Bharti in pact with Microsoft

MUMBAI:- India's top mobile services firm, Bharti Airtel Ltd., said on Monday it was partnering Microsoft Corp. to offer software and other services to small and medium businesses in India.

New Delhi-based Bharti Airtel said the service mainly aimed at companies with five or more employees and was expected to be available in January 2007.

"(Small and medium businesses) vertical in India have huge potential... We estimate total telecom spend in (this) space to be around 180 billion rupees ($4 billion)," Bharti Enterprises Vice Chairman Rakesh Mittal said in a statement.

At 0615 GMT, shares of Bharti Airtel rose 1.4 percent to 551.50 rupees in a firm Mumbai market.