Leading telecom operator TATA Teleservices has decided to start Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) services by the end of this financial year. The company is already providing CDMA based services in various telecom circles of country.

Tata Teleservices is now planning to spend $2 billion to expand its subscriber base in the GSM market. It may be recalled that its major competitor Rcom has already launched GSM services in 11,000 towns of country few days back.

TATA group owned Tata Consultancy Services started its new IT development center in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. The development came when entire IT sector is facing the heat of global financial crisis. The new center was inaugurated by Orissa Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik in a function held in state's capital. 

The function was also attended by Surjya Narayan Patro, Minister of Energy, Culture & Information Technology, Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, IT, Orissa and TCS leadership team of S Ramadorai besides Managing director of Tata Steel, B Muthuraman.

Quippo Telecom Infrastructure Ltd (QTIL), a SREI Group subsidiary, has finally acquired a 49 percent stake in Wireless Tata Telecom Infrastructure (WTTL), Tata Teleservices' tower arm.

Under the deal, QTIL will pay Rs 2400 crore to Tatas, and transfer its 5000 towers into WTTI. In addition, QTIL will have management control in the firm.

India's largest steel maker Tata Steel is forced to extend the deadline for commissioning the first phase of its steel plant in Vietnam. The project has been delayed due to the problems with land acquisitions in the special economic zone where large number of companies are setting up their projects.

Jamshedpur Utilities & Services Company Ltd (Jusco), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Steel, has secured Rs 152-crore water management contract for Mysore city.

The pact to this effect was signed on Tuesday between Jamshedpur Utilities, Mysore City Corporation and Karnataka Urban Water Supply & Drainage Board.

The project, to be executed in three phases over a period of six years, will utilize the already sanctioned JNNURM fund (80 % of the project cost) for improving the water supply infrastructure in Mysore city.

While the rest of funding will be provided equally by the Karnataka Government and Mysore City Corporation.

Tata Motors, one of the largest automobile manufacturer in India, has announced closing of the Jamshedpur plant owing to a demand slump. A company spokesperson said, "About 95 per cent of commercial vehicles are purchased through financing. While we do not declare production rates, unavailability of finance, coupled with high interest rates, is forcing customers to postpone purchases."