The Kolkata operation of Tech Mahindra (TechM), the telecom software arm of the Mahindra Group, is picking up steam. The company’s 1,000-member Kolkata team has just been asked to execute a string of mega telecom outsourcing contracts for South Africa’s MTN, UAE’s Etisalat and Saudi Telecom, a senior official familiar with the matter told ET.
Not only is TechM developing advanced business intelligence solutions for MTN’s Nigerian operation out of Kolkata, it is also doing a sizeable chunk of the systems integration work for Etisalat and Saudi Telecom’s greenfield rollouts in India and Bahrain, respectively.
“Since the rollout of any greenfield mobile network involves installation of diverse network equipment and business support systems procured from multiple vendors, systems integration is a critical exercise. That is what Tech Mahindra is doing for Etisalat and Saudi Telecom through its delivery centres like the one in Kolkata,” said a source close to developments.
Mum’s the word at Tech Mahindra on the Etisalat, Saudi Telecom and MTN outsourcing deals being implemented by the Kolkata team. In response to ET’s email query on the details of these contracts, a Tech Mahindra spokesman wrote back: “As a company policy, we do not comment on client information or market speculation.”
Be that as it may, the latest developments come at a time when Tech Mahindra is ramping up its Kolkata operation in a big way. Indications are that the company’s upcoming 12-acre campus in the Bantala IT SEZ in the city’s eastern fringes will house the operations of its IT/telecom software development delivery centre and its BPO unit. Close to 2,000 IT professionals will initially work at this campus that is slated to become operational by December 2010. Once fully ramped up, it will be equipped to hold close to 4000 professionals.
At present, Tech Mahindra’s IT services and BPO operations happen out of separate facilities in the city. What is, however, not known is whether its Bantala SEZ will also house the city operations of Mahindra Satyam. Tech Mahindra recently surrendered the 2.77-acre plot that was alloted by the West Bengal government to Satyam Computers for a software development facility at Salt Lake Sector V, which never happened.
“Tech Mahindra, which now owns Satyam Computer, has decided to surrender the 2.77-acre plot as it says it is setting up a brand new IT campus at the Bantala IT SEZ. We have no information at this stage whether the campus will also include the offices of Mahindra Satyam,” said a senior official in the state IT department.
Source : http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2714041/
