India's leading telecom operator Bharti Airtel Sunday announced it has tied up the whole financing requirement of $8.3 billion (Rs.37,350 crore) debt for its planned acquisition of Kuwait-based Zain Telecom's African unit.
"The financing was over-subscribed with major international banks committing to underwrite the total amount," the company said in a statement.
Bharti would pay $9 billion (Rs.40,500 crore) to acquire Zain's assets spread across 15 African countries. It will adopt $1.7 billion (Rs.7,650 crore) of Zain's debt.
Bharti Airtel and Zain were in exclusive talks for quite a long time, in Bharti's third venture attempt to acquire an African business after having failed in its bid twice for South Africa's telecom giant, MTN.
Last year, Bharti failed to strike a merger with MTN. The deal was later called off due to regulatory issues in both countries.
Showing posts with label Bharti Airtel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bharti Airtel. Show all posts
Monday, March 22, 2010
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Airtel brings service tax operations under one roof
Telecom service provider Bharti Airtel Friday launched a centre where functions relating to human resource, supply chain, finance and service taxes would be undertaken under one roof.
The unit, Centre for Shared Services for Taxation, was inaugurated by Central Board of Excise and Customs chairman V. Sridhar.
"The shared services initiative is part of an overall transformation programme undertaken by us to improve the efficiency, speed and quality of service," said Bharti Airtel chief executive and joint managing director Manoj Kohli.
"The shared services will deliver all taxation compliances, and also prepare the company for the new GST (goods and services tax) regime which is expected in 2010," Kohli added.
Airtel also said its contribution to the exchequer on account of service tax was Rs.4,108 crore in 2008-09.
The unit, Centre for Shared Services for Taxation, was inaugurated by Central Board of Excise and Customs chairman V. Sridhar.
"The shared services initiative is part of an overall transformation programme undertaken by us to improve the efficiency, speed and quality of service," said Bharti Airtel chief executive and joint managing director Manoj Kohli.
"The shared services will deliver all taxation compliances, and also prepare the company for the new GST (goods and services tax) regime which is expected in 2010," Kohli added.
Airtel also said its contribution to the exchequer on account of service tax was Rs.4,108 crore in 2008-09.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Airtel launches prepaid data card in NCR
Telecom major Bharti Airtel Sunday launched its wireless data card for prepaid users in Delhi and the national capital region (NCR) that will enable Internet connectivity for laptops and other computing devices while on the move.
The data card can work on all the partner networks of Airtel when on national roaming and is compatible with GSM network while on international roaming, the company said in a statement.
"As market leaders, we have always ensured that Airtel customers get the best value, enjoy the finest services and benefit from cutting edge products. Prepaid customers can now use data card at a monthly rental of Rs.348 and enjoy 500 MB free data every month," said Shashi Arora, Bharti Airtel's chief executive for mobile services in Delhi and NCR.
Airtel has recently been adjudged the top telecom service provider of 2009 by the Voice and Data magazine that is dedicated to telecom and Internet services.
The data card can work on all the partner networks of Airtel when on national roaming and is compatible with GSM network while on international roaming, the company said in a statement.
"As market leaders, we have always ensured that Airtel customers get the best value, enjoy the finest services and benefit from cutting edge products. Prepaid customers can now use data card at a monthly rental of Rs.348 and enjoy 500 MB free data every month," said Shashi Arora, Bharti Airtel's chief executive for mobile services in Delhi and NCR.
Airtel has recently been adjudged the top telecom service provider of 2009 by the Voice and Data magazine that is dedicated to telecom and Internet services.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Airtel inks pact with Comviva
Bharti Airtel, the country's leading telecom service provider, today said it has entered into a managed services deal with Comviva, a provider of value added services for mobile operators.
As part of this three-year deal, Comviva (earlier known as Bharti Telesoft) would manage about 2,000 Airtel's VAS nodes across the country from various partners, it said in a statement.
''With Comviva managing our full suite of value added services, we anticipate enhancements in the service experience we deliver to our customers,'' said Bharti Airtel President Mobile Services Atul Bindal.
Comviva CEO Manoranjan Mohapatra said, ''in addition to managing Airtel's 2,000 VAS nodes 'from a range of partners' we will also manage the complexities associated with the emergence of multiple technologies, different standards and a myriad of content to help grow Airtel's VAS business.'' Comviva, had last year signed a deal with South Africa's MTN to provide mobile value-added services to MTN customers in 21 markets.
