Indian IT majors vie for Qantas deal
Hyderabad: Indian software majors, TCS, Infosys Technologies and Satyam Computers are vying for the large ($80 million), multi-year outsourcing deal from the Australian airliner Qantas. The Australian airline in a meeting last week finalised the outsourcing partner for this deal, even as there were reports that some of the staff in the airliner were concerned about a big job moving out.
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ITC clarifies on wheat procurement
Kolkata: Responding to allegations that private sector companies were controlling wheat prices due to massive hoarding the ITC Chairman, Y.C. Deveshwar, said that ITC bought wheat directly from the farmer as an actual user, strictly in accordance with the company's business model.

He categorically stated that the company was not hoarding any wheat, and was also not indulging in any price manipulation. He said it was carrying out direct procurement for actual use by the Foods Division for making atta, biscuits, and pasta. He added that buying and selling of wheat or any other agricultural commodity was not illegal. "We in ITC do it with great responsibility."
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Bharti Airtel has more than 25-million customers
New Delhi: Bharti Airtel has announced that it has more than 25-million customers. According to the company, the 25 million customer base covers mobile, landline as well as broadband customers. Further the company claimed that the base was achieved in just over 10 years, making Bharti Airtel one of the youngest companies in the category.

Manoj Kohli, President, Bharti Airtel said, "It is indeed a remarkable achievement not only for us at Airtel, but also for the country as it clearly underlines the coming of age of the Indian telecom sector. Bharti Airtel's exponential growth highlights the undisputed position of India as the telecom hotspot of the world as the economic development of a country is very clearly linked with telecom penetration."
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Airtel, Hutch launch interactive FM radio services
New Delhi: Mobile operators Airtel and Hutch will soon launch a new service called `Visual Radio' which will enable users to get visuals, information and details related to the song and the singer while listening to the radio. The service will also enable users to download the song as ring tone and interact live through quizzes and audience polls.

Both the operators have tied up with Radio Mirchi, Hewlett Packard and Nokia for the service.

Airtel says it will launch this service by the end of the month, while Hutch is announcing the launch this week.

The subscribers do not have to pay any subscription fee for the service for now but once the introductory offer period is over the operators may fix a monthly fee. However, users will have to pay in case they download the song or participate in the interactive services.

Visual Radio offers immediate access to factual content related to the songs playing, the group or the singer playing, their background details, history, related quizzes, participation in audience polls and even the facility to download ring tones and wallpaper related to the song. Mobile users can also buy the tickets for concerts or movies from which the song is being played.
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RIL to invest Rs3,500-cr in port development in Navi Mumbai
Mumbai: The Mukesh Ambani-controlled Reliance Industries is planning to develop a multi-purpose port for handling the cargo generated from the proposed SEZ and is looking for a suitable deep-draught location to set up a greenfield facility.

Sources said the multi-purpose port would be developed through a special purpose vehicle (SPV), in partnership with an Indian or international port operator.

The investment for this greenfield port is estimated at Rs 3,500 crore. The port will be equipped to handle cargoes such as bulk, break bulk, liquid, and containers.

Industry sources said the company had begun talks with leading manufacturers of cargo handling equipment. Company officials confirmed that there was a port proposal in the SEZ project, though adding that "nothing has been finalised."
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Infosys suffers highest staff attrition
Mumbai: Infosys Technologies saw the highest attrition rate (21 per cent) for senior staff amongst India's leading IT companies in 2005-06 while TCS saw a dropout rate of 7 per cent, and Wipro of 8 per cent.

29 of Infosys' top 135 executives, with an average monthly remuneration of at least Rs200,000, including salary, commission, allowances and medical perquisites, resigned in 2005-06.

During the same period, Wipro lost nine out of its 125 such personnel, while TCS lost seven of its 85 highly paid employees.

However, Infosys' attrition rate this year was lower as compared with the previous financial year. The Bangalore-based company had lost 28 per cent of its senior executives in the previous year.

A majority of the top Infosys executives quit after the appraisal period of the company most of them leaving for fresh assignments with higher salaries, given that a number of global IT majors have been setting up shop in the country. Some of the employees also opted for overseas assignments with other companies.
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Godrej brand heads for a makeover
Mumbai: The 109-year old 'Godrej' brand is going for a makeover.

Originally, a lock manufacturing firm founded by Ardeshir Godrej, the group has branched into areas as diverse as insecticides, personal care, agri, security systems, home appliances, office equipment, machine tools, chemicals and real estate over the last century. It now has a wide product portfolio comprising steel cupboards, soaps, hair dye, refrigerators, edible oil and furniture.

All 8 companies of the Rs6,200-crore Godrej group will sport the new brand identity soon.

The makeover plan is aimed at creating a common group identity that is modern as well as contemporary. In 2002, the group had conducted a study which indicated that the Godrej brand had the image of a "frumpy old lady" and "an industrial brand". Godrej has now roped in JWT India to design the new logo.

Adi Godrej, chairman & managing director of Godrej Group, confirmed the development and said, "We are working on repositioning the Godrej brand and logo and are looking at new brand-building exercises."

"To give a contemporary look to the 'Godrej' brand, the company will be launching new corporate ad campaigns too.
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COAI wants 110 pc prepaid users verification
New Delhi: The director-general of the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), TV Ramachandran, has said that COAI wants 110 per cent verification of pre paid mobile users rather than 10 per cent as proposed by all cellular operators with the exception of Tata Teleservices.

In a recent proposal sent to the department of telecommunications (DoT), backed by all cellular operators, except the Tatas, the COAI said: "It is reiterated that the paramount responsibility of the service providers is to ensure 100 per cent documentation, which will include documentary proof of address."

In addition, COAI stated that, "each operator will undertake to carry out a complete cross-check of subscriber details and also a physical address verification of a minimum 10 per cent of its new pre-paid subscribers during each month on a stratified basis". That makes a total of 110 per cent verification of subscriber details, says Ramachandran.

The industry proposal sent by COAI and not by the other cellular group, the Association of Unified Service Providers of India (AUSPI), is yet to be approved by the government.

COAI represents GSM cellular players like Bharti, Hutch and Idea Cellular, AUSPI members include CDMA companies such as Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices.

The Tata group has been insisting on 100 per cent physical verification of subscribers in keeping with national security requirements. But there is no concrete proposal from the Tata group yet about this.
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