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To: JohnG who wrote (97170)	4/9/2001 2:11:57 PM
From: JohnG	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 152472

9 April 2000 {extra} MTNL to launch cell service under 'Dolphin' brand NEW DELHI: MTNL will promote a separate brand for its cellular services, to be launched in January. It will be called 'Dolphin' and have a dolphin'as its service logo. ``We have decided to call our cellular services dolphin based on the way dolphins communicate through waves. The brand was selected out of a list of 50-60 names prepared by consultants,'' said MTNL CMD Narinder Sharma. He said the entire launch of services, including the ad campaign, would be handled professionally. Sharma said to make sure that MTNL does not miss its deadline (it has happened several times in the past) for launching services by January-end, a special project team has been set up with a wide range of decision making powers at the middle and lower levels for quicker implementation of the project. ``We won't miss the deadline this time,'' he added. Besides, a tariff committee which was set up few weeks ago, is expected to submit recommendation to senior MTNL officials within a couple of weeks. Sharma did not comment on the tariff structure but said the services would be ``very affordable for common man.'' He, however, added that the tariffs would be based on sound ``commercial interests of MTNL as well. Although our focus will be on affordability of cellular services to common man, I'm against populism''. MTNL's dolphin cellular services will be based on both CDMA as well as GSM standards. CDMA-based cellphone services will not have roaming facility. There are already over 5,000 subscribers on that service, which was launched earlier this year. Motorola in Delhi is setting up that project and it will cover the city with around 30 sites. Initially, MTNL introduced CDMA-based mobile service as part of wireless in local loop operations based on Qualcomm systems and was opposed by cellular operators on the ground that service contract of basic operators, like MTNL, allowed only fixed WLL services and not mobile operations. There were around five Qualcomm sites covering Delhi. Earlier this year, however, CDMA services were offered as part of MTNL's cellular operations. It got overwhelming response but new bookings were discontinued because of inadequate infrastructure. ``We are now toning up and upgrading the entire CDMA project to substantially improve these services,'' said Sharma. MTNL charges Rs 600 as rental and Rs 1.40 for a 3 minute call for that service. That tariff will remain. For GSM services, MTNL is setting up infrastructure for 1,00,000 subscribers each in Delhi and Mumbai. GSM services will have roaming facilities. ``For the GSM services, we will have a wide range of tariff structures to suit the profile of our subscribers,'' said Sharma. ``We will facilitate the procurement of handsets but not provide them as such. That will include tie-ups with dealer, financiers and so on. The details of that are being worked out,'' he added. Handsets for CDMA-based services, however, will be provided by MTNL. The company has already procured around 30,000 Samsung handsets. (The deal with Samsung was made when MTNL launched CDMA based services earlier this year.) The total project cost of MTNL's cellular operations in Delhi and Mumbai will be around Rs 450 crore. Of this over Rs 300 crore would be for CDMA based services (including the cost of handsets) around Rs 150 crore for GSM services, minus handsets, which would be left to consumer choice.