Fixed wireless service from Bharti

In a bid to tap the fast-growing market for fixed wireless phones (FWP) "� desktop phones that work on a wireless network and allow stable internet surfing speeds "� leading GSM cellular service provider Bharti Airtel today launched a similar service that runs on its GSM technology platform.

It was among the first companies to offer such phones in Indore many years ago running on the CDMA platform. It now has around 23,000 users of this service in Madhya Pradesh.

Burgeoning demand for such phones has brought it back among the company's focus areas.

Fixed wireless phones were introduced in the country by CDMA operators "� Reliance Communications, Tata Teleservices, Shyam Telelink.

The combined FWP subscriber base in the country is estimated at around 4 million. A lot of users now prefer to use these phones instead of the conventional fixed line phone offered by various companies such as MTNL and BSNL. The average revenue per user of FWP at Rs 600 is also higher than from conventional phones.

According to telecom industry sources, GSM cellular service provider Idea is also testing a similar FWP service and may soon make a formal announcement.

The tariff for the Bharti service - christened Airtel Mega - has been kept at Rs 1.20 for a three minute local, intra-circle call to mobile phones. Calls to fixed phones will be charged at Rs 1.20 per minute, while STD calls will cost Rs 2.40 per minute.

Bharti Airtel will roll out services in 4,000 towns and villages, but plans to offer the services progressively in the rest of the country wherever its network has a footprint.

The company is targeting 1 million subscribers in the first year and the services will be available with a pre-paid and post-paid tariff option.

The FWP will have a ten"�digit number. The phones will look like desktop phones, with one cordless option. As part of the launch offer, the company is offering free home-to"�mobile calls.

"The fixed landline market is India is currently under-served, specially in smaller town and villages, on account of inadequate infrastructure. With this, we will be able to target about 200 million households in the country. The FWP subscribers are likely to increase at 5 million per annum. This service will have all the facilities available to mobile users," Sanjay Kapoor, joint president, mobility at Bharti Airtel, said.

"Our research has shown that 70-80 per cent of the outgoing calls are to mobile phones and we have fixed the tariff accordingly," Vishal Sehgal, vice-president, FWP services, said.