Reliance Communications eyes bigger market share

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India, the world's fastest growing wireless market adding 8 million new subscribers a month, has lured global phone firms like Vodafone and AT&T Inc.

"It has been competitive right from the beginning and it will remain so," S.P. Shukla, president of personal business, told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday.

"I have no doubt with our roll out, with our new operations, we will continue to have our dominant market share," Shukla said.

Reliance, which had 34.8 million wireless users at the end of August, commands 17 percent of Indian mobile market, behind sector leader Bharti Airtel that has 23 percent of the market.

India has 12 telecoms operators and there has been a spate of new applications recently, including from AT&T.

India's telecoms minister said on Wednesday the government had received around 300 applications for licences to start telecommunications services, by its Oct. 1 deadline.

Shukla said lower entry costs because of availability of cheaper handsets will be a facilitator to get customers.

Reliance has added five million wireless subscribers in four months to August, after it launched its own-branded handsets in May, priced at just Rs.777 ($19.5).

The company had sold 10 million of these handsets in five months to September, Shukla said.

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