Virgin Mobile rolls out GSM services in Maharashtra

Virgin Mobile India has announced the launch of its GSM services in the Mumbai and Maharashtra telecom circles, post the roll-out in five southern circles and Orissa. The company plans to launch its GSM services across India by the end of this financial year.
Telecom Yatra had first reported on Virgin’s launch plan for the two circles early last week. Virgin Mobile subscribers across Maharashtra and Mumbai circles will pay 20 paise per minute for both STD and local calls made to another Virgin Mobile number. Customers calling any other network will be charged at the rate of 40 paise per minute for local and 50 paise per minute for STD calls. Both these offers will be available to customers irrespective of any special plans.
The company is also offering two SMS packs priced at Rs33 and Rs69. The former is available nationally and comes with 2000 local and national SMSs without additional payment for 30 days, while the latter offers 500 local and national SMSs without further payment and also valid for 30 days.
Virgin Mobile had recently announced Ranbir Kapoor and Genelia D’Souza as its new Indian brand ambassadors. As per an official statement, Virgin’s GSM services will be available in 105 towns, which will cater to 77 per cent of the urban youth population across Mumbai and Maharashtra.
MA Madhusudan, chief executive officer, Virgin Mobile India said in the statement, “This launch will help us further consolidate our position as the favourite mobile services brand for India’s youth. I am confident that the brand will garner 10 per cent market share in the urban youth segment through differentiated service to consumers.”
Tata Teleservices is the franchisee for Virgin Mobile in India. Other than the brand name, Virgin Mobile India provides Tata Teleservices with expertise in designing, marketing and servicing Virgin Mobile branded products for the youth segment. Its services reach customers in over 350,000 cities, towns and villages across India.
The company, which has offered CDMA services since 2008 began by offering its GSM services in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Chennai, Tamil Nadu and Kerala circles and recently started operating in Orissa. Virgin Mobile provides only prepaid services to its subscribers and plans to spend Rs500 crore for promoting and branding its GSM services over the next six months.