BPL mobile crosses three-lakh mark in Kerala

Our Corporate Bureau
10 May 2004

Kochi: BPL Mobile has crossed the three-lakh mark recently, registering a hundred per cent growth in the last six months in Kerala. The operator, which has presence in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Goa also crossed the two-million subscriber mark overall.

The increase of 1.5 lakh subscribers was achieved in six months
between November 2003 and April 2004, according to company officials. The company had invested over Rs 120 crore on network expansion, infrastructure, brand and marketing during the last financial year.

The company had also enhanced its network capacity and coverage adding over 30 new cell sites across the state and is planning to add another 45 more in the next three months. A second main switching centre, which can handle more than four times the existing mobile calls and five times the existing SMS traffic, will also be set up.

On crossing the milestone, K A.Mohamed Saleem, chief operating officer, Kerala, said: ''Our coverage and capacity enhancement has added to the substantial growth of the subscriber base. We have also taken proactive measures to enhance our infrastructure and to handle the rapidly increasing traffic.''

The company had recently launched 'election news line' and 'election news alert' service to provide live updates of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in the country. News line provides round the clock election news updates in Malayalam. The election news alert service is an SMS-based service, which gives, updated election news between 10 am to 8 pm during the election period. Both election services are available for post-paid as well as prepaid subscribers