As part of this three-year deal, Comviva (earlier known as Bharti Telesoft) would manage about 2,000 Airtel's VAS nodes across the country from various partners, it said in a statement.
''With Comviva managing our full suite of value added services, we anticipate enhancements in the service experience we deliver to our customers,'' said Bharti Airtel President Mobile Services Atul Bindal.
Comviva CEO Manoranjan Mohapatra said, ''in addition to managing Airtel's 2,000 VAS nodes 'from a range of partners' we will also manage the complexities associated with the emergence of multiple technologies, different standards and a myriad of content to help grow Airtel's VAS business.'' Comviva, had last year signed a deal with South Africa's MTN to provide mobile value-added services to MTN customers in 21 markets.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Airtel launches 16 Mbps broadband in India
Bharti Airtel, has pioneered 16 Mbps broadband - the fastest wireline broadband on DSL in the country. This service, powered by Airtel's Carrier Ethernet Network, will be initially available in the cities of Delhi NCR, Chennai and Bangalore with phased roll-out to additional cities of Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai and Kolkata.
Announcing the launch of the service, Mr. K Srinivas, Joint President, Telemedia Services, Bharti Airtel said, "Airtel has constantly strived to innovate and deliver high quality products to its broadband customers. We are the leading private broadband service provider in the country and pioneered 8 Mbps broadband.
Airtel delivers its broadband service to customers through a fibre backbone of Carrier Ethernet Network with last mile delivery on copper using ADSL2+ technology. This technology enables ultra high-speed broadband which is scalable and affordable. Airtel is the leading private broadband service provider in the country offering its services across 95 cities in the country with approximately 9.92 lakh broadband customers as on December 31, 2008.
Customers can gain access to 16 Mbps broadband by choosing from 2 Tariff Plans -
-- Speed Combo 2999 - receive 16 Mbps broadband speed with monthly data transfer limit of 20 GB along with a fixed line connection at Rs. 2999 per month
-- Speed Combo 4999 - receive 16 Mbps broadband speed with monthly data transfer limit of 50 GB along with a fixed line connection at Rs. 4999 per month
Announcing the launch of the service, Mr. K Srinivas, Joint President, Telemedia Services, Bharti Airtel said, "Airtel has constantly strived to innovate and deliver high quality products to its broadband customers. We are the leading private broadband service provider in the country and pioneered 8 Mbps broadband.
Airtel delivers its broadband service to customers through a fibre backbone of Carrier Ethernet Network with last mile delivery on copper using ADSL2+ technology. This technology enables ultra high-speed broadband which is scalable and affordable. Airtel is the leading private broadband service provider in the country offering its services across 95 cities in the country with approximately 9.92 lakh broadband customers as on December 31, 2008.
Customers can gain access to 16 Mbps broadband by choosing from 2 Tariff Plans -
-- Speed Combo 2999 - receive 16 Mbps broadband speed with monthly data transfer limit of 20 GB along with a fixed line connection at Rs. 2999 per month
-- Speed Combo 4999 - receive 16 Mbps broadband speed with monthly data transfer limit of 50 GB along with a fixed line connection at Rs. 4999 per month
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Bharti Airtel Limited Q3FY 2009: Rural Coverage Crosses 4 Lac Villages; Revenues Exceed Rs 9,600cr
Highlights for Third Quarter ended December 31, 2008
Bharti Airtel Limited (Bharti Airtel" or 'the company") today announced its audited US GAAP results for the third quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2008. It has once again maintained its strong growth momentum.
The consolidated total revenues for the quarter ended December 31, 2008 of Rs.9,633 crore grew by 38% and EBITDA of Rs. 3,945 crore grew by 33% on a year on year basis. The net income for the quarter ended December 31, 2008 was Rs. 2,159 crore, a growth of 25% over last year.
Bharti had 8.83 crore subscribers, as on December 31, 2008, an increase in the total subscriber base of 54% over the corresponding period last year and maintained its leadership position through an improved market share of all India wireless subscribers at 24.7% as on December 31, 2008, up from 23.6% corresponding to the same period of last year.
Commenting on the results and performance, Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman & Managing Director, Bharti Airtel Limited, said "Bharti Airtel continues to lead the telecom growth story adding customer and revenue market share despite intense competition. Bharti's strategy of extensive roll out ahead of competition, especially in new villages, has yielded rich dividends. Our launch in Sri Lanka has received a huge response and despite coming in as the 5th operator we hope to be in a leadership position in the coming years. The customer response to the launch of our world class DTH and IPTV services has been encouraging. Bharti Airtel is well placed to capitalize on the huge telecom opportunity that India offers."
