Srinagar: Airtel today (Oct 20, 2004) became the first private telecom operator to launch mobile phone services in Jammu and Kashmir and said that it would invest Rs 125 crore in the State by the end of this fiscal.

The company plans to cover 100 towns in the State by March next year and has started with post-paid mobile services in 46 towns along the national highway-1A between Lakhanpur and Baramulla.

The Government has allowed the company to offer only post-paid services in the State as pre-paid services have been barred due to security reasons, company officials said.

So far, Government-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) is the only mobile phone service provider in Jammu and Kashmir.

Of the Rs 125 crore investment that Airtel has lined up for the State during this fiscal, the company has already invested Rs 90 crore.

Airtel's footprint has now grown to 19 circles of the 23 mobile phone circles across the country.

"The launch of Airtel mobile service, first by a private telecom operator, is bound to have a profound impact on economic growth and tourism in the State," Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman and group managing director of Bharti Enterprises, holding company of Airtel, said after the launch of the service.

The post-paid customers of Airtel in the State will be provided out roaming facility across 337 networks and 137 countries besides national roaming across all GSM networks.