INDIA BUSINESS WORLD - 1^st FEBRUARY - TO - 15^th FEBRUARY - 2009

FIVE GLOBAL TELECOM SERVICE PROVIDERS, INCLUDING AT&T, BT, VERIZON FORM ASSOCIATION

Five global telecom service providers, including AT&T, BT and Verizon, providing non-voice long-distance enterprise services announced forming an association to espouse their interests in the Indian telecom industry. The body called—Association of Competitive Telecom Operators (ACTO)-has Satya N Gupta from BT Global Services as president, it said in a statement. ACTO is an association representing non-integrated longdistance telecom carriers to represent and advocate before the government and regulatory bodies its case on issues related to market opening, emerging technologies and pro-competitive policies and reforms in the Enterprise market segment. "ACTO is an industry body focused on policies that will enhance Enterprise telecommunications in India, has been formed by several leading non-integrated long distance carriers that provide service to the Enterprise market segment. So far the industry was represented by two major associations—COAI for GSM operators and AUSPI for CDMA players. The enterprise market segment includes the ITeS, BPO, and MNCs that are a cornerstone of India's growing economy.