MTS Mumbai launch soon

MTS Mumbai mobile telephony services are likely to be launched soon. MTS, the mobile brand from Sistema-Shyam Tele, already has operations in Delhi, Bihar-Jharkhand, Kerala, Karnataka, Kolkata, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

MTS advertisements appeared in several Mumbai newspapers today, with the line ‘Coming Soon’. The advertisements did not elaborate on when MTS Mumbai services will be launched, or what the tariffs will be.

MTS feels that it can provide 3G speeds with its 2G networks, since it has sufficient spectrum to offer such services. The high-speed wireless internet services offered by MTS is an example.

In a media interview in July, the MTS MD & CEO had said that services will be rolled out in Delhi and Mumbai by the end of the year. With the Delhi mobile services already rolled out, Mumbai launch will be the next milestone for the company.

MTS will be the latest to launch mobile services in Mumbai. The existing mobile operators in Mumbai include MTNL, Airtel, Vodafone, Tata Indicom, Tata DoCoMo, Reliance Communications, Loop Mobile and Idea Cellular.

Mumbai is one of the busiest telecom circles in India, and brings a large chunk of revenues to mobile operators. ARPUs (Average revenue per user) for many mobile operators in India is highest in Mumbai.

MTS is a CDMA network operator. The other CDMA mobile phone operators in Mumbai include Tata Indicom, MTNL and Reliance Communications.

The wireless broadband service from MTS, called MTS MBlaze was launched in New Delhi recently. It has proved highly popular, providing internet access speeds up to 3.1 mbps on a small USB modem. MTS MBlaze wireless broadband internet access modem is also likely to come to Mumbai as and when the operations are launched.

MTS launched its Indian operations in September 2008. Sistema Shyam Tele is a joint venture of Russia’s Sistema and India’s Shyam group. MTS, the telecom brand from Sistema-Shyam Tele, has wireless spectrum and licence to launch operations in all 22 telecom circles in India, including Mumbai. MTS India claims to have over 20 lakh users in the country. Sistema is the majority shareholder in the venture, holding 73.71% stake. MTS is the eighth largest brand in telecommunications in the world, though it is new to the Indian market. MTS India hopes to be present in all telecom circles in India by the third quarter of 2010.

Keep watching this space for the latest in MTS Mumbai launch, tariffs and special offers.