NEW DELHI, India-Idea Cellular, a joint venture of AT&T Wireless International and Indian partners the Tatas and Birlas, on Thursday launched its much-awaited GSM service in the Indian capital, with a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) offering and features like multimedia message service (MMS) on both prepaid and postpaid accounts.
Idea has become the fourth GSM operator in Delhi. It has also become the second Indian operator to launch a GPRS network, the first being BPL in Mumbai.
Company officials said at the launch that the network is “3G (third-generation) compatible and EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution) upgradable.”
“What this means is we will be able to upgrade our infrastructure as and when a decision on 3G is taken in India,” said Ty Graham, director of Idea Cellular.
Besides MMS, the company has introduced several new features, like multiple tariff plans on prepaid, short message service (SMS) in Indian languages and electronic discount coupons. “We are going to use the Delhi market as a testbed for these new services, and if they are found feasible, we will introduce them in other circles where we operate,” Graham noted.
Describing the pricing as “competitive,” company officials said: “We will chase quality customers and try to attain a leadership position in new additions.”
Communications Minister Pramod Mahajan, who inaugurated the service, said the government would review various levies like spectrum and license fees and revenue sharing for the cellular industry, so that operations become financially viable. At the same time, he asked private operators to pay due attention on quality of service.
