It is time again for
identifying the companies who made it into our elite club of "The Top 10" this
year. The rules have not changed. The criteria still remain the same, i.e., on the basis
of revenues earned during the financial year 1997-98 from the communications sector.
With private basic services
taking off only this June and cellular services and paging services yet in the process of
gaining momentum, it needs no guesses to identify the top two companies. VSNL and MTNL. It
is only to be seen when the ranks between these two get interchanged. Last year’s
first five companies have managed to hold the fort this year too. And there has been an
overall increase of 16.7 percent in the total revenues of the "The Top 10" club
from
Rs 12,882.13 crore to Rs 15,007.84 crore this time.
The top four slots went to public
sector undertakings. VSNL at #1 with a turnover of Rs 6,395.80 crore, MTNL in the second
position with a turnover of Rs 4,645.54 crore, ITI at #3 position with a turnover of Rs
1,270 crore, and TCIL in the fourth position with a turnover of Rs 560 crore.
Sterlite was #5 last time and
remains in the same position this year. It is interesting to note that like last year, in
this Top 10 list too, Sterlite finds itself separated by Rs 10 crore against TCIL.
Mumbai-based Global Tele-Systems
and Alcatel Modi Network Systems have interchanged their positions. Global Tele-Systems
has improved its position by jumping up to the #6 position, whereas Alcatel which has
about Rs 300 crore of turnover slipped to #7 position.
With cable industry not doing
well this year, only two companies–Sterlite and Hindustan Cables Ltd–were able
to make their presence in the Top 10 club. Hindustan Cables gave way to HTL for the #8
position. In fact, HTL happens to be the silent performer this time. It posted revenues
worth Rs 280 crore. Hindustan Cables slipped to #9 position with a turnover of Rs 272
crore. Last in the group is Wipro. Which is another first time entrant–like
HTL–with a turnover of Rs 250.50 crore. n
10 Communication Companies
1996-97
1997-98
Trend 1997-98
(Rs Crore) 1997-98
Of Operation
Type
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Tele-Systems