Telecom Lead India: Aircel, in which Malaysia-based Maxis
Communications holds 74 percent stake, posted gross revenue of Rs 1,649.61
crore for the quarter ended 31, December 2011, up 3.78 percent against gross
revenue of Rs 1,580.52 crore for the quarter ended 30, September 2011. 

 

For the quarter ended 31 December 2010, Uninor’s gross
revenue stood at Rs 1,438 crore.

 

At the quarter ended 31, December 2011, Aircel’s total
subscriber base stood at 61.64 million, increased 22.87 percent against
subscriber base of 50.17 million for the quarter ended 31, December 2010.

 

However, for March 2012, Aircel lost 0.68 million
customers during the month and its subscriber base stood at 62.57 million.

 

Gross revenue of the Indian telecom industry for the
quarter ended 31, December 2011, reached Rs 49365.18 crore, up 15.3 percent
against Rs 42,916.81 crore for the quarter ended 31, December 2010. However, in
terms of q-o-q growth, gross revenue declined 1.16 percent, as gross revenue
for the quarter ended 30, September, 2011 recorded at Rs 49,942.25 crore.

 

Aircel will be investing Rs 7,500 crore to expand its
network in 3G telephony and wireless broadband (BWA) segments. The company recently
restructured itself into two divisions, operations-led OpCo and network-led
NetCo, with plans to spin them off into separate companies once the contours of
the in-the-works New Telecom Policy would become clear.

 

Aircel is also planning to participate in the upcoming 2G
spectrum auctions following the recent cancellation of 122 licences by the
Supreme Court.

 

The company, which is the fifth largest Indian telecom
operator, spent close to Rs 10,000 crore on 3G alone, besides spending about Rs
3,500 crore in acquiring BWA spectrum.

 

Aircel possesses 4G/BWA licenses for 8 circles, which
includes Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, Orrisa, Assam, North
East and Jammu and Kashmir.

 

Other major telcos, who won BWA spectrum in 2010,
includes Reliance Infotel (formerly Infotel Broadband Services), Qualcom,
Tikona, Aircel and Augere.

 

Danish Khan
[email protected]