 1500 such outlets spread across smaller towns in India. Company officials hope to achieve this margin around the next financial year. The WebWorld Express will serve as a sales and service point for the RIM service.

The first store will be inaugurated in about a month. WebWorld Express will be based on the business model of Reliance WebWorld family. These outlets will comply with the C3 model indicating Customer Convenience Centre. WebWorld Express will have a mix of both the company-owned and franchisee models, the details of which has not yet been finalised. This attempt hopes to enhance management and cut down on risks. WebWorld Express outlets will also set up petrol pumps as a part of the petrol pump project.

Reliance WebWorld has over 250 outlets across India that offer wireless, convergence and broadband-related services. Gaming, video chat, video conferencing, digital music and music downloading are some of them. Reliance WebWorld outlets also provide the Java Green service as a part of their Food and Beverage (F& offering. This service is touted to be a very important aspect of Reliance Infocomm’s overall convergence project.

The RIM service was launched a year ago and is currently looking at other components of the broadband space. A backbone network to the extent of 60,000 kilometres of optic fibre cable (OFC) will offer the consumer both retail and enterprise services. Reliance Industries Ltd has invested about Rs 8,500 crore in the infocomm project.