(23 September 2006 8:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Mobile service provider Airtel today announced ‘seamless roaming services’ on 3G networks across the world, including Japan and Korea. This latest initiative is set to benefit more than 25.65 million Airtel mobile customers while roaming to any of the 3G networks worldwide.

This is particularly a boon for customers visiting Japan and Korea who so far had to change their handsets upon landing in these two countries in order to stay connected. Now with a 3G handset they can use International GSM roaming services.

Korea and Japan have 3G networks based on WCDMA technology which allows GSM subscribers to connect to their networks on roaming.

Airtel has been the first to seize this opportunity and has carried out extensive network testing in Korea and Japan to ensure seamless connectivity. As a result, Airtel customers traveling to these countries will be the first to benefit from this initiative. Any Airtel customer on 3G compatible handset will be able to experience seamless connectivity whether on voice or data, while on roaming on WCDMA network and this includes Korea and Japan. Presently Airtel offers roaming facilities on more than 365 mobile networks across 154 countries.

Announcing the availability of international roaming services also on WCDMA networks, Sanjay Kapoor, joint president – Bharti Airtel Limited, said, “An increasing number of our customers travel overseas and our roaming facility on international networks therefore becomes very important. This latest initiative will undoubtedly add a lot of convenience especially to those Airtel customers who travel to Korea and Japan. We are happy that our innovative services & products provide our customers with supreme convenience and ease wherever in the world they travel.”