• Vodafone acquires 10% stake in Bharti Tele-Ventures Ltd • IBM chief Samuel J Palmisano meets Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh • BSNL junks Huawei's contract • LG Electronics India plans new plant for optical storage devices
Microsoft India, the Indian subsidiary of the world's largest software company, has chalked out a `retail strategy' as part of which it has been considering establishing demo centres or outlets where consumers can get a hands-on experience of the company's technologies. A Hindu Business Line report has quoted Microsoft India MD Neelam Dhawan saying that the centres would be targeted at consumer segment, in particular the home user, and could be implemented through a partnership model.
Sun Microsystems Inc., whose server computers run corporate networks and Internet sites, has announced a new range of x86 64-bit servers have been made available in India . The Galaxy family of x64 multi-core available servers begins with the Sun Fire X2100, a single-socket x64 rack-mount server, starting at $960 (Rs 43,975) and includes the two-socket, 4-way Sun Fire X4100 and Sun Fire X4200 servers.
The world's largest jet Airbus A380 will use a microchip developed by HCL Technologies, the publicly listed IT services unit of India 's fifth largest IT firm HCL Enterprise. The new Airbus will be unveiled in 2007. According to a Zee News report, the chip co-developed and verified by HCL technologies would be integrated into the system data acquisition computer of the aircraft.
Birlasoft Limited, the IT services unit of the $1.5 billion C.K. Birla Group that makes products ranging from India 's "Ambassador" cars to "Orient" fans, has planned an investment of $2.6 million to set up a 600-seat development centre in Hyderabad by February 2006. According a Business Standard report, the Hyderabad centre will focus on the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sectors.
Hyderabad-based Prithvi Information Solutions Limited, a provider of technology and process outsourcing services, has charted a plan to increase its employee strength from around 900 to 3,000. Business Standard, the financial daily, reports that the company also targets the deal size of $50-100 million in the near future.
LG Electronics India, the Indian subsidiary of South Korea 's second-largest electronics maker LG Electronics Inc., plans to set up a new plant to manufacture optical storage devices (OSDs). As per a news report by financial daily Business Line, the new plant will manufacture IT-related products such as CD and DVD writers, by early 2006.
HCL Infosystems, the publicly listed hardware and distribution unit of India's fifth largest IT firm HCL Enterprise, has announced a partnership with the Europe-based IT firm Bull to launch enterprise class servers on open architecture. A Business Line news report says that under the partnership, Bull would provide the technology for Linux-based servers, which will be marketed under HCL Infosystems' Infiniti brand.
Bangalore-based start-up i-Vista Digital Solutions has received a Euro one million contract for outsourced product development from Netherlands-based clients. Narayan Rajan, the company's CEO and founder, said that the products would be delivered by 2006-end through a build-own-operate and transfer model.
IBM India has charted out a plan to add 1,000 channel partners during this year, in order to strengthen its presence in over 25 cities to expand its business in the server market. According to a report by Business Standard, the company is also planning to expand its business in smaller cities. IBM, the world's largest IT company, is also India 's biggest multinational software exporter.
Valvoline Cummins Limited, manufacturer and distributor of lubricants (oils and greases), filters, specialty chemicals and carcare products has selected Satyam Computer Services Limited as the integrated enterprise business solution implementation partner.
Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS), the largest IT services company of India , with annual revenues of more than $2 billion, has set up a dedicated remote-managed infrastructure and BPO solution centre Chennai. A Business Standard report says that TCS has invested an amount of over $10 million in the center to provide end-to-end services for clients' IT infrastructure needs.
(Ref: Business Standard, October 26, 2005 )
Infosys Australia Executive quits to start own company
The Executive Director of Infosys Technologies' Australia , Ananda Rao , has quit to start his own new Information Management company, Benchmark Group Holdings. The new company will be headquartered in Melbourne , according to a Zee News report.
