Mumbai: Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL) has announced that the company has launched WiMax services on May 31, becaming the first company to launch it in India. The services are currently on offer to enterprise customers in Bangalore.

WiMax will offer a wireless solution to last mile connectivity issues faced by enterprise customers and open up exciting possibilities for retail customers, the company said, adding, WiMax has the potential to offer high-speed, wireless connectivity for data and internet applications.

VSNL has announced plans to extend its WiMax network to about 120 cities across India for enterprise customers and 5 cities for retail customers by the end of this financial year.

"We are proud to be the first company to launch WiMax based service in India. This will help VSNL offer very high quality and seamless connectivity to our enterprise customers," Vinod Kumar, president - global data & mobility solution of the company said.

A number of companies drawn from diverse sectors like retail, financial services and automobile are already benefiting from the WiMax services, he added.

The company has launched these services after conducting extensive pilot testing in Bangalore and other locations.

VSNL that pioneered internet and international service in India has taken the lead in offering innovative wireless broadband services. The company is already the leading telecom provider in the Wi-Fi space, with nearly 300 public hotspots in India.