TCS enriches content for Tata Tele to bid for 3G spectrum

Kolkata: To bid for much awaited 3G auction, the Tatas are getting 3G act in place. While Tata Tele as carrier will bid for the 3G spectrum, it is the group software arm TCS that will develop diverse financial services-centric content to enrich mobile broadband services from the Tata stable.

TCS has already started developing a host of prototypes at its innovation labs in Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata and it proposes to charge Tata Teleservices for this on an actual-usage basis. Confirming this, TCS Vice Chairman S. Ramadorai told Economic Times, "We are developing diverse 3G content for Tata Teleservices, which is essentially in the nature of mobile financial product applications. While Tata Tele will bid for 3G airwaves and deliver mobile broadband services, it's TCS that will enrich the content. We propose to charge Tata Tele on 'an actual usage basis' and a revenue-sharing arrangement may be in place once Tata Tele is ready to roll out 3G services, pan-India."

Ramadorai, however, clarified that TCS would not be purely restricted to Tata Teleservices when it comes to delivering 3G content, and that it was free to offer it commercially to non-Tata telcos operating in India. "TCS's 3G content delivery will not be restricted to Tata Teleservices alone, it will be available to all 3G service providers in India on an actual usage basis," he added.

Apart from exploring the 3G opportunity, TCS is also looking at expanding software operations in the African continent. While it has a marginal presence in Morocco, it is now looking to prise open markets like Egypt by setting up sales and marketing representative offices in the initial stages. Ramadorai also feels that there are major opportunities for Indian IT and BPO companies in Russia. "The prevailing operational transparency levels in Russia leave a lot to be desired and we at TCS are not ready yet to go for a full-blown Russian foray. We do, however, serve Russian clients out of India or through our European operations. But our immediate focus is expanding our show in Africa, Middle East, Southeast Asia and Japan," said Ramadorai.