VSNL launches Global Calling Card
Mumbai: Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd has launched the Tata Indicom ‘Global Calling Card' through which travelers can make international calls from 25 countries.

The company said it aims to sell 30 million minutes' worth of calling cards within a year. Tariffs will be at Rs11 per minute for a US-India call, and at Rs12 per minute for a Europe-India call.

The tariffs would work out 75 per cent cheaper than the use of one's own mobile phone overseas on the international roaming facility, and 20 per cent to 30 per cent cheaper than making a standard call from overseas, said a presentation from VSNL.
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Airtel launches EDGE in Mumbai
Mumbai: AirTel has launched its EDGE network in Mumbai, days after Hutch's EDGE launch.

The Enhanced Data Rate for Global Evolutions (EDGE) network will offer transfer speeds of up to 200 kbps, allow live television viewing on the mobile and also allow for video streaming, music and file transfer, picture downloads, e-email with attachments, multi-player gaming and other AirTel live services including mobile office, said a news release from the company.

As part of the phased roll out of EDGE, the services would be made available for corporate customer in Mumbai and later to retail customers. The Mumbai launch will be followed by one in Nagpur and then in several key cities in Maharashtra.

AirTel has already launched the EDGE network in Chandigarh, Pune, Delhi and Bangalore. Phase one of AirTel's EDGE deployment will cover 14 key cities in the country.

As an introductory offer, the EDGE services will be offered free of cost till October 31, and thereon the customers will be charged a monthly rental of Rs199 for unlimited access.
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Cognizant system for Ford (Japan)
Chennai: Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp, provider of information technology (IT) services, has developed a port management system for Ford to support vehicle tracking, vehicle prioritisation and cost management for Ford's Japan operations.

Cognizant's manufacturing and logistics practice has a full range of business process frameworks, which helps the company to deliver solutions to customers quickly and cost effectively, the company said in a release.
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Intoto makes it to the Pulver 100 list
Hyderabad: Intoto, a provider of integrated security, wireless and voice software platforms to networking equipment manufacturers, has announced that it has been named to the 2004 "Pulver 100," which is the VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) industry's listing of privately held growth companies that represent the future of the communications ecosystem.

Intoto will demonstrate its VoIP software solutions at the Fall 2004 VON Conference and Expo later this year.
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Microsoft to launch low-cost Hindi Windows pack in ‘05
New Delhi: Microsoft Corporation, India, has announced that its low-cost Operating System Windows XP Starter Edition in Hindi would be available in India, early next year.

India is the fifth country to see the launch of Windows XP Starter Edition, which is being touted as a low cost introduction to Windows XP Operating System and designed for the first time PC users.

Although "affordability" is one of the key aspects of the new product, the company refused to divulge the pricing , merely stating that it would be substantially lower that the existing offerings.

At present, cost of Operating Systems constitutes about 16-20 per cent of the cost of the overall system, even as the market would like to see it come down to about 10 per cent of the price of the PC, sources said.

Microsoft Corporation India said that the benefits of Windows at a lower piece point included localised and tailored support, localised customisation pre-configured setting; and simplified task management.
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Metro Continental tyres launched in TN
Chennai: Ludhiana-based Metro Tyres have launched their tyre brand, Metro Continental in Tamil Nadu.

According to the company, the tyres meet international standards of safety and durability, and are products of technology from Continental A.G., Germany, manufactured in India.

Apart from technical collaboration, Continental will also buy these tyres from Metro and market them internationally under its own brand name, he said. To Metro, which is a market leader in tyres for pedal-powered vehicles, cycles and rickshaws, this is a diversification. Next month, it will launch tyres for three-wheelers and soon tubes for a range of tyres including those of trucks.

Metro Continental motorcycle tyres are made in a Rs 40-crore factory at Ludhiana. It has a capacity to make one lakh tyres and tubes a month.
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Nalco ready for second stage expansion - to pay out 40 percent
Bhubaneswar: The National Aluminium Company (Nalco) is now ready to take up its second phase expansion at a cost of Rs 4,091 crore, after the successful completion of the first phase.

The Public Investment Board has already recommended the expansion programme and the environment clearance has also been obtained. The expansion work will start soon after the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, Upadhyaya said. The projected outlay will be met from the company's internal resources and borrowings, without any budgetary support from the Government, he said.

With the implementation of the second phase of expansion, the company plans to increase its bauxite production to 63 lakh tonnes, alumina refinery production to 24 lakh tonnes and also achieve substantial increase in the productivity of its smelter and power generation plants. Besides, the company has decided to take up a few backward integration projects for sourcing its raw material requirements and for insulating itself from price escalation.

The company has been recently granted a coal mine block for captive coal mining, which will reduce its dependence on procurement of coal.

The company's board of directors has also recommended a dividend of 40 per cent for 2003-04, amounting to Rs.257.72 crore.

During 2003-04, the company posted a profit of Rs.737.37 crore, up 41 per cent from Rs.520.92 crore the previous year. It recorded a sales turnover of Rs.3,338.87 crore (Rs.2,739.76 crore).
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