New Delhi, June 17: The country`s second largest GSM mobile services provider, Vodafone Essar, has sought Internet service provider and national long distance licences.
Company officials said that the operator has sought FIPB
approval for these two licences and aims to become a full-
fledged communication services provider in the country.
If Vodafone Essar, in which the UK-based mobile firm
Vodafone holds majority stake, gets the national long distance
licence (NLD) it will help the company save operating expenses
for carrying STD traffic, instead of hiring other mobile
company`s network for the purpose.
Owning its own network for NLD traffic will also help the
company offer competitive STD tariffs to the subscribers.
Vodafone`s India partner Essar already has a NLD licence
through its arm Shippingstop Dot Com. In fact, Vodafone Essar
South Ltd already also has a NLD licence.
All the top mobile operators like Reliance
Communications, Bharti, BSNL and MTNL have their own NLD
infrastructure.
The company also plans to enter the Internet service
segment in which all other major mobile operators like BSNL,
Reliance Communications and MTNL has a presence.
Vodafone is the number two GSM player in the country in
terms of subscribers.
Bureau Report
