MTS eyes GSM subscribers

Sistema Shyam Teleservices (SSTL) which provides CDMA telecom service under the MTS brand launched a drive to acquire GSM customers on Monday with a low-priced dual SIM handset that can operate on both GSM and CDMA technology. 

"We are still in customer acquisition mode in both voice and data. While we will move up the chain in data to acquire more upper middle income and lower high income users, the introduction of the new phone is a bid to broaden the voice base by targeting low income entry level customers," West Bengal chief operating officer Sandeep Marwaha said, adding that the company was targeting 1 lakh new customers a month in the Bengal circle alone. 

MTS currently has 10 million cellular customers in the nine circles it operates in, of which 2.8 million customers are in Kolkata-West Bengal circle. In addition, MTS has 1.5 lakh high-end data subscribers. "The company's focus remains on data and In Bengal, we are close to the market leader in data services. Simultaneously, we are broadening the base in voice," said Marwaha. 

While the 10 million voice customers generate 70% of the company's revenue, the 1.5 lakh data customers bring in the rest. 

MTS is the only CDMA-based single technology telecom company in the country with both Reliance and Tata DoCoMo offering both CDMA and GSM services. Acknowledging that dual technology handsets were crucial to acquire new customers, the official said MTS was in talks with several handset manufacturers to introduce more dual SIM CDMA-GSM products. 

Marwaha said such handsets would help the company acquire GSM customers planning to benefit from cheaper voice product without having to give up the existing connection. "Our average voice tariff has remained flat in the past year compared to 15-25% rise in voice tariff by GSM players," MTS regional head (marketing) Pallab Majumdar said. .