VSNL eyes higher revenues through better network
Business Standard — January 23, 2007

Videsh Sanchar Nigam (VSNL) plans to offer Calling Line Identification (CLI) services to increase call generations. The telecom company has its presence in around 80 countries.

Talking about CLI, vice-president (corporate strategy), Srinivasa Addepalli, said, "Only 40-50 per cent international calls actually succeed in generating revenue. Most of them fail to materialise due to network or other such problems. It requires a lot of planning to improve the network and we are going to provide CLI to international telecom companies. We hope to be successful since we have also been successful with our international toll-free service."

The company is also working on new services like offering network management along with setting up of internal links.

"Usually companies outsource the network management once the network has been set up. But we will be one of the first such companies to offer even the overall network management such as monitoring emails and other services," he said. VSNL has tied up with TCS in this regard.

On tapping the Forbes 500 companies, he said though the company's focus was large enterprises and MNCs in the international market, it would initially offer its services to tier-II telecom companies and Internet service providers (ISPs) in those countries.

Having established its presence in those countries through these small operators, the company would then approach the MNCs.

VSNL has also begun pilot operations in Bangalore for Wimax services and plans to roll out the services in 100 cities by the end of 2007.

"Initially, Wimax will be rolled out for enterprise customers and later for individuals," said Addepalli.

VSNL had earlier announced the setting up of cyber cafes at 68 railway stations around the country but only around 30 were set up. However, Addepalli assured that the company would set up the remaining in this year itself.

Addepalli was of the view that broadband in India was yet to pick up. He said, "The PC penetration in India is reasonably low and with last mile still a major problem, the broadband at homes in India has not happened much and is not growing rapidly."