Oslo - Norwegian telecommunications group Telenor on Wednesday posted an increase in pre-tax profit and sales for third- quarter of 2008 and unveiled plans to expand into India.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) were 10 billion kroner (1.44 billion dollars), compared to 9.48 billion kroner in the corresponding business period of 2007.

Sales increased year-on-year from 26.6 billion kroner to 27.6 billion kroner, the group said.

Chief executive Jon Fredrik Baksaas said Telenor had 159 million mobile telephone subscriptions at the end of the quarter.

Baksaas said the business environment was "currently more turbulent, and we foresee a period with lower global growth."

Unitech, country's second largest real estate firm has informed that it has decided to divest 26% to 45% stake in its telecom venture to a strategic partner, within a month.

Presently, the company is scouting for a strategic partner who can help it, to build the telecom business.

Unitech is among the few companies, which had recently bagged telecom licences along with Swan, Datacom and Shyam Telelink. The company has secured licences for 22 circles and spectrum in 13 circles.

Tata Indicom, the fastest growing telecom service provider, has announced the launch of the first ever CDMA AM/FM enabled mobile phone in the market.
 
The newly launched handset comes with a unique radio-inspired design with volume boosters for clarity of sound even in noisy environments. Other than FM frequency channels, the handset comes equipped with AM too, a first amongst CDMA phones. 

The pre-paid subscribers of Aircel in Chennai and rest of Tamil Nadu circle can be happy, since the company has slashed ISD call rates for them. 

The calls specifically made to Malaysia and Singapore will benefit from this scheme. A subscriber would be able to make ISD calls to Malaysia and Singapore at Rs 3 per minute, if he gets a recharge coupon worth Rs 96. If incase he gets coupon for Rs 29, the call would cost Rs. 3.5 per minute. 

This offer has been started off since there is vast numbers of Tamilians residing in Malaysia and Singapore. 

Tata Teleservices, a part of the Tata Group of companies, has informed that it would launch its services in Jammu and Kashmir and the North Eastern region in next two month.

The proposed roll out of services would take its presence to 21 circles across the country. Presently, the company operates in more than 6600 towns across 19 circles.