Company Background - Idea Cellular

DEA Cellular Limited, a part of the Aditya Birla Group and an India's leading Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) Mobile Services operator was began its journey in the year 1995 as in the name of Birla Communications Limited for providing GSM-based services in the Gujarat and Maharashtra Circles. Later the company has licenses to operate in all 22 Service Areas. Presently, operations exist in 11 Service Areas covering Delhi, Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Uttaranchal, Haryana, UP-West, Himachal Pradesh, UP-East, Rajasthan and Kerala. With a customer base of over 24 million, IDEA Cellular's footprint currently covers approximately 60% of India's telecom population. The company's operational 11 Service Areas are broken up into Established and New Service Areas. The established service areas are Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra, Haryana, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh (West) and the New Service Areas are Uttar Pradesh (East), Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh.

Changed its name to Birla AT&T Communications Limited followed by joint venture between Grasim Industries and AT&T Corporation in the year 1996. After a year, in 1997, commenced its operations in the Gujarat and Maharashtra. Migrated to revenues share license fee regime under New Telecommunications Policy ('NTP') Circles in the year 1999. During the year 2000, the company merged with Tata Cellular Limited, thereby acquired original license for the Andhra Pradesh Circle. IDEA acquired RPG Cellular Limited and consequently the license for the Madhya Pradesh (including Chattisgarh) Circle in the year 2001, and in the same year changed its name from Birla AT&T Communications Limited to Birla Tata AT&T Limited. Obtained license for providing GSM-based services in the Delhi Circle. Again in year later, in 2002, the company altered its name to Idea Cellular Limited and launched 'Idea' brand name and commenced its commercial operations in Delhi Circle. During the year, the company reached one million subscriber mark consecutively in the year 2003, reached two million subscriber mark.

During the year 2004, the company acquired Escotel Mobile Communications Limited (subsequently renamed as Idea Mobile Communications Limited), reached the four million subscriber mark and the first operator in India to commercially launched EDGE services 2005. Reached the five million subscriber mark in the year 2005 and IDEA won an Award for the 'Bill Flash' service at GSM Association Awards in Barcelona, Spain. The Company became a part of the Aditya Birla Group in the year 2006, subsequent to the TATA Group transferred its entire shareholding in the Company to the Aditya Birla Group. In the same year 2006, IDEA acquired Escorts Telecommunications Limited (subsequently renamed as Idea Telecommunications Limited). The Company reached the 10 million subscriber mark and also launched New Circles for obtain more and more customers. IDEA has extended its reach to 500 towns in Andhra Pradesh in August of the year 2006. Received Letter of Intent from the DoT for a new UAS License for both Mumbai and Bihar Circles. ABNL, the parent of Aditya Birla Telecom Limited, agreed to transfer its entire shareholding in Aditya Birla Telecom Limited to the Company for the consideration of Rs. 100 million. In 2007, the company won an award for the 'CARE' service in the 'Best Billing or Customer Care Solution' at the GSM Association Awards in Barcelona, Spain.

The Initial Public Offering aggregating to Rs. 28,187 million and the company listed in both Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange during the year 2007. IDEA merged seven of its subsidiaries and reached the twenty million subscriber mark in the same year 2007. As on February 2008, IDEA Cellular Ltd tied up with Southern Biotechnologies Ltd to bio-diesel for operating IDEA's gensets at all towers in the Andhra Pradesh region. The Company with Geodesic, an innovator in communication, collaboration and entertainment applications on mobile and Internet platforms jointly announced the launch of 'Idea Radio', a truly differentiated mobile music service for IDEA customers in the same year 2008.

Customer Service and Innovation are the drivers of this Cellular Brand. A brand known for their many firsts, IDEA is only the operator to launch General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and EDGE in the country. IDEA has seen phenomenal growth since its inception, the company's footprint idea is to first achieve critical mass, then drill deep instead of spreading thin, however, does not increasing geographic footprint only, it also drills deep and successfully attempts to provide excellent network coverage in all its circles of operations.