Aircel to set up 500 retail stores by mid-2015

NEW DELHI: Mobile phone operator Aircel Tuesday said it has expanded its retail footprint by setting up 200 XPRESS Stores, based on franchisee-owned franchisee-operated model, and plans to touch 500 stores by the middle of 2015.

“XPRESS Stores is a big boost for our acquisition strategy and will play a significant role in strengthening our relationships with customers and franchisees alike,” Vipul Saurabh, National Head – Operations & Customer Support, at Aircel, said in a statement.

Apart from a pan-India 2G footprint, Aircel also has 3G spectrum in 13 circles

The company has taken a data-led mobile services approach and is banking on ‘Pocket Internet’ and ‘One Nation One Rate,’ a free roaming offer in the country, for growth of its business.

The company though lost 40,000 users from rural areas during April this year. Its total subscriber base stood at 25.47 million, as per data provided by industry body COAI.