Nipuna Services Ltd, the BPO arm of the 4 th largest Indian IT services company Satyam Computer Services, has won three special animation projects from Spirit, a Rama Naidu Studios initiative.
Wipro, India 's third largest IT services company, has decided to set up a 40-acre campus in Mohali, reports Tribune. The Punjab Government had made an offer of 40 acres of land to Wipro. According to the Tribune report, the company has agreed and conveyed its acceptance to the Punjab Government.
IBM Chairman and CEO Samuel J Palmisano on Monday met with Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh to discuss his company's India plans. Financial Express reports that Mr Palmisano's four-day India visit is in line with IBM's continued focus on emerging growth countries like India , China , Russia and Brazil . IBM is India 's sixth largest IT employer with a workforce of approximately 23,000 people.
(Ref: Financial Express, November 04, 2005 )
AMD's India design center to work on 65 nm server chip
With the semi-conductor industry making the transition from 90 nanometer (nm) to 65 nanometer, the No. 2 maker of personal-computer processors Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Inc., is ramping up design activities in India, focused on these shrinking chip geometries.
Oracle Corp., the world's No. 3 software maker, has completed the acquisition of PeopleSoft development centres operated by Covansys Corporation and Mumbai-based Hexaware Technologies Ltd.
Ericsson AB , the world's largest maker of mobile-phone networks, has announced its intention to set up a research and development (R&D) centre in Chennai. According to a Business Standard report, the company also plans to set up a global services delivery centre (GSDC) in New Delhi and upgrade its GSM radio base station manufacturing facility in Rajasthan. The report says that the company is also looking at increasing headcount in the country.
Tata Teleservices Ltd (TTSL), the second largest CDMA-based mobile phone operator of India , has placed an order for 0.35 million handsets with South Korea 's second largest mobile manufacturer Pantech & Curitel Communications Inc. The company has not disclosed the financial details of the deal, but media reports have pegged the deal size at $26.6 million.
Comba Telecom, a provider of wireless solutions for the 2G and 3G mobile telecoms market, has opened its India office in New Delhi . It has appointed Rajiv Girotra as the country general manager. The company would now serve directly to Indian service providers with wireless network enhancement and coverage solutions for both indoor and outdoor environments.
Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL), the government owned company providing telecom services in Delhi and Mumbai, is eying a minority stake in a Chinese telecom company. MTNL Chairman and Managing Director RSP Sinha acknowledged to media that the company had already initiated the move but refused to give details. According to the media reports, the Chinese company has full-fledged telephony operations in four provinces, including Shanghai .
Vodafone Group Plc.(Vodafone), the world's top mobile operator by revenue, has secured
10 percent interest in the Bharti Tele-Ventures Ltd., India's top GSM mobile services firm, for $1.5 billion (Rs 6656 crore). Vodafone, through Vodafone Mauritius Ltd., has contracted to subscribe shares in Bharti Enterprises, giving it a beneficial stake in the company of 4.4 percent. Additionally, Vodafone, through Vodafone International Holdings BV, has also picked up 5.65 percent stake from Warburg Pincus, thereby taking the total beneficial interest in the company to around 10 percent.
STATE-owned GAIL ( India ) Ltd, Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd and RailTel have joined hands to leverage the synergies in their telecom operations by pooling their telecom infrastructure. According to a Business Line report, the consortium intends to become the country's second largest broadband service provider, with plans to venture into STD and ISD services in the future.
The Government of India has clarified that it had no plans for split and quasi-merger of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL), reported a private news broadcaster Zee News. BSNL and MTNL are the two state owned companies complementary to each other, as MTNL provides telecom services in national capital Delhi , and the business capital Mumbai, while BSNL does the same in the rest of the country. According to the news channel, Department of Telecom (DoT) denied the reports in a section of the media saying, "The news item is based in incorrect facts. There is no proposal involving any split or restructuring of BSNL or MTNL."
