Telecom Lead India: Mobile service provider Uninor has decided to scale down operations in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Orissa telecom circles.
The decision to bring down the business is due to the ongoing regulatory uncertainties.
Cancellation of 22 circles, delay in spectrum auction and pricing of spectrum affected Uninor’s long term business in Indian telecom market.
Uninor will give more focus on Mumbai, Maharashtra & Goa, UP East, UP West, Bihar and Jharkhand, Kolkata, West Bengal, Andhra
Pradesh and Gujarat.
A communication from Uninor suggests that the company will be bidding for these nine circles during the forthcoming spectrum auction.
“Since launch, Uninor has remained among the top 5 GSM operators in Mumbai, Maharashtra & Goa. This is one of our most successful
circles and we will continue to invest and expand operations aggressively here,” said Sigve Brekke, managing director, Uninor.
Uninor will enter the auctions with an even stronger presence in the nine circles including Mumbai and Maharashtra & Goa. The mobile service provider will focus funds, resources and efforts to meet aggressive targets in these nine circles.
In Mumbai and Maharashtra & Goa, and the other seven circles, Uninor will significantly expand its distribution and number of shops selling Uninor products. Network coverage across the region will be further strengthened through additional sites.
This new focus will place the company in a stronger financial and operational position to enter the auctions from, rules permitting.
“As things stand today, we do not foresee the need for any major changes after this in our circles. We plan to use the remaining months to aggressively build operations in these nine circles. Rules permitting, we will enter the auctions fighting fit,” Brekke added.
Recently, Uninor has introduced STV 49, a special tariff voucher called Ek Bharat, Ek Rate plan for the GSM customers in Mumbai.
The new plan comes with a validity of one month and offers a flat rate of just 25 paise per minute on all local and STD calls.
editor@telecomlead.com
