News: Reliance Comm scouts for mobile licences abroad

(BS 13/09/2006) New Delhi - The Reliance-Dhirubhai Anil Ambani Group has lined up a raft of initiatives to give its telecommunications business a global footprint.

Spearheading them are plans to bid for mobile licences abroad and for providing high-end business process outsourcing services.

“Our aim is to extend all our value-adds in India to other parts of the globe. We will offer high-speed Internet and extend our next generation telecom network services to other countries through strategic partners,” PD Khurana, group president of Reliance Communications, said.

The company also plans to take Internet protocol television (IPTV) and other media services to consumers in foreign markets after it launches them in India.

To carry these services, the group will set up three broadband cable networks: one from India to China through Nepal; two, an undersea cable between Asia and the US; and three, an extension of its Falcon cable from the Maldives to East Africa. Industry analysts put a $1 billion price tag to these three cable systems.

The group is eyeing mobile licences in Kenya, Bhutan and Morocco. “We are evaluating opportunities for operating mobile services in countries that are opening to new competition,” Khurana said.