Telecom companies go all out to woo subscribers

Tata Teleservices Ltd,chief operating officer,Anand Iyer,said,“The treat of winning Chevrolet beat car each day and Yamaha bikes every hour has been received well by our customers. We would continue with such contests.”

However,a recent report of Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has found out that the telecom industry is passing through a bad phase.

Rajan S Mathews,director general,COAI,said,“While there lies ample scope and potential in the sector,the lack of supportive policies,an overtly regulated system with no infrastructure status,unreasonably high tax structure,high regulatory levies and scarcity of key resources such as spectrum,denies the private telecom operators a healthy profitable growth in their businesses.”

Companies say that prize offers are helping them win over new customers. Uninor’s offer of free local calls between its customers has helped the company increase its subscriber base.

Rajeev Sharma,circle business head,Maharashtra and Goa,Uninor,said,“In the past 6-7 months,we have doubled our subscriber base and the current subscriber base in Maharashtra and Goa circle is 3.1 million.”

Sandeep Marwaha,chief operating officer,Maharastra and Goa,MTS India,said,the response to the schemes such as discount on the handsets,which it provides to its customers as part of its service deal is very encouraging. “Be it our Android phone offer or the discounted tariff propositions for voice and data customers,the offers have been well received in Pune.”