SSTL to close down in ten circles

Russian-backed cellco Sistema Shyam TeleServices (SSTL) will close down operations in ten circles but still plans to take part in the spectrum auction in March, the company said in a statement. Mirroring a similar move from Uninor, which cut down the number of circles it operates in in a bid to trim operating costs, SSTL will shut down operations in Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, North East, Orissa and Punjab. The telco noted that the uncertainties from the licence cancellation prompted the company to ‘conserve its resources’, adding that less than 15% of its subscriber base was located in the ten circles.