Sistema Shyam launches its services in Kerala

Kochi: Sistema Shyam TeleServices (SSTL), a joint venture between Sistema of Russia and Shyam group of India, has launched CDMA-based mobile services in Kerala under its global brand 'MTS'.

These services will cover 117 towns across six districts in the State. The services will be extended to 300 towns by the end of June (2009)and later on to 400 towns by July (2009).

Also, the company has decided to invest close to Rs 750 crore over a period of five years in Kerala for further expansion.

As part of the inaugural scheme, the company intends to make its initial subscribers, minute millionaires, by offering one million minutes of free talk time through its MCard.

The minutes will be given as 150 free minutes daily on local calls from MTS to MTS, plus there will be a bonus of 10 free SMS daily to any network in India for the life of MTS license.

Customers would need to buy a MCard worth Rs 499 through retail and activate on an MTS SIM card.

The MCard launch offer is ideal for families or groups of friends and even small businesses. They will be able to talk to each other for more than 4,000 minutes a month, every month for more than 18 years.

Additionally, the company is also introducing host of other schemes such as MSaver 99 that will enable MTS-to-MTS unlimited local calls for Rs 99, and MSaver 30 giving free SMS all day sent to any local or national network in India after first two SMS.