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BPL plans Rs 1 billion software foray

The group is also looking at acquisitions to expand its infotech operations. Further, it proposes to set up an offshore software development centre in the United States.

T O D A Y

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While Rs 800 million will be invested during the first phase of expansion, another Rs 300 million will be spent in the next phase.

The expansion period will span three years. This also includes an earlier investment of Rs 400 million in its software operations.

Rajeev Chandrashekhar, chairman and managing director, BPL Telecom Business Group, said BPL is also mulling over setting up a semiconductor design centre in the country.

The semiconductor design centre is expected to design embedded software for patented products such as mobile telecom instruments, electronic equipment and PCBs.

The company is also toying with the idea of spinning off its existing Internet business, BPL Net, and software development division - separate from BPL Telecom. However, a decision on the status of the two firms is yet to be finalised.

Chandrashekhar added that it is not necessary to shed the BPL tag for attracting talent to its software division. "BPL Telecom, too, has attracted good talent," he said.

BPL Telecom is also in plans to set up a 15-acre development campus on Hosur Road in Bangalore. A similar development campus will also come up at Thiruvananthapuram, Chandrashekar said. The company is also considering another centre at Pune.

He added the group would increase the work force of its IT units from the existing 200 engineers to 1,200 by September 1999.

Moreover, BPL will also foray into the ERP (enterprise-wide resource planning) business. Its ERP partner is yet to be finalised. Further, the group is currently working in areas such as Oracle Financials, client server, switching technology and billing software.

- Compiled from the Indian media

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