-- Overall customer base at 8.83 crore
-- Highest ever-net addition of 82.82 lakh customers in a single quarter
-- Market leader with a market share of all India wireless subscribers at 24.7%
-- Total Revenues of Rs. 9,633 crore (up 38% Y-o-Y)
-- EBITDA of Rs. 3,945 crore (up 33% Y-o-Y)
-- Cash Profit of Rs. 3,755 crore (up 30% Y-o-Y)
-- Net Income of Rs. 2,159 crore (up 25% Y-o-Y)
Bharti Airtel Limited (Bharti Airtel" or 'the company") today announced its audited US GAAP results for the third quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2008. It has once again maintained its strong growth momentum.
The consolidated total revenues for the quarter ended December 31, 2008 of Rs.9,633 crore grew by 38% and EBITDA of Rs. 3,945 crore grew by 33% on a year on year basis. The net income for the quarter ended December 31, 2008 was Rs. 2,159 crore, a growth of 25% over last year.
Bharti had 8.83 crore subscribers, as on December 31, 2008, an increase in the total subscriber base of 54% over the corresponding period last year and maintained its leadership position through an improved market share of all India wireless subscribers at 24.7% as on December 31, 2008, up from 23.6% corresponding to the same period of last year.
Commenting on the results and performance, Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman & Managing Director, Bharti Airtel Limited, said "Bharti Airtel continues to lead the telecom growth story adding customer and revenue market share despite intense competition. Bharti's strategy of extensive roll out ahead of competition, especially in new villages, has yielded rich dividends. Our launch in Sri Lanka has received a huge response and despite coming in as the 5th operator we hope to be in a leadership position in the coming years. The customer response to the launch of our world class DTH and IPTV services has been encouraging. Bharti Airtel is well placed to capitalize on the huge telecom opportunity that India offers."
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Airtel DTH at your doorstep on October 9; Airtel Digital to offer many firsts
Airtel DTH Launch: Bharti Airtel Ltd, India's top telecom firm, said on Tuesday it would launch direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television services from Oct. 9, initially in 62 cities. "The penetration of the market is just about 3 percent. We have just seven million DTH customers in the country. This is a right time for Airtel to enter," Manoj Kohli, the firm's chief executive officer, told a news conference.According to Kohli, the company's DTH services will have for both set top box (STB) that receives signal from the antenna, and the television set, besides other features such as high STB memory, exclusive interactive applications, onscreen and more efficient battery.
The service would be available to customers through 21,000 retail points including Airtel Relationship Centres in 62 cities.
Current DTH stand in India: At present, there are five DTH players in the Indian market. There are 225 million households across the country and the penetration is only 3 per cent for DTH services.
Initially, the company had introduced three different packages for the North and Southern markets.
Airtel Direct to Home tariffs: For the Northern market, the package starts from Rs 2,499 and for the South, the package would start from Rs 1,499.
Depending on the language and genre of channels, the monthly tariffs would range from Rs 125 to Rs 424, he informed.
The company would also offer special deals for its eight million existing mobile, broadband and other customers.
Besides the latest technology, Airtel digital TV brings many firsts to the DTH segment in India:
* Universal remote for both Set Top Box and TV that offers enhanced viewer convenience;
* Highest Set Top Box memory enabling more interactive applications;
* Exclusivecontent such as World space Radio;
* Interactive applications such as iMatinee (Book cinema tickets), iTravel (Browse and book travel packages), iShop (Shop on TV for your favorite brands), iCity (Get your city's information) and Widgets (Update yourself on latest stock news). 8 screen iNews, 2 / 4 screen iSports.
* Amazing games with high quality graphics, refreshed every 6 weeks
* Audio gain control for uniform audio levels across all channels
* Simple and intuitive search
* On screen account meter
* Last viewed channel in case of power disruption/switch off
* Low battery indicator on the screen
And now, Airtel to enter direct-to-home television market
Telecom operator Airtel Tuesday announced the launch of its direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television service.
The service will be available in 62 cities from Oct 9, a senior company official said here.
“This is a right time for Airtel to enter the market. We are very clear at Airtel and will take over as a leader of the sector as soon as possible,” Airtel chief executive officer and managing director Manoj Kohli said.
