Usha Martin plans technical centre
Calcutta: Usha Martin Telekom, the cellular telephone operator for Calcutta, is planning to set up a telecom technology centre to locate its proposed core mobile switching unit. The centre, to be housed in a full-fledged intelligent building, will also have a software applications development centre for the company’s Internet-driven short-messaging services initiatives. Usha Martin Telekom is a joint venture between the Rs 1,200-crore Usha Martin group and Telekom Malaysia. The West Bengal State Electronics Development Corporation is expected to allot a one-acre plot of land to the company for the project.
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Zee group launches TV World
Mumbai: The Zee group has launched TV World, a monthly publication, essentially a television guide. The magazine is priced at Rs 20 and the publishers hope it will fill  a gap in the media scene. One of the Zee group divisions, Zee Network, already publishes a magazine, Zee Premier, but promoter of the group Subhash Chandra said TV World is not a magazine for Zee, but for the entire industry.
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Aviance to enter export market
Bangalore: Aviance, a subsidiary of Hindustan Lever in the beauty and skin care sector, will enter the export market in 2000. Vivek Mathur, the company’s marketing head, said Aviance will look at markets similar to India, mainly in Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe to begin with. Aviance would aspire to have a 10 per cent market share of the Rs 1,500 crore skin care industry in India. At present, its market share is five per cent. Aviance had entered the Indian market only in February 1999.
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GNFC given ISP licence
New Delhi: The Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilisers Company has secured a licence as an internet service provider. The company is planning its foray into information technology in a big way and plans to set up "Info Tower", a centre with all modern facilities to encourage software development in Gujarat. The company says it will provide Internet services at competitive rates in the entire Gujarat.

GNFC has entered into a strategic alliance with the US-based TTW Systems for satellite communications technology development.
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Volkswagen to make huge investments
Frankfurt: Volkswagen will invest DM60.1 billion in its plants, new models and global operations, by the end of 2004 as part of a five-year development plan. The plan will cover development of a new convertible version of its Beetle model, Volkswagen said.

The company, which acquired European vehicles Lamborghini, Bugatti and Bentley in 1998, had come under fire  for its costly investments in luxury ranges of cars as profit margins in its mass market business have plummeted.
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Mannesmann plans offensive
Frankfurt: Mannesmann may beef up its defence against the hostile bid by Vodafone AirTouch by highlighting the value of its customer base and the merits of its telecom strategy. However, Vodafone, whose jet-setting chief executive Chris Gent has been on rounds of Europe mustering support for the company’s acquisition plan, is supposed to be having an edge over Mannesmann at the moment. Mr Gent has told German newspapers that if he succeeds in his bid, he would locate the merged company’s European headquarters in Dusseldorf.
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Deutsche seeks stake in Telecom Italia Mobile
Frankfurt: Deutsche Telecom is seeking a stake in Telecom Italia Mobile, the cellphone company of the state monopoly. A news magazine quoting sources said the German company is conducting talks with Telecom Italia Mobile over a possible minority stake.
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