With a contiguous pan-India footprint, the MobileFirst alliance will offer enhanced value across tariffs, roaming, long-distance calling and new generation technology and services to its 3 million subscribers across 700 towns in India. The alliance will also deliver a common customer relationship management platform to provide home network experience anywhere / anytime to its subscribers across the alliance member networks.

With a backbone of over 10,000 kms, MobileFirst encompasses contiguous cellular circles, with BPL Mobile in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Escotel spanning Haryana, Kerala, UP West, UP East, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh, RPG Cellular in Chennai, and Spice Telecom in Punjab and Karnataka, providing a pan-Indian footprint.

The MobileFirst advantage:

• MobileFirst tariffs — special rates for long-distance calling, roaming and customised tariff plans.
  
• MobileFirst roaming — seamless roaming across India and over 400 international networks besides a roaming rewards programme.
  
• MobileFirst new generation technology and services — services like payments through mobile phones, mobile Internet access, mobile entertainment and national location-based services.
  
• MobileFirst customer service — home network touch and feel with common access numbers across member networks and preferential in-roamer service.

MobileFirst will leverage the advantage of all its member networks being 900Mhz, and share infrastructure, systems and solutions and integrate its customer relationship management to realise operational efficiencies and deliver enhanced value to its subscribers.

Says BPL Mobile president and CEO F B Cardoso: “The MobileFirst alliance will offer our discerning subscribers a pan-India footprint, significant savings on roaming and long-distance calling, besides enhanced service delivery across all alliance networks. It will also further enhance our cost advantage, strengthen the brand, ensure customer delight and sustain long-term competitive advantage.”

Adds Escotel Mobile CEO Rajan Swaroop: “The MobileFirst alliance will be the biggest consumer of long-distance minutes in India. We will leverage the same to ensure that the best value is delivered on long-distance tariffs to our subscribers through strategic partnership with long-distance service providers. The alliance will also leverage its members’ tie-ups with over 400 international networks to provide extended roaming reach.”

RPG Cellular managing director Dilip R Mehta: “MobileFirst is an alliance of trailblazers of the cellular revolution in India, bringing wide reach and mobility, easy availability and increasing affordability in their markets. We pride ourselves in the fact that MMS, prepaid roaming, mobile Internet and other cutting-edge applications were first introduced in the country by alliance members. We will continue this spirit of innovation to deliver new-generation technology and services to our customers.”

Says Spice Communications managing director (corporate affairs) Umang Das: “The MobileFirst 3-million subscriber base, by virtue of it belonging to the first operators in their respective markets, comprises relatively mature cellular users. It is, therefore, more discerning and valuable. The formation of this alliance will enable its members to offer products and services in line with their expectations, thereby enhancing value.”