MTS launches zero paisa plan to retain customers

India Gazette (IANS) Thursday 9th February, 2012

In the wake of older players attempting to lure the subscribers of telecom firms affected by the cancellation of 2G licenses, Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited (SSTL), which operates under the MTS brand, Wednesday offered a zero paisa to retain its customers.

"MTS customers will now be able to make unlimited MTS to MTS local and national calls at a rate as low as zero paisa. Additionally, customers availing Super Zero can also enjoy free local and national SMSs," the company said in a statement.

"Super Zero comes with the choice of daily, weekly and monthly offerings," it added.

The Supreme Court last week ordered the cancellation of all 122 telecom licences issued during 2008. Sistema Shyam Teleservices, a joint venture between Sistema of Russia and the Shyam Group of India, had 21 licences.

The plan offers unlimited local and national calling and 200 local and national SMSs on the same network for Rs.17 for one day. The one month plan offers 240,000 seconds of local calling and 60,000 seconds of national calling along with 200 local and national SMSs on the same network for Rs.147.

"We have specially designed MTS Super Zero to empower our customers with the freedom to talk more and stay connected with their friends and business associates. I am confident that both our new and existing customers will find our Super Zero initiative extremely exciting as it enables them to make calls at as low as zero paisa," said Leonid Musatov, chief marketing and sales officer, MTS India.

To express the country's concern over its investments in the Indian firm, SSTL, Russia's Communications Minister Igor Shchyogolev will reportedly visit India soon.

Sistema holds a 56.68 percent stake in the venture, the Russian government holds 17.14 percent and the Shyam Group has 23.98 percent. The remaining 2.2 is publicly owned.

The operator, which has over 15 million customers across the country and has investments worth over $2.5 billion, also said it was mulling the option of filing a review petition in the apex court.