Indian operator Tata Teleservices is the latest regional player reported to be planning a major national GSM network rollout, a deal valued at up to US$4.8 billion. According to Indian news agency Mint, the contract would involve the deployment of between 30 and 60 million GSM lines. Tata was one of nine companies granted Unified Access Services Licenses (UASLs) earlier this month, enabling the deployment of any kind of communication services, not just mobile telephony. However, Tata has previously stated that it is keen to rollout new GSM networks in addition to its existing CDMA services. Tata’s plans follows news last week that rival Reliance Communications is planning an order for 80-100 million GSM lines after it received its own award of spectrum.

According to the latest Wireless Intelligence report, India, the second largest cellular market in Asia Pacific, is on track to become the second largest cellular market in the world by the end of 2008, overtaking the US in the process. Over the last three quarters, India has been recording quarterly growth above 10% and is expected to pass 250 million cellular connections in the opening quarter of this year, adding around 90 million net additions year on year.