Reliance Communications (RCom), India's No. 2 mobile operator, has placed orders worth $1 billion (around Rs 4,000 crore) for equipment and electronics for its global system of mobile (GSM) foray. The company, which currently offers GSM services in eight circles, will launch its pan-India service by the end of current calendar year. The roll-out in the other 15 circles would be completed by mid 2009.

Reliance Communications, part of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, will spend as much as Rs 25,000 crore to increase its coverage, including GSM expansions. The company added 4.8 million mobile users between January and March, taking its total to 45.8 million.

Anil Ambani, Chairman, RCom is also raising money by selling a stake in company’s tower business subsidiary, Reliance Infratel Ltd that owns the operator’s telecommunications towers in the country. Mr. Ambani is in talks to sell a 5% stake for about $338 million to seven investors.

Further, the company has ventured into the information technology (IT) sector by creating Reliance Technology Services which will focus on specific verticals of telecommunications, financial services, media and entertainment and utilities.

The company also plans to start its direct-to-home satellite television services shortly across the country through its brand Big TV, which will provide DTH services to over 10 million subscribers in India and offer feed to over 15 million TV households.

Reliance Communication has reported a 47 per cent growth in its net profit at Rs 1,503 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2008. The turnover during the same period was up 35 per cent at Rs 5,311 crore.