According to Kohli, the company's DTH services will have universal remote for both set top box (STB) that receives signal from the antenna, and the television set, besides other features such as high STB memory, exclusive interactive applications, onscreen games and more efficient battery.
Indo-Asian News Service
The service will be available in 62 cities from Oct 9, a senior company official said here.
“This is a right time for Airtel to enter the market. We are very clear at Airtel and will take over as a leader of the sector as soon as possible,” Airtel chief executive officer and managing director Manoj Kohli said.
According to Kohli, the company's DTH services will have universal remote for both set top box (STB) that receives signal from the antenna, and the television set, besides other features such as high STB memory, exclusive interactive applications, onscreen games and more efficient battery.
Indo-Asian News Service
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Airtel launches smart phone with HTC Corporation
India's largest private mobile service provider Airtel Thursday announced its tie-up with Taiwan-based phone company HTC Corporation to offer a new smart phone which will have PC-like functionality.The phone - HTC Touch Diamond - is priced at Rs.27,500 and will have a wide range of features like large scale mobile broadband application for seamless Internet browsing, Youtube application for watching video content and access to Airtel live for entertainment.
HTC chief executive officer Peter Chou told reporters here that its mobile phone has extremely rich features and "the users will feel the difference".
Currently, HTC has nine smart phones in the Indian market priced between Rs.11,500 to Rs.35,000. Globally, the company sells about 10 million hand sets annually.
The HTC Corporation plans to sell 1 million smart phones in India by 2009. The company has plans for two more India-specific models within the next six months, a company official said.
"The price would be less than Rs.10,000," said the official.
According to HTC, it sells its hand sets in India either as a stand-alone product or through an association with mobile operators.
Earlier, HTC had announced a tie-up with Reliance Communications for the sales of its CDMA hand sets in the country.
"We see India as the fastest growing market in Asia. Our sales in India in the second half of 2007 went up by nearly 300 percent," said the official.
Indo-Asian News Service
Friday, May 2, 2008
Bharti Airtel, IFFCO enter into strategic partnership
Bharti Airtel, India's leading mobile phone service provider, Friday entered into a strategic partnership with state-run Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO) to offer telephony services to farmers in the country's hinterland.
The new entity that has been formed after the joint venture - IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Ltd (IKSL) - would provide products and services, specifically designed for farmers, through IFFCO societies in villages.
“The next market lies in rural areas. With this joint venture we will clearly like to gain the maximum amount of market share in the rural areas and be a leader in the same,” said Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman and group CEO, Bharti Enterprises.
“We are trying to cover as much area as possible in rural area,” Mittal added.
In the first phase, telephony services would be rolled out in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh.
Indo-Asian News Service
The new entity that has been formed after the joint venture - IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Ltd (IKSL) - would provide products and services, specifically designed for farmers, through IFFCO societies in villages.
“The next market lies in rural areas. With this joint venture we will clearly like to gain the maximum amount of market share in the rural areas and be a leader in the same,” said Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman and group CEO, Bharti Enterprises.
“We are trying to cover as much area as possible in rural area,” Mittal added.
In the first phase, telephony services would be rolled out in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh.
Indo-Asian News Service
Friday, April 25, 2008
Bharti Airtel registers good fourth quarter growth
Bharti Airtel, India's largest mobile phone service operator, Friday posted robust growth with consolidated net profit rising to Rs.18.98 billion in the quarter ending March 2008, from Rs.13.18 billion in the same period last year.
The firm, which has 64 million subscribers as of March 31, 2008, has registered a total income of Rs.79.29 billion in the fourth quarter of 2007-08 from Rs.53.98 billion in the same quarter of 2006-07.
"This has been another year of record growth for the telecom industry and Bharti Airtel. The Indian telecom story is now entering the second wave of growth, which will come from rural India. As an industry leader we are committed to be at the forefront of this growth and take our services deeper into rural areas and provide affordable world-class services to customers," said Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairperson and managing director of Bharti Airtel.
"The coming year will be an exciting one for the company as we launch our services in new segments such as DTH and go live with our operations in Sri Lanka. Going forward, we see another year of strong demand in all business segments and we will continue to build on our organisational strengths," Mittal added.
During the fiscal year ending March 2008, the company's net income stood at Rs.67 billion and cash profit of Rs.111.37 billion.
