We are already working with a handset manufacturer to design user-friendly handsets," says Mr Girish Rangan, executive director and CEO of BPL Mobile Communications Ltd. These handsets, according to Mr Rangan, would require no special learning of the mobile telephone technology or on how to use them. BPL Mobile is looking to double its customer base by March 2002. As on Jan 31, it was 2.72 lakh. The company is expected to be aggressively looking at tapping the new emerging customer segments. "We see a lot of demand for mobile phones coming from the senior citizens, the courier, real estate and the sales industry," said Mr Rangan. Last week, the company launched `mi-chat', India's first wireless Internet chat service for the "young adults and those in the late teens. Mi-chat, according to Mr BP Singh, COO, allows them the liberty of indulging in "anonymous chatting" and connecting to strangers in the virtual world. The company is looking to continue to be a leader in the Mumbai mobile telephone market which,Mr Rangan reckons, will be have 1 million subscribers by 2002 March. "We'll be among the top two operators. We already are in a position of advantage to make the most of the explosion that is to happen in the mobile phone market," said Mr Rangan. The affordability factor is likely to play a major role in this explosion according to Mr Rangan.