Tata Teleservices intros Virgin Mobile in India

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Tata Teleservices has launched 'Virgin Mobile' services through a brand franchise with the Virgin Group.

Virgin Mobile India, an association between Virgin Group and Tata Teleservices (TTL), will facilitate TTL in designing, marketing and servicing TTL's Virgin Mobile branded products for the youth segment.

"The launch of Virgin Mobile today sees the Virgin Mobile brand arrive in India. At Virgin Mobile we believe that the existing operators are all pursuing the same strategy: to get as many subscribers as quickly as possible. We want to deliver a more tailored, more relevant offering for a single, distinct segment," said Richard Branson, chairman and founder of the Virgin Group.

"Virgin Mobile brings to all its customers ten firsts to the Indian telecoms market - we're even going to pay our customers to talk. Now that really is "Think Hatke!" he added.

TTL's Virgin Mobile offers India's youth at least ten industry 'Firsts' that include 'Get Paid to Receive Calls', 'One-touch VAS access from every Virgin Mobile-branded handset', 'Call more for less', 'True Care' and a value-for-money handset range.

Anil Sardana, managing director, Tata Teleservices, said, "This association would support our efforts to be the fastest growing mobile network in India."

"There are more than 215 million Indians aged between 14 -25 years old. Over the next three years, we expect this segment to be adding over 50 million new youth subscribers and to have mobile service revenues of over Rs 350 billion," said Jamie Heywood, deputy CEO, Virgin Mobile India.