Rank 18 - BPL Mobile Communications

21 Jul 2000 08:17 IST

New Update

FACTSHEET

CEO: Girish Rangan

Year of Start-up: 1994

Area of Operation: Cellular telephony service

Address: BPL Centre, 127, Taikalwadi, Manmala Tank Road, Mahim (West),
Mumbai - 400 016

Tel.: 022- 431 1777

Fax: 022-430 2255

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BPL
Mobile did an estimated turnover of Rs 205 crore during 1999-00, showing a
growth rate of 20 percent. The subscriber base increased by a healthy 34 percent
to 1,73,017 from 1,28,711 the previous year.

SWOT

STRENGTH

Leads the Mumbai race

WEAKNESS

Competition in the pre-paid card market has made a dent in its profits.

OPPORTUNITY

Rapid market growth

THREAT

Rival Orange has enough financial pockets and technical expertise to pose
a serious challenge to the company’s growth plans.

This cellular service provider in Mumbai has an intelligent
network in place with advanced technologies like Enhanced Frequency Reception
and Synchronous Digital Hierarchy for congestion-free network. During last
fiscal, the company launched a number of promotional schemes to keep its
leadership position. It fueled a price war by launching its pre-paid card at Rs
249. It also launched mobile long distance service, enabling the post-paid BPL
Mobile subscriber to get easy access pre-paid STD and ISD facility on a mobile
phone.

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Another highlight was its tie-up with Citibank to offer mobile banking to
enable its customers with Citibank credit card to conduct transactions on the
mobile phone using BPL mobile network. It plans to introduce additional features
to mobile banking portfolio like customized triggers. Through this feature
subscribers will be able to specify parameters like minimum account balance by
visiting a web site. Alerts would be sent to the subscribers on their mobile
phones as a short message when the condition specified is met. Using smart
messaging technology, it also offers its subscribers the facility to send and
receive e-mails on their mobile phones.