BSNL to launch 3G services in TN

Chennai: BSNL is planning to launch 3G services in Tamil Nadu by January and will partner Univercell for the roll-out of the services, said Mr M.D. Velusamy, Chief General Manager of Chennai Telephones.

BSNL also has plans to add another four million mobile connections in Tamil Nadu by the beginning of next year. “We have placed orders for necessary equipment for the purpose,” said Mr G. Varadharajan, Chief General Manager – Tamil Nadu Circle, BSNL. In the process, it will erect at least 1,000 more towers in Chennai alone. “This will improve the quality of our services too,” he said.

According to him, the public sector telecom major currently has a mobile customer base of 3.5 million in Tamil Nadu. “The State that has registered the highest ARPU (average revenue per user) for us at Rs 500 a month in comparison with other States, where we operate at Rs 300,” said Mr Varadharajan.

Tie-up with UniverCell

The service provider today announced its marketing tie-up with mobile retail chain UniverCell. Under the pact, all UniverCell stores will sell prepaid and postpaid connections from BSNL. “Besides, we will also provide services such as recharging, consulting on tariff plans across our stores in Tamil Nadu,” said Mr Ramesh Barath, Vice-President, New Business Development and Marketing, UniverCell.

According to him, this tie-up will also be taken to other States very soon. Currently, UniverCell has 200 stores all over South and proposes to take it to 1,000 stores in the next two years. In the process, it will foray into other geographies including Orissa and West Bengal in the first quarter of next fiscal. Besides, it has also tied up with Spencer’s retail to establish shop-in-shop at Music World outlets.

Last year, iLabs Venture Capital invested Rs 100 crore in the Rs 350-crore UniverCell.