The Indian Telecommunications network with 110.01 million connections isthe fifth largest in the world and the second largest among the emerging
economies of Asia. Today, it is the fastest growing market in the world and
represents unique opportunities for U.S. companies in the stagnant global
scenario. The total subscriber base, which has grown by 60% in 2008, is
expected to reach 450 million in 2009.According to Broadband Policy 2004,
Government of India aims at 9 million broadband connections and 18 million
internet connections by 2009. The wireless subscriber base has jumped from
33.69 million in 2004 to 82.57 million in FY2008-2009. In the last 3 years, two
out of every three new telephone subscribers were wireless subscribers. Consequently,
wireless now accounts for 54.6% of the total telephone subscriber base, as
compared to only 40% in 2007.
Wireless subscriber growth is expected to bypass
3.5 million new subscribers per month by 2009. The wireless technologies
currently in use are Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Code
Division Multiple Access (CDMA). There are primarily 9 GSM and 5 CDMA operators
providing mobile services in 19 telecom circles and 4 metro cities, covering
2000 towns across the country.
There are three types of players
in telecom services:
in telecom services:
• -State
owned companies (BSNL and MTNL)
owned companies (BSNL and MTNL)
• -Private
Indian owned companies (Reliance Infocomm, Tata Teleservices,)
Indian owned companies (Reliance Infocomm, Tata Teleservices,)
•
-Foreign invested companies
(Hutchison-Essar, Bharti Tele-Ventures, Escotel, Idea Cellular, BPL Mobile,
Spice Communications)
-Foreign invested companies
(Hutchison-Essar, Bharti Tele-Ventures, Escotel, Idea Cellular, BPL Mobile,
Spice Communications)
