Tata Tele says Nov user adds still tops chart

NEW DELHI, INDIA: India's Tata Teleservices, 26 percent owned by Japan's NTT DoCoMo, in November maintained its user addition pace of the previous month where it topped the signings chart, a top official said on Wednesday.

Managing Director Anil Sardana said his firm would maintain the pace that has left behind rivals and forced peers to match Tata Tele's aggressive billing plans that have fuelled growth, but dismissed concerns it would impact profitability.

Tate Tele, India's sixth largest telecoms firm, added 3.9 million users in October and has outpaced rivals for three straight months to October helped by plans such as per-second billing and unlimited call time for a fixed price.

The second-fastest addition in October was by Vodafone Plc controlled by Vodafone Essar Ltd, at 2.98 million. Sector leader Bharti Airtel added 2.7 million users.

All firms combined added 16.7 million users, making India the fastest growing market for such services.

November adds will be released later in the month by industry bodies and by the sector regulator, but Sardana said channel checks indicated his company continued to lead the additions.

Tata Tele had 50.7 million users as at end October of India's total of 488.40 million mobile phones. The country has the second largest number of mobile phones after China.

India has 22 telecoms zones and Tata Tele operates in 15 of them. It began GSM operations from southern zones in June.

The firm would launch operations in three more circles by March, but was awaiting spectrum allotment in the lucrative Delhi circle, Sardana said.