MTS rolls out prepaid data service in Delhi

MTS, the CDMA mobile service of Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd (SSTL), has announced the launch of its high speed prepaid data service, MBlaze, in New Delhi. The service enables users to access few websites such as Yahoo, Wikipedia and Makemytrip without any data download charges. It is available at a rate of 10 paise per MB with a speed of up to 3.1 Mbps (megabits per second).
The prepaid data service is free of any roaming charges and security deposit and will be available in eight circles – Delhi, Rajasthan, Kolkata, West Bengal, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. It will also be made available in Mumbai from December.
MBlaze is an internet Modem which can be connected to a computer through USB. The modem can be bought for Rs 3499 for a premium model and Rs 2999 for a standard model. The price points for usage, depending on the volume of data downloaded per month, range from Rs 198 to Rs 5000.
Vsevolod Rozanov, president and chief executive officer, SSTL, says in a company statement, “Data services are going to expand beyond the metros with people demanding real time information and knowledge. We see the market expanding beyond the corporate user to include SME (small and medium enterprises) and students. Data services integrate the user with real time information and offer a wide array of benefits including interactivity and gaming.”
Sanjay Bahl, chief operating officer, Delhi-NCR and Haryana circle, MTS, adds, “All our base transmitting stations in Delhi-NCR are high speed data enabled, and hence MBlaze subscribers will have seamless connectivity even in a traffic jam of Delhi roads.”
MTS currently has over 2.5 million subscribers in nine telecom circles – Kolkata, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Bihar, Jharkhand, Delhi and Karnataka.
SSTL is a joint venture between Sistema of Russia and the Shyam Group of India. Sistema is the majority shareholder in this joint venture with a 74 per cent equity stake, along with the Shyam Group holding a 23.5 per cent stake and the remaining 2.5 per cent being publicly held. SSTL has the license to provide mobile telephony services in all the 22 circles across India.