Hutch has more than 8 lakh subscribers
New Delhi: Hutch has more than eight lakh subscriber marks in Delhi and has become eligible for additional spectrum.

With Hutch and Airtel, the two largest cellular operators, getting more spectrum Delhi’s networks can now handle traffic better, giving the city better connectivity.

While Hutch applied for additional spectrum in Delhi two days back, it has also applied for the same in Mumbai last week.

Hutchison Essar added 62,311 subscribers in Delhi in June and now claims to have crossed the eight lakh subscriber base in August. While Delhi added 1.4 lakh subscribers, Mumbai was almost at half with only 79,714 new connections in June. In May too, Delhi added 1.08 lakh subscribers out of 2.32 lakh subscribers added in metros.

The department of telecom had earlier released 2 MHz of additional spectrum to Airtel, thus taking its total spectrum to 10 MHz. The additional spectrum is being given in 1800 MHz band, while existing customers of Airtel as well as Hutch are in 900 MHz band. Delhites have been faced with clogged networks, with the subscriber base shooting up to 21 lakh.
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BHEL wins mega NTPC contract
New Delhi: Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has won a huge contract from National Thermal Power Corporation for setting up the 1000 MW (stage II) Kahalgaon super thermal power project (STPP) in Bihar in an open global tender, outbidding equipment suppliers from China and the Czech Republic.

The contract, comprising two units of 500 MW was valued at Rs 1,412 crore.

The Kahalgaon STPP (stage II), located in Bhagalpur district of Bihar, is being executed by NTPC under the Centre's mega power policy.

Targeted for completion during the 10th Plan period, the first 500 MW unit is slated for commissioning within 40 months, followed by the second unit five months thereafter.
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Maruti Omni to be overhauled
New Delhi: Maruti Udyog Ltd is overhauling one of its longest surviving models, the Omni. Launched in 1985, the sales of the vehicle fell from 60,236 units in 2001-02 to 49,960 in 2002-03 but were higher at 17,629 units in the first four months of 2003-04 compared to 16,017 units sold in the said period last year.

To promote the vehicle the company is positioning Omni in niche segments for varied uses such as ambulance, an intra-city runabout vehicle, a vehicle for campers and outdoors people a small cargo vehicle and even a mobile office.

Sources said MUL has been working on upgrading the braking and suspension system of the Omni over the last few months and will roll out the overhauled model by the end of next year.

The overhauled model will have a vacuum assisted braking system and better suspension among other things and work on this has commenced.

The company is also believed to be considering similar changes for the Versa, also suffering from slow sales. The Versa sold 1950 units in the fiscal ended March 31, 2003.
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Microsoft puts quarterly sales growth at 7percent in Asia
Singapore: Microsoft, the world’s largest software maker, is upbeat on its performance in Asia. The company said its Asian sales would show growth of at least 7 percent in coming quarters, thanks to the launch of a new suite of business computing tools and rising personal computer sales.
According to International Data Corporation (IDC), 6.5m PCs were shipped to Asia Pacific apart from in the June quarter, up 2 percent from the first quarter and 12 percent from a year earlier. Microsoft will launch Office 2003 Editions, the successor to Office XP, later this year.
Microsoft posted revenues of $835m for its Asia-Pacific and Japan region in the three months ended June, its fiscal fourth quarter, a 7.1 percent rise from a year earlier.
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Rohm and Haas commences operations in India
New Delhi: The US-based Rohm and Haas Co, the $ 6-billion major in manufacturing speciality chemicals and materials, has announced the commencement of its first adhesives and sealants and coatings manufacturing and technical service facility in Taloja, Maharashtra. The company has invested $ 20 million in setting up a wholly-owned subsidiary in India about 6-7 years ago, in the new manufacturing and customer support facility.
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Combined package from Airtel, Videocon and Alcatel
Mumbai: Alcatel, the cellular service operator Airtel and Videocon Industries have launched a combined package of an Alcatel One Touch 320 phone, an Airtel rental free post-paid connection, as well as a Videocon Walkman for Rs 3,489.

Videocon has come in the distributor for Alcatel's handsets which marks the entry of the consumer goods maker into cellular telephony said Mr P.N. Dhoot, President, Videocon International.

The inclusion of the Videocon Walkman is an offer for the month of August, valid from tomorrow in Mumbai. The offer will be soon available across other telecom circles in the country, said a joint statement from the companies.

Alcatel handsets would be available in the price range of Rs 4,000 and Rs 18,000. So far, Alcatel was not formally present in the country in the handsets industry, said Mr. Ravi Sharma, Managing Director, Alcatel (India and Nepal).

The rental free connection from Airtel, branded `Happy Plan' is its latest introduction whereby the company hopes to rope in many prepaid customers who would want the convenience of a post-paid connection. For an assured payment of Rs 500, the customer gets calls worth Rs 500.
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Amtek to buy UK auto parts firm
New Delhi: The Rs 223-crore Indian auto components firm Amtek Auto is acquiring a UK-based auto ancillary unit for $10m in an all-cash deal. Earlier in the year, it had bought US-based auto-ancillary Smith Jones.

Santosh Singhi, Amtek Auto director, corporate finance, confirmed the development and said “Prospective units have been identified in the UK. Negotiations are still at a preliminary stage and are likely to be concluded over the next month.”

The overseas acquisitions will help Amtek gain access to the international market and will complement the Indian operations in marketing and procurement.

Auto and ancillary exports are among the top contributors to India's export basket. Last fiscal, exports grew 33% to $800m ($620m), while domestic industry growth was 20%.
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Nokia unveils new services
Mumbai: Nokia, the Swedish telecom equipment manufacturer, has launched a range of entertainment and personalisation services such as downloadable ringing tones, picture messages, graphics, operator logos and games.

The company has tied up with Bollywood production houses like Harry Baweja, Rajshri Pictures Pvt Ltd, and R.S. Entertainment, besides the Indian Performing Rights Society (IPRS) for the ringtones.
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Silverline's US arms filing for liquidation
Mumbai: Silverline Technologies Ltd has informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that it is closing its subsidiaries in the US — Silverline Technologies Inc (STI) and SeraNova Inc (Sera) — following accumulated deficits from operations and losses due to the write-off of assets.

After adjustment for losses in subsidiaries, the stockholders' equity stood at $4.40 million as on March 31, 2003.
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