MTNL's ISD service gets good response in Mauritius

Mahanagar Telephone Nigam (MTNL) has succesfully launched cellular services in Mauritius - both in pre-paid and post-paid segments - and has started generating revenues of up to Rs 40 lakh per month from its long distance operations.

R S P Sinha, chairman and managing director of MTNL, said: "Although all services (fixed line, cellular and ISD) would be available on a commercial basis from March, the soft launch itself has generated lot of interest among the people there, and we have started getting revenues of up to Rs 40 lakh a month from our ISD operations."

MTNL had acquired the licence last year for offering the three services, and plans to invest about $25 million (about Rs 105 crore).

"Whatever I had visualised in ISD services' revenues on completion of setting up the network has almost started coming right away. This is a great beginning keeping in mind that we are managing operations there with just 13 people," Sinha said.

He said that MTNL has already got interconnection with Mauritius Telecom and other operators. "We have entered into an agreement with Videsh Sanchar Nigam (VSNL) for carrying our international long distance traffic."