Idea crosses the 10 million landmark

Aditya Birla Group company Idea Cellular has announced that it has crossed the 10 million customer milestone and has more than a million customers in seven out of its eight circles. Between April 2006 and August 2006, Idea had the highest number of net adds among all the operators in Idea territories, the statement adds.

Idea brought in the first five million customers into its fold within a period of eight years and seven months (June 1996 to February 2005), followed by an explosive growth phase in which it added an additional five million customers in just 19 months (February 2005 to September 2006). The company has recently started operations in Himachal Pradesh.

Idea Cellular has licenses to operate in 11 circles — Delhi, Maharashtra-Goa, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Uttaranchal, Haryana, UP(West), Kerala and Himachal Pradesh. Its footprint currently covers approximately 45 per cent of India's population and over 50 per cent of the potential telecom market.