Tikona Digital Networks

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Tikona
Wireless Internet service provider (WISP)
Industry Internet service provider
Founded 2007
Headquarters Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Key people
Prakash Bajpai (Founder, MD & CEO)[1][2]
Products Wireless broadband
Services Wireless Internet Broadband Services, Broadband Services
Website www.tikona.in

Tikona Digital Networks (TDN), referred to simply as Tikona, is an Indian Internet service provider based in Mumbai. Tikona has an all-India Class-A ISP licence granted by the Ministry of Communications, government of India.[2] In 2008, it was founded in Mumbai.[3] A review appearing in a mainstream newspaper in mid-2010 said that Tikona has a base of 2,750,000 customers, including 6000 small and medium business customers.[4]

TDN was founded in 2008. In 2015 the company launched Tikona Infinet (formerly known as HCL Infinet)[5] to provide data services to Enterprises.[6]

Acquisitions

Tikona Digital Networks Pvt. Ltd. bought HCL Infinite from HCL Infosystems in 2011 for an undisclosed amount.[7]

News

In January 2014, Tikona received approval from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board to raise Rs 2.48 billion ($41.8 million) through foreign direct investment.[8] Tikona requested an increase in the foreign equity participation from 71 per cent to 72.58 per cent through the issue of compulsorily convertible debentures and equity shares to the existing non-resident investors. The IFC funding comes as a part of this fund-raising exercise. These expansion plans will also help provide employment to 350 professionals and create 20,000 indirect jobs in support and facilitation functions over the next five to six years.[8]

Tikona Digital Networks recently received $25 million in the form of equity from International Finance Corporation (IFC) after a review.[9] The company is likely to use these proceeds to expand its reach to Tier III and semi-urban markets, as well as for setting up adequate infrastructure for 4G services.[10] The company also broke even on earnings before interest and taxes in early 2013.[11] Tikona is one of the service providers holding broadband wireless access spectrum in the 2300 MHz band and is reviewing for the appropriate time and maturity of the 4G ecosystem before making a foray into the space. Tikona holds 4G spectrum licences in five circles in northwest India, covering Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (East and West) and Himachal Pradesh.[12]

In addition, Tikona claims to have invested in ensuring that their services, particularly WIBRO are not harmful to the environment, and to have ensured that energy consumption and emissions are lower than the industry standard. [13]

Investors and Stakeholders

Private equity companies Goldman Sachs holds 40% stake, Oak Investment Partners holds 20% stake, Everstone holds 10% stake, 4% by L&T Infrastructure Finance Company Limited and rest 26% is held by Tikona Trust which is spearheaded by Prakash Bajpai. It is believed that Malaysia's mobile may pick up a stake in the company.[14]

Current Reach

Currently postpaid service available in following cities:

File:Tikona COVERAGE.jpg
Tikona service available in Top 25 cities.[15]
Indore Agra Ahmedabad Bengaluru Bhopal Gandhinagar
Chennai Coimbatore Delhi Hyderabad Allahabad
Jabalpur Jaipur Kolkata Kanpur Lucknow
Mumbai Meerut Nagpur Pune Raipur
Rajkot Surat Vadodara Varanasi Vizag

References

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  6. [1] Archived 23 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
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