The company, which has a market of 32.22 percent, has plans to invest $3.4 billion in the current fiscal in building its infrastructure and networks.
Indo-Asian News Service
The firm, which has 64 million subscribers as of March 31, 2008, has registered a total income of Rs.79.29 billion in the fourth quarter of 2007-08 from Rs.53.98 billion in the same quarter of 2006-07.
"This has been another year of record growth for the telecom industry and Bharti Airtel. The Indian telecom story is now entering the second wave of growth, which will come from rural India. As an industry leader we are committed to be at the forefront of this growth and take our services deeper into rural areas and provide affordable world-class services to customers," said Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairperson and managing director of Bharti Airtel.
"The coming year will be an exciting one for the company as we launch our services in new segments such as DTH and go live with our operations in Sri Lanka. Going forward, we see another year of strong demand in all business segments and we will continue to build on our organisational strengths," Mittal added.
During the fiscal year ending March 2008, the company's net income stood at Rs.67 billion and cash profit of Rs.111.37 billion.
The company, which has a market of 32.22 percent, has plans to invest $3.4 billion in the current fiscal in building its infrastructure and networks.
Indo-Asian News Service
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Sunil Bharti Mittal has won GSM Association Chairman's Award 2008
Chairman and Group CEO of Bharti Airtel Ltd., Sunil Bharti Mittal has been awarded the GSM Association Chairman's Award 2008 at the recently concluded GSMA Meet in Barcelona, Spain. This Award, which is the highest honour in the global telecom sector, has been conferred on Mr. Mittal for his tremendous contribution to the development of India’s telecom sector. It reflects Mr. Mittal’s remarkable dedication, personal passion and leadership toward the goal of connecting people via communication across the broad spectrum of Indian society. In doing so, he has led a business revolution which has seen Bharti Airtel innovate in unique ways and reinvent its business model in order to sustainably serve and connect the lowest income strata of Indian society.
Congratulating Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal on receiving this award, GSM Association Chairman Craig Ehrlich said “Mr. Mittal has built an incredibly successful business from scratch, one which has had a truly transformational impact on our industry, on the customers he serves and on India’s economy. His brave and ambitious strategies will continue to resonate across the country, our industry and the business community globally, becoming a benchmark for emerging markets worldwide. We congratulate Mr. Mittal, on what has been an immense personal contribution to the vitality of the mobile world."
The GSMA Chairman’s Award was first established in 1995 and recognizes people or organisations that have made a real difference to the mobile industry - pushed the industry into a whole new dimension. Some of the previous awardees include Jorma Ollila, former CEO and now chairman of Nokia; Sir Christopher Gent, former CEO of Vodafone, and Zhang Li Gui, former president of China Mobile.
Congratulating Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal on receiving this award, GSM Association Chairman Craig Ehrlich said “Mr. Mittal has built an incredibly successful business from scratch, one which has had a truly transformational impact on our industry, on the customers he serves and on India’s economy. His brave and ambitious strategies will continue to resonate across the country, our industry and the business community globally, becoming a benchmark for emerging markets worldwide. We congratulate Mr. Mittal, on what has been an immense personal contribution to the vitality of the mobile world."
The GSMA Chairman’s Award was first established in 1995 and recognizes people or organisations that have made a real difference to the mobile industry - pushed the industry into a whole new dimension. Some of the previous awardees include Jorma Ollila, former CEO and now chairman of Nokia; Sir Christopher Gent, former CEO of Vodafone, and Zhang Li Gui, former president of China Mobile.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Bharti Airtel Selects NDS To Protect and Power New Digital Satellite Service
Highlights:
-- India's leading cellular operator, Bharti Airtel, has chosen technology from NDS for its new digital satellite platform
-- NDS' market-leading VideoGuard(R) conditional access, MediaHighway(R) middleware and customized electronic programme guide selected to protect and enhance new service
NDS, the leading provider of technology solutions for digital pay-TV, announced that it has been selected by Bharti Airtel to provide a suite of digital broadcasting solutions for the launch of the company's digital satellite service. Bharti Airtel announced recently that the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has granted the company a Letter of Intent, licensing the new DTH platform.
NDS will provide Bharti Airtel with world-leading VideoGuard(R) conditional access, MediaHighway(R) middleware as well as a customized electronic programme guide (EPG). VideoGuard is currently securing TV content in 78.6 million set-top boxes worldwide, and 69.9 million deployed Mediahighway clients are enabling operators around the world to provide enhanced services to viewers. Through these NDS solutions, Bharti Airtel gains the flexibility to introduce future enhancements including interactive applications and additional advanced services for subscribers.
