VNL

News About VNL from ITU Telecom World 2009 15 Oct, 2009

VNL spent five days in Geneva, Switzerland participating in forums and exhibiting their WorldGSM™ solar powered base station at ITU Telecom World 2009. The press conference on Tuesday was attended by press from around the world. Here are links to some of what they had to say.

Vihaan Networks starts first solar-powered GSM network
October 7, 2009, 13:13 IST
Press Trust of India / Geneva

Indian telecom equipment maker Vihaan Networks Limited today announced the first commercial deployment of solar-powered GSM system, a step that could increase competition for MNCs like Ericsson and Nokia-Siemens.

India’s VNL To Expand Growth Outside Indian Subcontinent
OCTOBER 6, 2009, 12:26 P.M. ET
By Goran Mijuk - Dow Jones Newswires

GENEVA (Dow Jones)–India-based telecommunications equipment maker Vihaan Networks Ltd., or VNL, Tuesday said it aims to spur growth by tapping the world’s poorest and most remote places in Asia and elsewhere…

Vihaan Networks unveils solar-powered mobile system
Sunday, Oct 11, 2009
Sandeep Joshi - The Hindu

GENEVA: WorldGSM, an environment-friendly and cost-effective solar-powered mobile system, developed by Indian telecom equipment manufacturer Vihaan Networks Limited (VNL), might prove to be the perfect way to connect the disconnected across the world, particularly in developing and poor countries. Ready for commercial deployment, WorldGSM, comprising a base station and two small-sized solar panels, was unveiled at the United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union (ITU) annual conference by VNL’s founder and Chairman Rajiv Mehrotra.

NDTV Interviews Rajiv Mehrotra at ITU Telecom World 2009

NDTV’s Arijit Banerjee interviews Rajiv Mehrotra, Founder, Chairman & CEO of VNL about “convincing large Indian telcos to turn green even as they continue rolling out networks at break-neck speed. VNL provides solar powered telecom towers and base stations.”

To view the video on NDTV’s web site, click here: http://www.ndtv.com/news/videos/video_player.php?id=1164316

Meet VNL at Africa Com, Cape Town, South Africa: November 11 – 12, 2009 14 Oct, 2009

VNL announces its participation at Africa Com. This conference and exhibition will be held at the Cape Town Convention Centre in Cape Town, South Africa, November 11 – 12, 2009.

VNL’s participation this year includes a speaking engagement focused on solar wireless telecom. The exhibit will introduce mobile network operators to their award-winning WorldGSM™ system - the solar powered GSM system specifically made for rural areas with ARPUs of less than $2. WorldGSM is the first commercially viable GSM system that is independent of the power grid. It runs exclusively on solar power and requires no diesel generator backup. It is also designed for simple delivery and deployment by local, untrained workers – all resulting in zero opex, dramatically lower capex, and near zero maintenance.

Mobile operators now have a way to provide mobile services to rural communities in the developing world and still turn a profit. WorldGSM also opens up a new microtelecom business model where operators can partner with local entrepreneurs to accelerate deployment and reduce costs still further.

The next billion subscribers will be coming from rural populations, away from saturated urban markets. So if you’re planning to visit Africa Com 2009 in Cape Town, South Africa, stop by VNL’s booth and see the future of rural wireless telephony. VNL is changing the DNA of rural telecom by providing commercially viable new building blocks that will transform the way you build your networks in the future.

Visit us in Booth E1A to learn more.

Also visit VNL at:

Feb 15-18, 2010: Mobile World Congress 2010, Fira de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

ABOUT VNL

VNL (www.vnl.in) is substantially changing the way operators will build networks in the future. As the innovator of zero opex networks and the pioneer of microtelecom, their simple to install solar powered cellular base stations help mobile operators maximize their profit margins by reaching rural markets profitably. The management team includes telecom industry veterans with vast experience in bringing products and services to entirely new markets. Its Chairman and founder, Rajiv Mehrotra, started the Shyam Group of companies and established some of the earliest GSM, CDMA and fixed networks in India serving millions of people today.

For more information, visit the company website at www.vnl.in or contact VNL’s PR representative Bridget Fishleigh (+44 7946 342 903, bridget@nomadcomms.com or Skype: bridgetfishleigh).

Rajiv Mehrotra, Founder, Chairman & CEO of VNL 9 Oct, 2009

Rajiv Mehrotra, Founder, Chairman & CEO of VNL. Free for press use.

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(VNL press photos, ZIP, 47.6 MB)

WorldGSM™ Village Site on a rooftop in Rajasthan, India

WorldGSM™ Village Site on a rooftop in Rajasthan, India. Free for press use.

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(VNL press photos, ZIP, 47.6 MB)

Live deployment of a VNL solar powered WorldGSM™ base station in Rajasthan, India

Live deployment of a VNL solar powered WorldGSM™ base station in Rajasthan, India. Free for press use.

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(Photo, JPEG, 6.4 MB)

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(VNL press photos, ZIP, 47.6 MB)

Rajiv Mehrotra Named in List of 100 Most Powerful and Influential People in the Telecoms Industry 30 Sep, 2009

Today the prestigious international telecoms magazine, Global Telecoms Business, published the GTB Power100, its list of the 100 most powerful and influential people in the telecoms industry.

Rajiv Mehrotra, Founder, Chairman and CEO of VNL, appeared in the list for the first time in 67th position.

The 2009 list is headed by Rob Conway, CEO of the GSM Association, followed by the CEOs of three of the world’s biggest operators — AT&T, Verizon and China Mobile. They are followed by two of the world’s top regulators, Julius Genachowski of the FCC and European Commissioner Viviane Reding.

Representatives of two other Indian companies appeared on the GTB100 - Srinath Narasimhan, CEO of Tata Communications and Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman and group CEO of Bharti Enterprises.

The list was dominated by well-known companies from both the operator and vendor side; VNL was the only start-up equipment vendor to appear.

The full list can be seen at www.globaltelecomsbusiness.com/Stub/Power100.html