Telecom service provider Vodafone would focus on growth in data revenue stream by attracting more customers to 2G and 3G platforms besides foraying into mobile commerce facility enabling cashless transactions for users, a company official said here today.
"Our priority is that. We will continue to focus on growing our data as a revenue stream and getting more and more users both on 2G and 3G platform. We will also make a foray into mobile commerce through M-Pesa...," Vodafone South ltd Business Head-Tamil Nadu Apoorva Mehrotra told reporters here. The company, as part of tapping the 65 per cent of users who access the internet through mobile phone has also launched the -- Internet bus initiative in Tier II and III cities, he said.
"Out of the 1.3 crore subscribers, 65 per cent only right now have mobile internet enabled phone. Out of the 65 per cent, only 40 per cent are using data... So there is a large gap between people who can use data but are not using right now. That is where the internet bus and the exclusive retail foot print which we have help us...," he said. Noting that the company has been working on the theme -- "educate, engage and experience" concept, he said the company has been witnessing 60,000 new people as first time data users.
"The touch points we have are becoming very effective as customers who are first time users of data, come and get any information on issues of data, whether email can be configured on a phone and things like that..", he said.
Vodafone conciliation decision after transfer pricing row ends
The Government on Friday decided not to withdraw Vodafone conciliation talks for settling the Rs 20,000 crore tax dispute until a separate case over transfer pricing is settled by a tribunal. The Union Cabinet, at its meeting today, agreed not to take any "hasty decision" and decided to fast-track the transfer pricing dispute case of Vodafone India Services pending with the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT). Once the ITAT expeditiously solves the transfer pricing case, "the Cabinet will review the conciliation process," a senior finance ministry official said.