 "Uninor aims to achieve break-even in all circles by 2013")
"We expect to achieve the break even point nationally by this year end. I am proud to announce that we have already achieved break even in Gujarat circle, which is fastest by any operator," Uninor CEO Yogesh Malik said.
Malik added the company plans to achieve break-even by focusing on basic services, voice calls, SMS, Internet (2G platform), lowering cost of operations, going in for mass market distribution and using network in a smarter way.
Also Read
Norway-based Telenor's India unit, which operates under the brand name Uninor, has presence in six circles- Maharashtra, Gujarat, UP East, UP West, Bihar (including Jharkhand) and Andhra Pradesh.
The company last year won spectrum for Rs 4,018 crore to offer mobile phone services in these circles.
Having achieved break even in Gujarat circle, Malik announced the second phase expansion plans for the state.
"We would be adding 500 new sites (network towers) in Gujarat and roll out services in 70 new towns over the next three months. Around 10,000 new retailers would be added," he said.
Uninor is also planning to extend the pilot project it had launched in Maharashtra-- roping in auto drivers and milkmen to sell SIMs and recharges--to other circles as well.
"There has been good response to our pilot project launched in Maharashtra, and a decision to extend it to other circles is expected within a month or so," Malik said.
The company, which had rolled out its services in June 2010 in Gujarat, presently has 2,655 sites and covers 1,819 towns. As per Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) figures, the company has over 52 lakh subscribers in Gujarat.
Uninor recently incurred an expense of around Rs 48 crore towards shutting down Mumbai operations in February.