Uninor is now Telenor. No 3G steam to roll

The ‘sabse sasta’ telecom operator Uninor has renamed itself Telenor today. It is now a 100% subsidiary of Telenor, thanks to FDI.

“We continue to focus on the three strategic pillars as a company – best in basic services, mass market distribution and low cost of operation. We’re the #1 operator in terms of price perception”, Vivek Sood, CEO, Telenor India said.

The brand looks to refresh its identity after the 2012 fiasco and ramp up its India operations. Telenor India currently contributes 6% to Telenor’s global revenue and 12% of its Asia revenue.

“As a committed shareholder, Telenor continues to invest in our business. Even after 2012 when we went through difficult times, they’re still interested to create a long term story”, Sood said.

Speaking at the launch, the Chief Executive was clear about the company’s target consumer base.

“Uninor has typically positioned itself as the one with the lowest ARPU (price per min) operator. Our customers are not necessarily savvy, and need to be treated fairly. That’s our focus. It’s beyond sab se sasta (the cheapest)”, he said.

The company launched its mobile app and is introducing call drop reimbursement across STD, ISD and local tariffs.

“We’re also getting our network ready for the next stage of services. However, since the government guidelines have come very recently, it’s still too early to comment”, Sood affirms.

However, when asked about the possibility of a 3G/4G rollout in a market of slipping call durations and tariffs, not to mention the ongoing smartphone revolution, Sood is dismissive.

“There is euphoria around 4G and 3G services. There’s still a lot of work to be done on the basic 2G services. Our internet penetration is around 25%. That’s not too different from what the large operators have. If there is a strong package of basic services customers can afford, they’ll want that. However, there is no urgency from our end”, he says.

Telenor India currently has 47.5 million subscribers in the 6 circles they currently operate in.