Satyam Infoway to ink ILD licence
Chennai:   Satyam Infoway Limited (Sify) has applied for an international long distance licence. Five companies have so far received letters of intent (LoI) to enter ILD services.

While Reliance is the first company to sign the licence agreement, the other four to receive LoI are Bharti, Data Access, Pacific Net Invest and Connecting Networks.

Satyam Infoway is yet to decide the international signal carrier it will tie-up with, as it is yet to receive clear guidelines about issues like revenue-sharing with the BTO within the country.

The company already has a ready infrastructure and therefore the lead time required for starting operations would be minimal. It currently has seven international satellite gateways across the country with a capacity of 60 mbps, apart from the 120 mbps it has leased from VSNL.

The ISP would be using a combination of VoIP and conventional circuit switching and decide on the upgradation necessary depending upon the quality of voice travelling on its network.
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Cap Gemini Ernst & Young to set up 2 centres
Mumbai: Cap Gemini Ernst & Young (CGE&Y) plans to set up two development centres in India by 2003. As part of its expansion plans for the existing development centre in Mumbai, the company will also set up a CRM centre of excellence by the middle of this year.

The new centre would be utilised for global projects from CGE&Y, which include development, outsourcing and consulting. The new sectors of focus for the firm would be energy, utility, automotive, life sciences and the geographies would be Australia, Japan and Netherlands.
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BSNL to tap debt market
New Delhi: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd is all set to tap the debt market in the third week of March to mobilise Rs 200-250 crores.

In 2000-01, BSNL had raised Rs 510 crore through five-year bonds, with a three year put and call option.

BSNL has drawn up a Rs 14,076 crore investment plan for 2002-03. This would be used to set up 65 lakh wireless and wireline connections.
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Videocon to promote multi-fridge range
Mumbai:   Videocon International Ltd is charting out an aggressive marketing plan to promote its entire Videocon Multi-Fridge range along with enhancing its marketing services, dealer network and distribution system soon.

Videocon targets its sales turnover to touch Rs 530 crore by 2003-end from Rs 380 crore at present, through the manufacturing and marketing of its multi-fridge range.

Currently, the company enjoys a marketshare of 13 per cent in the direct cool segment and 11 per cent in the frost-free segment.
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Jaquar to extend pre-sales service
New Delhi: Jaquar & Co Ltd is setting up a network of orientation centres this year to extend its pre-sales services across the country. The centres are intended to serve as display centres to educate potential customers, architects and plumbers on how to meet specific needs of bathroom designing and fittings.

The company is targeting a network of 10 orientation centres.

Jaquar has entered into strategic marketing tie-ups with three global companies - Hansgrohe of Germany, known for its shower products, Aquis, a leading Swiss name in sensor bath products and Austrian crystals major Swarovski.

While Jaquar achieved a turnover of Rs 106 crore last year, it expects to touch Rs 130 crore this year.
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Qwikys sets up food division
Chennai:  Chimayo Chains Pvt Ltd, master licensee of Qwiky Corporation Inc, has set up a food division to reach out to all areas and market segments that its coffee chain cannot reach.

The division has long-term plans to launch ready-to-drink coffee sachets, apart from marketing hot and cold gourmet coffee vending machines to restaurant chains, ice-cream parlours and a host of other institutions.

The company plans to offer total coffee solutions to corporates and other institutions.
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Budget Highlights