Telecom News --

Idea records 1 Crore subscribers in Maharashtra & Goa

Pune, 19 July, 2010

IDEA Cellular, the No. 1 mobile operator in Maharashtra & Goa, has reached yet another landmark in its 14-year-long relationship with mobile consumers in the state, by crossing the 1 crore subscriber mark in Maharashtra & Goa circle, recently. IDEA Cellular, an Aditya Birla Group company, was the first to launch mobile services in Maharashtra & Goa in 1996, and is today, the highest penetrated mobile

network in the circle, reaching out to over 82 per cent of the population. With its recent feat of winning the 3G spectrum for Maharashtra & Goa, the company is now gearing up to offer the next level of mobile experience to its over 1 crore subscribers in the circle.

Addressing the media at a press conference here today, Mr. P. Laxminarayana, Chief Operating Officer – Maharashtra & Goa, IDEA Cellular said, “Ever since the beginning, IDEA Cellular has been dedicated to the growth of telephony in this region. We have constantly strived to cater to the growing communication needs of the people of this state, and are proud to be the first mobile operator to reach the 1 Crore mark. This successful journey is a result of the strong faith expressed by our 1 crore customers, and our dedicated efforts to reach out to establish mobile connectivity in the remotest corners of the state”.

With over 380 exclusive showrooms, and more than 80,000 multi-branded outlets selling Idea’s products and services, the company’s reach remains unmatched in the circle. A robust network comprising of 6,894 cell sites enables non stop connectivity across Maharashtra & Goa.

Earlier, talking about the company, Mr. Rajat Mukarji, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, IDEA Cellular said, “Maharashtra is special as this is where Idea started its journey from. Starting as a strong regional player with roots in this region, Idea has now grown to become the 3rd largest mobile operator, in revenue terms, nationally. Despite many odds and a strong competitive environment, Idea grew its revenue market share in the Indian telephony space, last year. We launched 7 new circles to become a pan-India operator, and the growth not just came from the new territories we entered, but we maintained the growth momentum in our established circles such as Maharashtra, as well.”

Idea’s strong growth in the Indian telephony market comes from its deep penetration in the non-urban and rural markets. The company has the highest share of rural subscribers as a percentage of total subscribers, amongst other GSM players. In fact, two out of every three new subscribers now come from non-urban markets.

In Maharashtra as well, Idea has strongly focused on penetrating deeper into the rural markets through various initiatives such as being part of Nokia Life Tools program; and the more recent ones being participation in Agri fairs like ‘Swabhimani krishi Mahotsav’ in Jaisinghpur, and ‘Grameenon Ke Beech’ - a series of fairs in small towns and villages across Maharashtra with 10,000 to 20,000 populace. Besides, the company has also been continuously reaching out to remote areas with vans fully equipped for subscriber activations.

Always innovating, Idea has constantly delighted consumers with products and services that offer more value and are affordable. The most recent offerings are – ‘Full Talktime’ Recharge which offers 100% value for all recharges in a month; and ‘Talktime Share’, a first-of-its kind in the country, which enables Idea subscribers to transfer talktime to their friends and family members.

In the next phase of growth, the company plans to offer high end data services through an enriched VAS portfolio for urban consumers, and basic mobility services and Marathi VAS content for the rural audience.

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