Huawei Technologies, China 's biggest maker of telecommunications equipment, has suffered a setback in India . According to media reports, State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has cancelled the Chinese company's $31 mln (Rs 1.4 billion) contract for supplying equipment for 1.05 million CDMA lines in partnership with Himachal Futuristic Communications Ltd and Semiconductor Complex Ltd.
(Ref: Business Standard, November 05, 2005 )
Media Companies
KBC 2 gets record 100 mln calls, SMSes
The second round of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC 2), a TV game show based on the popular programme Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, has crossed the landmark figure of 100 million calls and SMSes in just 65 episodes. Financial daily Business Standard reports that Star is very upbeat about these numbers to become even bigger. BSNL and Airtel are the cellular partners for the game show. The report says that KBC 2 has beaten its own record of 90 million calls in 309 episodes in 2000.
(Ref: Business Standard, October 30, 2005 )
BAG Films foraying into films
Delhi-based production house BAG Films, is foraying into films with a proposed investment of $2.2 million. According to a Business Standard report, the four films including two Hindi and one each in the regional languages Punjabi and Bhojpuri will be released in 2006. BAG Films is also in the process of upgrading its recently set up media school in Delhi.
(Ref: Business Standard, October 30, 2005 )
Turner partners with TV18 for a English news channel, CNN-IBN
Global Broadcast News (GBN) co-promoted by TV18 group, that runs the Indian business channel CNBC-TV18, has tied up with Turner International to launch a 24-hour, English general news channel in India. Media portal agencyfaqs.com reports that following this tie-up, the new channel will be co-branded as CNN-IBN. Earlier GBN had planned to name the new channel India Broadcast News (IBN).
(Ref: agencyfaqs.com, October 27, 2005 )
TOI entering 'free' neighborhood paper segment
The Times of India Group, publisher of the largest selling English newspaper in India , has ventured into the free neighborhood newspaper segment with 'Times Neighborhood', a weekly launched in Anna Nagar, a colony in the south Indian metropolitan city Chennai. A report by exchange4media.com quotes Ninan Thariyan, GM - Response, TOI, Chennai, saying that it will be a stand-alone product and is an opportunity for TOI to address more advertisers, who in turn, need to address residents of the neighborhoods they operate in.
(Ref: exchange4media.com, October 29, 2005 )
Doordarshan targets $175 mln revenue
India 's public broadcaster Doordarshan is hoping to garner commercial revenue of $175 million in this financial year, up from last year's earnings of $145 million. Media portal exchange4media.com has quoted Prasar Bharati CEO, K S Sarma saying, "Contrary to the perception that the telecast of sports events on Doordarshan would be a major revenue earner, we hope to make just about $22 million from it out of the projected revenue of $175 million for 2005-06."
ComVort enters India in alliance with Tempest Advertising
The Hyderabad-based Tempest Advertising has entered into an alliance with the ComVort Group, the German-based network of 86 small and mid-sized advertising agencies in 36 countries worldwide. A report by media portal exchange4media.com says that the agreement will enable Tempest to plug into the vast creative and knowledge resource of ComVort agencies across the world. On the other hand, ComVort clients entering India would be able to utilise the services offered by Tempest.
(Ref: exchange4media.com, October 28, 2005 )
Rediff.com registered users grow by 18 per cent
Registered users of Rediff.com, the leading web-portal of India , grew to 39.4 million as of September 30, 2005 , an 18 per cent increase over the number of registered users as of September 30, 2004 . Rediff.com India Ltd announced it in the financial results for the second fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2005 .
(Ref: exchange4media.com, October 25, 2005 )
DNA, RED FM in strategic tie-up to leverage respective brands
RED FM 93.5, the private FM radio broadcaster of India Today Group and DNA, a daily newspaper by Dainik Bhaskar-Zee TV combine have come together to forge a strategic alliance in the areas of content, music and entertainment, Bollywood, movie marketing, ground tie-ups and promotions.
