3G may not bring broadband revolution: Rajan Bharti Mittal

MUMBAI: The upcoming 3G would not be able to bring about a broadband revolution in India, a top industry official said.

"The Government has provided one carrier for 3G which would not be able to serve the demand of the country. In that way, I believe 3G would not be able to bring a broadband revolution," Bharti Enterprises' Vice Chairman and Managing Director and Group Lead Director of Bharti's Wholesale and Retail Business, Rajan Bharti Mittal, told reporters on the sidelines of a conference here today.

"One carrier is not enough for broadband and would not be able to meet data demand of the country," he said.

On Bharti's retail plans, he said that the company would open 70 stores this fiscal. "We already set up a network in north India, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and the NCR region. Now, we are planning to expand to either west or south India. This fiscal, we will open 70 new stores and five mid-size stores," he said.

The company's expansion plan is very much on track, Mittal said. "We are very much on track with our expansion plan. The company has a capex of USD 200-billion and opening 150 stores by 2016. We have plans to come up with hypermarkets of 50,000 sq ft," he added.

On its DTH business, Mittal said the company already has 3-million customers for its DTH business. "In the DTH business, we expect to continue a better growth. We are already doing well with 3-million customers," he said.