Telecommunications giants rush into India

At the 3GSM conference held in Barcelona (Spain), mobile telecommunications companies have shifted their focus to a new emerging market in Asia: India, a populous country. second world.

Vodafone's $ 11 billion contract to invest in India's fourth largest Hutchison Essar mobile telecommunications network was announced on the eve of the fair that awakened attendees. with the potential of India.

With 150 million subscribers, the market share is only 15%, India is the fourth largest mobile telecommunications market in the world, after China, the US and Russia.

It is also a major market with rapid growth and is expected to surpass Russia this year. At the current rate of growth, there will be half a billion mobile subscribers in India by 2010.

A Vodafone competitor, Orange mobile telecommunications group, was jealous, said its CEO Sanjiv Ahuja, who said he could follow Vodafone's direction. " India is a fast growing market, and if a right opportunity has just emerged for appraisal, we will consider it ."

Although analysts believe Vodafone has made a significant investment in Hutchison Essar, most members of the UK mobile network have agreed.

Meanwhile, some of India's other telecom networks, such as the leading mobile phone service provider Bharti Airtel, are eager to prepare for plans to expand into the telecom market overseas.

Vu Anh Tu