VSNL Launches trueroots International Calling Service to the United Kingdom South Asian Community

VSNL Launches truerootsTM International Calling Service to the United Kingdom South Asian Community

New Web-Based Calling Service Offers High Quality and Competitive Rates to India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

VSNL (NYSE:VSL), a leading communications solutions provider, announced today the launch of truerootsTM, an International Calling Service that allows people from South Asia residing in the United Kingdom to reliably, securely and economically reach out and connect with their family and friends. The launch is being celebrated at a cricket event taking place today at the Lord’s Media Centre, where more than 100 South Asian community leaders, influential business executives, and media will be addressed by senior executives from the Tata Group and VSNL.

Officially available in the UK beginning August 21st, the new truerootsTM International Calling Service offers superior voice quality and easy to access connectivity across the globe, without hidden fees or extra charges, and without the need for a physical calling card, which can often be lost or stolen and subject to fraudulent use. TruerootsTM provides highly competitive rates to South Asian countries including India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka supported by a 24/7 customer service organization. Calls are carried on VSNL’s extensive global fiber optic network, one of the world’s largest global submarine cable infrastructures, providing unsurpassed quality and capacity and ensuring clear and error free connectivity.

“As a truly international company, VSNL understands the need to stay true to your roots and keep in touch with the people in your life that mean the most – family and friends,” said Sandeep Mathur, Head of Corporate Affairs for VSNL. “Our goal was to create an international calling service that is truly unique in the industry, delivering on the promises of crystal clear quality, uninterrupted calling and cost effective connectivity without hidden fees.”

Mathur continued, “As a member of the Tata Group, one of India’s largest and most respected business conglomerates, VSNL shares the culture of strict adherence to business ethics and a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility and community. Built upon this philosophy, VSNL’s truerootsTM calling service will enable members of the South Asian community living in the United Kingdom to feel confident about their international calling experience and know that they can connect with their home countries and pay only for the minutes they use at economical rates. We are pleased that we can support the rapidly growing UK South Asian community with a service that lives up to the quality standards they expect and deserve, and that helps make it easier for them to stay close to their close ones across the world.”

The truerootsTM service can be purchased online through a user friendly web portal at www.trueroots.co.uk or by calling VSNL customer service directly, 365 days a year. It offers advanced features including a prepaid recharge option, which allows a calling account to be recharged. Other features include instant recognition of calling line ID for PIN-less dialing from up to 5 registered phone numbers, the ability to make up to three follow-on calls without having to redial the access number, speed dial capabilities for up to 5 frequently dialed numbers, and last number redial.

“With the goal of fostering communication and helping to unite the South Asian community across the world, truerootsTM is a truly innovative service,” said Syed Anwar Hasan, Managing Director, Tata Limited, UK. “The Tata family of companies’ purpose is to improve the quality of life of the communities we serve by offering services that exemplify our five core values of integrity, understanding, excellence, unity and responsibility. The truerootsTM International Calling Service is representative of these values and will assist in the continued development of the South Asian community.”

As part of the service, truerootsTM account holders will soon have access to exclusive voice services, special offers and incentive discounts through the website. One of these services, to be released this coming fall, will offer entry to a leading entertainment media hub, which will allow customers to gain access to premium content such as full length movies, including Bollywood, TV series, sports coverage, video games, music downloads, and karaoke, with much more to be added on an ongoing basis.

TruerootsTM is also being launched throughout the United States and Canadian markets. The US launch event was kicked off on August 16th at the Pierre Hotel in New York City, where influential members of the South Asian community gathered and were entertained by international artist and composer, Karsh Kale. TruerootsTM is also expected to be launched in Toronto, Canada later this year. The website portals for the US and Canada are www.trueroots.us and www.trueroots.ca respectively.

For further information regarding the truerootsTM International Calling Service for the UK, visit www.trueroots.co.uk.

About VSNL

Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL), a member of the USD 29 billion Tata Group, is a leading global communications company offering next-generation voice, data and value-added services to enterprises, carriers and retail consumers. Voted the Best Wholesale Service Provider at the World Communications Awards, 2006, VSNL is one of the world’s largest providers of wholesale international voice services and operates one of the largest global submarine cable networks. VSNL’s customer base includes 1500 Global Carriers, 450 Mobile Operators, 10,000 Enterprises, 500,000 Broadband and Internet subscribers and 300 Wi-Fi public hotspots.

Rated amongst the Top 100 Emerging Global Challengers by the Boston Consulting Group, VSNL has offices in over 35 countries including the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and India. VSNL’s global transmission network of over 200,000 route kilometers and its IP core with 200 points of presence enables a range of services that include voice, private leased circuits, IP VPN, Internet access, global Ethernet, hosting, mobile signaling and other IP services. Our philosophy of BusinessnRich drives us to empower our customers to achieve enhanced value in their global businesses.

VSNL (www.vsnl.com) is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India, and its American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) are listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Forward-looking and cautionary statements

Certain words and statements in this release concerning VSNL and its prospects, and other statements relating to VSNL’s expected financial position, business strategy, the future development of VSNL’s operations and the general economy in India, are forward-looking statements. These forward looking statements include, among others, statements concerning VSNL’s communications and information services business, its advantages and VSNL’s strategy for continuing to pursue its business, the anticipated development and launch of new services in its business, the anticipated dates on which VSNL will begin providing certain services or reach specific milestones in the development and implementation of its business strategy, the growth and recovery of the communications and information services, industry, expectations as to its future revenue, margins, expenses and capital requirements and other statements of expectations, beliefs, future plans and strategies, anticipated developments and other matters that are not historical facts. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including financial, regulatory and environmental, as well as those relating to industry growth and trend projections, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of VSNL, or industry results, to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding VSNL’s present and future business strategies and the environment in which VSNL will operate in the future. The important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements include, among others, failure to increase the volume of traffic on VSNL’s network, failure to develop new products and services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins, failure to successfully complete commercial testing of new technology and information systems to support new products and services, including voice transmission services, failure to stabilize or reduce the rate of price compression on certain of VSNL’s communications services, failure to integrate strategic acquisitions such as the Tyco Global Network and Teleglobe International Holdings Limited and changes in government policies or regulations of India and, in particular, changes relating to the administration of VSNL’s industry, and, in general, the economic, business and credit conditions in India. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements, many of which are not in VSNL’s control, include, but are not limited to, those risk factors discussed in VSNL’s various filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov

Contacts

VSNL International
Isabelle Turcotte, +1 514-868-7505
isabelle.turcotte@vsnlinternational.com
or
STC Associates, Inc.
Carolyn Robertson, +1 212-725-1900 x204
carolyn@stcassociates.com
or
Kristen Massaro, +44 79 8370 1437
kristen@stcassociates.com