Date:04/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/04/stories/2008060454640500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Farmers go mobile for just Rs. 50

Special Correspondent

— Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

Inclusive growth: (From left) Farmer Ramesh receiving the Airtel SIM card and Nokia handset from Govindrajan, Head, South India IFFCO, and V. Venkatesh, CEO, mobile services, Bharti Airtel Ltd. Karnataka, at the launch of Airtel ‘Grameena Mobile Kranthi’ in Bangalore on Tuesday.

Bangalore: Bharti Airtel Ltd., a leading mobile telephony services company, announced the launch of a campaign to spread its service in rural Karnataka. The Grameena Mobile Kranthi campaign aims to provide customised services to rural subscribers at an affordable price. Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, V. Venkatesh, CEO, mobile services, Bharti Airtel Ltd., Karnataka, said the company had entered into an alliance with Nokia, for marketing Kannada handsets with Airtel connections for rural subscribers. “The Grameen pack enables a farmer to go mobile for as low as Rs. 50,” he said.