Mumbai: State-run Mahanagar Telephone Nigam
Limited, which launched its prepaid broadband services in
Mumbai on Friday, said it expects to add 20 lakh broadband
customers by the end of 2010.
"We expect to reach the target of providing 20 lakh
broadband connections by 2010," MTNL CMD R S P Sinha told
reporters here.
A month back, another state-run telecom operator BSNL had
launched a similar scheme.
MTNL's pre-paid broadband will be available to customers
under two plans-- Rs 5,999 and Rs 3,999, both carrying a
validity of one year.
Under the Rs 5,999 plan, customers can avail the benefit
of free download of 25 GB while the second scheme will offer
15 GB free download.
The operator also plans to offer a monthly prepaid
broadband service from November 20.
With the launch of the new scheme, MTNL expects a 60 per
cent growth in broadband connections in Mumbai.
"Today, MTNL accounts for over 90 per cent of the total
market in Delhi and Mumbai and it adds Rs 450 crore per annum
to our revenue," Sinha said.
Earlier, MTNL had launched broadband services on the
latest technology (ADSL 2+), besides IPTV and VoIP services.
At present, the company has 44 lakh mobile subscribers
and is adding 600 more subscribers everyday, Sinha said.
In the last fiscal, MTNL earned Rs 850 crore revenue from
the prepaid-broadband segment.
"We are not expecting any significant growth this year as
the 3G service will not earn much revenues for this fiscal as
the acquisition of subscribers will happen only by this
year-end," Sinha said.
3G service is doing well in Delhi, he said. IT major Dell
and State Bank of India have also tied up with MTNL for the
services.
"We are expecting to increase the 3G customer base to six
lakh by the end of this fiscal," Sinha said.
The telecom operator is also looking at acquiring stake
in Zambia's leading telecom firm Zamtel. When asked about it,
Sinha said, talks are still on.
MTNL and BSNL are among the eight bidders who have been
shortlisted for the acquisition of Zamtel.
The Zambian government is offering up to 75 per cent
stake in Zamtel.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, November 13, 2009, 19:39