BANGALORE, INDIA: 3G-WiMAX bid (though nowhere in sight), mobile number portability (touted to be on cards later this year), Tata DoCoMo's pay-per-second tariff plan, and the last but not the least Reliance Communications' 50 paise per minute tariff plan for local and national calls.

Lately, Indian telecom space has been no less than a war-front, for more subscribers, irrespective of its falling monthly subscriber addition.
 
So, have the established ones, the likes of Airtel, already started feeling the heat of the competition?
 
"New players have nothing but tariffs to offer," says Manoj Kohli, CEO and joint managing director, Bharti Airtel. “They will succeed in getting some customers and traffic in the initial period, but not for long.”
 
Does this mean customers will be loyal to this largest telecom brand in the country amidst these happenings?
 
Moving forward, customers will have much wider options and elasticity in terms of service providers and tariff plans with MNP.
 
"It is true that customers want affordability. However, at the same time they also want high quality network, quality billing, competitive service, and like to be with the brand (Airtel)," explains Kohli.
 
So any change in tariff plans on cards Mr CEO?
 
“Bharti Airtel doesn't respond to rivals' plans,” says Kohli, while responding to RCom's 50 paise per minute tariff plan. “We have our own strategies in place, which are winning us more customers, market share.”

He also took a dig at the second pulse trend and Telecom Relgulatory Authority of India's (TRIA) move to bring in one-second pulse a mandatory option for all operator saying, "India doesn't want to tak fast, but talk slow".
 
The CEO is very confident that the company will maintain its three million monthly subscriber additions rate.
 
“Airtel will continue to maintain, if not enhance, its market leadership in Indian telecom space. We are pursuing revenue market leadership and not numbers. Airtel expects to reach 200 million subscribers from 110 million in three years from now. We will also continue to pursue various international options,” Kohli is confident to the hilt.