NEW DELHI: BT (British Telecom) has applied for national long distance (NLD) and international long distance (ILD) licences in India. It will offer services for the first time to multi-site corporate customers in the Indian market through a newly formed joint venture. BT at present provides connectivity to its customers in India through an arrangement with a local licensed operator.

Under the joint venture agreement, BT holds a 74 per cent stake, while Jubilant Enpro holds the balance. "Our partnership with Jubilant Enpro will strengthen our ICT deployment in India,'' BT Global Services CEO Andy Green said at a news conference here on Monday. Mr. Green said BT's earnings from India were projected to increase to $250 millions by 2009. It was looking to increase its employee strength in the country by hiring an additional 6,000 people over the next two years.

PTI reports:

"We expect to get STD and ISD licences in the next 8-12 weeks and if that happens we will be able to provide services by the end of the first quarter of next year,'' C. S. Rao, Managing Director, BT India, said. Spelling out its strong growth plans for India, Mr. Rao said BT's initial intention was to provide both domestic and international managed services to corporate customers who have sites in India, including VPN services. He, however, ruled out any effort to tap the last mile customers. Once granted the licence, BT will compete with AT&T which already has got both NLD and ILD licence and is focusing on the same market as BT.

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