• Tata Indicom storms pre-paid market, launches True Paid

• True Paid symbolises the only "honest and transparent" pre-paid offering available in India 

• True Paid is India's first T-SIM based mobile service offering optimum value for money 

• Tata Indicom launches 2 T-SIM-enabled and 4 non T-SIM-enabled handsets 

• Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and Irfan Pathan will bat and bowl for True Paid 

Tata Indicom, a leading mobile service provider, has marked its entry into the pre-paid segment by launching '100% Sacchai True Paid', across all its existing eight circles. With the latest initiative, Tata Indicom has opened up new frontiers for Indian pre-paid customers by offering 1-second pulse, 100 per cent talktime and one rate for local and STD calls on True Paid. 

Unveiling the launch of True Paid, Mr S. Ramakrishnan, managing director, Tata Teleservices, said, "The roll out of Tata Indicom True Paid is a significant milestone in the unfolding of the Tata Group's telecom plans in India. Keeping in tune with true Tata spirit, True Paid, aims to be the most reliable, transparent, honest, and trusted telecom service in India and would be offering customers transparent tariffs with no hidden costs and a host of value-added features and benefits. Coming from the House of Tatas, True Paid customers can be assured of a quality service that rides on a world-class network and unparallel advantage in terms of both value and quality of mobile services offered." 

Announcing the initiatives on True Paid, Mr Amit Bose, president, Tata Teleservices Limited, said, "The pre-paid category has always been the real engine for the unprecedented growth of the Indian mobile market. Time has come to further charge up this segment. The onus is on the mobile operators to innovate and provide 'honest and transparent' offers to the customers. We are happy to announce that Tata Indicom has today launched True Paid, which signifies the only "100% Sacchai " pre-paid service in India. 

"True Paid customers will get talk time equal to the value of recharge voucher, without deducting any administration charges or plan fees. We are confident that True Paid will open up new frontiers for the entire prepaid market and will provide the customer the ultimate transparent, reliable and honest tariffs that he seeks from the category," Mr Bose added. 

India's most successful cricket captain, Saurav Ganguly and the fastest pacer, Irfan Pathan will be the brand ambassadors for Tata Indicom. Saurav and Irfan open their innings at Tata Indicom with the True Paid launch. 

The tariffs for True Paid are the lowest in the industry and simple to comprehend. As part of the introductory offer, a free usage period until November 14, 2004, would be extended to customers subscribing to True Paid from September 4, 2004. During the introductory offer, customers can make 1,00,000 second-worth calls free, can send 2,000 SMS' free and can download ringtones, games, wallpapers free depending on handsets. One Tata Indicom calling card, enabling STD and ISD services, of upto Rs 100 on coloured handsets and Rs 50 on black and white handsets will be offered free to customers. 

Backed by a range of never before initiatives, Tata Indicom has become the first operator in the country to launch True Paid T-SIM (RUIM) enabled handsets. Under the revolutionary True Paid offer, customers can opt for RUIM-enabled Nokia 2280 and Motorola C131 handsets. Besides this, customers can avail True Paid services on Nokia 3105, Kyocera- Blade, Rave and Phantom (non-TSIM handsets). 

About Tata Teleservices: 
Tata Teleservices is India's leading private telecom service provider. The company offers integrated telecom solutions to its customers under the Tata Indicom brand, and uses the latest CDMA 3G1X technology for its wireless network. Currently operating in eight circles i.e. Andhra Pradesh, Chennai, Gujarat, Karnataka, New Delhi, Maharashtra, Mumbai and Tamil Nadu, the company has a customer base of over two million. With a planned nationwide footprint across the country, Tata Teleservices has acquired licenses to operate in 12 more circles, which include Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Kolkata, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (East), Uttar Pradesh (West) and West Bengal.