In fact, the Calcutta-based Internet service provider, Caltiger.com plans to spend around Rs 15-20 lakh per month, with a total ad-budget of Rs 3 crore for the next 12 months. The company is signing up subscribers at the rate of 100 per day, and has designed aggressive local schemes to build its Calcutta base.

``The Internet is about communities. Today we will drive the community building and tomorrow the community will drive my brand,'' says Caltiger's chief executive officer, Chris Rebello.

So, at the Caltiger portal site, a subscriber will find free fax and email; free legal and astrological advice; free educational courses; free travel guidance and much more.

While the access rates are already lower than VSNL and Satyam, the two other ISPs in the fray, Caltiger is working on a long-term plan to provide Internet access at much cheaper rates. ``We started off talking tariffs to get a toe-hold on the people's minds. That is what everyone understands. However, the battle will be on content,'' says Rebello.

The company has planned a strategy to create highly localised content at its portal site alongside services that will be accessible to customers only.

Localised matrimonial ads and local events for example, are on top of the agenda, along with an e-commerce plan that would offer stuff at a bargain.

``We are developing a very-Calcutta centric brand. We will appeal to the alter ego of the Bengali, the achiever lurking behind the defeatist mentality. Our focus is Calcutta,'' says Rebello.

To establish a relationship with the local netizen, Caltiger.com has chosen the topical advertising route, with each ad relating to a current event, however, without adding a humourous twist. So, with the Pope's visit imminent, the next Caltiger.com ad will ask the Pontiff to bless the city.

Caltiger has already greeted the new Telecom minister from the city, Tapan Sikdar. ``We will not go into humour. Unlike Amul we will not use a mascot. We will do serious current affair ads that relate to the ethos of the city,'' she adds.

Building communities
The Internet is a marketshare game and Rebello knows that. ``We will offer to show how the blind can use the Internet. We are working it out with a blind boy. This is not social responsibility, this is about marketshare,'' she says.

A hoardings campaign is just around the corner, to be followed by a tee-shirt campaign. Tee-shirts with the question ``Are You a Caltiger'' printed across will be given away free to students.

``We want to position our company very quickly. On the Internet there are still some positions vacant, unlike in real life. So the sooner you decide the positioning, the better it is,'' Rebello says.

Some more aggressive plans? A free PC scheme is being worked out with a major vendor. Websites are being hosted locally, at Calcutta and for the first month, web-hosting is free. Advertising too is free-for starters.

``First we get them to advertise and then we lead them on to pay for it. It is easier this way,'' Rebello says.

The company aims to have a 50 per cent share of the Calcutta market by March 2000. The would mean 30,000 subscribers. The original plan was to start off with Bhuvaneswar, Patna and Guwahati too, but the response has led the team to divert all its energies on Calcutta.

That the strategy is working is becoming clear. For example, when the service was launched on October 10, it was without a single dealer: dealers wanted a 25 per cent commission and Caltiger.com was not willing. Today, the company has 27 dealers on board-at just 10 per cent.

Already there has been some dilution of equity-at a 300 per cent premium. The company had started off with a capital of Rs 1 crore and is now thinking in terms of a public issue soon. Says Rebello: ``On the Internet capital is nothing, speed is everything. Any Internet company that is making money now is doing so at the cost of marketshare or quality.'' Caltiger.com may not be making money right now, but it is certainly investing in tomorrow.