Announcing the latest development in the company's DTH strategy, Mr. Arjun, Executive Director, Bharti Airtel, said: "Bharti Airtel has successfully focused its strategy on offering a full range of integrated telecom services, and today is one of the world's fastest growing telecom companies. The launch of DTH services is part of our ongoing strategy to offer consumers in India the most extensive range of converged services in the market."
Ms. Sue Taylor, Vice President and General Manager of NDS Asia Pacific said: "Being selected by Bharti Airtel is a validation of the technology leadership of NDS and recognition of the significant investment in NDS' Indian capabilities over the past six years. We look forward to partnering with Bharti Airtel on their future growth strategies. NDS market-leading technology will enable Bharti Airtel to deliver world-class digital and interactive entertainment services to their subscribers."
NDS' R&D facility in Bangalore, which has been operational for six years and now employs over 750 people, will be leading the development of a state-of-the-art electronic program guide for Bharti Airtel. In addition, this development centre will be instrumental in designing interactive TV applications tailored to the Indian audience.
About NDS NDS Group plc (NASDAQ: NNDS), a majority owned subsidiary of News Corporation, supplies open end-to-end digital technology and services to digital pay-television platform operators and content providers. See www.nds.com for more information about NDS.
Cautionary Statement Concerning
Forward-looking Statements This document may contain certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance as of the time the statements are made. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in global economic, business, competitive market, regulatory and other factors. More detailed information about these and other factors that could affect future results is contained in our filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Any "forward-looking statements" included in this document are made only as of the date of this document and we do not have any obligation, nor do we undertake, to publicly update any "forward-looking statements" to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law.
-- India's leading cellular operator, Bharti Airtel, has chosen technology from NDS for its new digital satellite platform
-- NDS' market-leading VideoGuard(R) conditional access, MediaHighway(R) middleware and customized electronic programme guide selected to protect and enhance new service
NDS, the leading provider of technology solutions for digital pay-TV, announced that it has been selected by Bharti Airtel to provide a suite of digital broadcasting solutions for the launch of the company's digital satellite service. Bharti Airtel announced recently that the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has granted the company a Letter of Intent, licensing the new DTH platform.
NDS will provide Bharti Airtel with world-leading VideoGuard(R) conditional access, MediaHighway(R) middleware as well as a customized electronic programme guide (EPG). VideoGuard is currently securing TV content in 78.6 million set-top boxes worldwide, and 69.9 million deployed Mediahighway clients are enabling operators around the world to provide enhanced services to viewers. Through these NDS solutions, Bharti Airtel gains the flexibility to introduce future enhancements including interactive applications and additional advanced services for subscribers.
Announcing the latest development in the company's DTH strategy, Mr. Arjun, Executive Director, Bharti Airtel, said: "Bharti Airtel has successfully focused its strategy on offering a full range of integrated telecom services, and today is one of the world's fastest growing telecom companies. The launch of DTH services is part of our ongoing strategy to offer consumers in India the most extensive range of converged services in the market."
Ms. Sue Taylor, Vice President and General Manager of NDS Asia Pacific said: "Being selected by Bharti Airtel is a validation of the technology leadership of NDS and recognition of the significant investment in NDS' Indian capabilities over the past six years. We look forward to partnering with Bharti Airtel on their future growth strategies. NDS market-leading technology will enable Bharti Airtel to deliver world-class digital and interactive entertainment services to their subscribers."
NDS' R&D facility in Bangalore, which has been operational for six years and now employs over 750 people, will be leading the development of a state-of-the-art electronic program guide for Bharti Airtel. In addition, this development centre will be instrumental in designing interactive TV applications tailored to the Indian audience.
About NDS NDS Group plc (NASDAQ: NNDS), a majority owned subsidiary of News Corporation, supplies open end-to-end digital technology and services to digital pay-television platform operators and content providers. See www.nds.com for more information about NDS.
Cautionary Statement Concerning
Forward-looking Statements This document may contain certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance as of the time the statements are made. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in global economic, business, competitive market, regulatory and other factors. More detailed information about these and other factors that could affect future results is contained in our filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Any "forward-looking statements" included in this document are made only as of the date of this document and we do not have any obligation, nor do we undertake, to publicly update any "forward-looking statements" to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law.
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