Telecom service provider Uninor, a joint venture between Norway-based Telenor Group and India’s real estate major Unitech Ltd, is planning to launch data services in five circles including Kolkata, Mumbai, rest of Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat by early next quarter. The company, which has accumulated 5 million subscribers since its launch in December 2009, has already rolled out data services in nine states in India. ?We hope to launch data services in these states very soon,? said Akash Das, executive vice president (Kolkata hub) of the company. At present data services are available in nine states through a base plan with a tariff of 10 paisa per 10kb.
?Data service is important for every telecom company but initially we are laying stress more on the blended ARPU (average revenue per user). For the next few years blended ARPU (voice and text) is likely to contribute 90% of the company’s revenue,? said Das.
Talking to FE Das said Uninor is looking at launching services in five more circles by September this year. Uninor has licence for 22 circles and is present in 13 circles. It has spectrum in circles like Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana where it is yet to launch its services.
The company which has launched services in five circles including Kolkata on Tuesday, is looking at 8% market share by 2018. ?We are looking at becoming EBIDTA positive in three years and cash flow positive in five years,? Das said.
According to him, 89% of a telecom company’s subscriber base comprise of the young population of the country. While 80% of the young subscriber base is in the urban areas, the rest is in the rural areas. ?The market is competitive but there is a lot which can be done to improve revenue from blended ARPU segment,? said Das.
Meanwhile, Uninor has announced to invest around Rs 15,000 crore in first 10 years of its operation. Telenor has picked up 67.25% share in the company with an investment of Rs 6,135.63 crore.