Videocon International president Pradeep Kumar Dhoot said the group is actively considering such a foray as part of the company's long-term growth plan. A decision to apply to the Department of Telecommunications for a countrywide licence is yet to be taken, Dhoot told The Financial Express.

Videocon has already stated its intention to stir up the television and personal computer markets with the launch of its internet-TV priced at Rs 15,000 sometime next month.

A decision to become an ISP will make Videocon the first company in the country to combine consumer electronics, information technology and communication. Its Bangalore-based arch rival BPL is yet to announce such plans, though the company is a telecom service provider in certain circles in the country.

The technology for internet-TV was acquired byVideocon from a laboratory based in the US. It is understood that Japanese electronics major Sony is the only other company to have acquired this technology from the US-based lab.

The internet-TV will be targeted at consumers who cannot afford to invest in a personal computer. Dhoot said the internet-TV will come equipped with a wireless keyboard and 8 MB memory that will allow users to download small amounts of data.

Besides the internet-TV, Videocon is planning to launch tv.comp - a combination of a television, computer with multimedia facility - with 21 inch television. The earlier versions of tv.comp, launched earlier this year came with 25 inch TV and a price tag of Rs 39,000.

Dhoot said that tv.comp would co-exist with internet-TV, where tv.comp would be targeted at consumers seeking higher configurations such as more memory.Videocon is also gearing up to launch a range of office automation products such as video phones and palmtops in the near future. The company manufacturers and marketselectronic dairies based on technology developed locally.

Dhoot said the palmtop computer, which could interface with personal computers, would be launched within this month. Dhoot is also planning to launch notebook computers in three years.

He added that products such as electronic diaries and palmtops are being introduced in an effort to enhance Videocon's brand image in the market and to build contact with corporate executives.

Videocon manufactures 200,000 pieces of electronic diaries at its facilities here. The production will be stepped up to 1 million by year 2002, Dhoot said.