Exhibit - 4
[VSNL LOGO]
Rishabh Nath Aditya
Assistant Company Secretary
HQ/CS/CL.24B/10704
23 April 2004
Sir,
Sub: Press Release
Please find sent herewith a Press Release captioned "VSNL First Telecom
Service Provider To Achieve TL 9000 Certification Globally" which is being
issued today.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
For Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited
R.N. Aditya
Asst. Company Secretary
To:
1) Security Code 23624, The Stock Exchange, Mumbai. Fax No.(22) 22722061,
22721072/22722037
2) The Secretary, Madras Stock Exchange Limited. Fax No.(44) 524 48 97.
3) Security Code 32149, The Secretary, Calcutta Stock Exchange Assn. Ltd, Fax
No.(33)2202514/2283724.
4) Security Code 5251, The Asst. Manager (Listing), National Stock Exchange of
India Limited. Fax Nos.: (22) 26598237/38.
5) National Securities Depository Ltd. Fax Nos. : 2497 29 93.
6) Mr. Vijay Bhojwani, The Bank of New York. Fax No.2204 49 42.
7) Sharepro Services. Fax No. 2837 5646
8) Marc H. Iyeki, Director, New York Stock Exchange, Fax No: (212) 656-5071/72
/Madhu Kannan, Managing Director, New York Stock Exchange, Fax No: (212)
265-2016
9) Mr. Hitendra Patil, Vice President (Operations) Central Depository Services
(India) Limited. Fax : 2267 3199.
10) Mr. Pavithra Kumar, for SEC filing requirements, Fax 1195
VSNL FIRST TELECOM SERVICE PROVIDER TO ACHIEVE TL 9000 CERTIFICATION GLOBALLY
MUMBAI: APRIL 23, 2004: Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) - achieved the
distinction of being the first telecom service provider globally to achieve the
coveted TL 9000 - Quality Management System Certification. VSNL earned this rare
honor by assiduously working for establishing the systems and processes per TL
9000 and demonstrating their effectiveness to UL India Private Limited, the
wholly owned affiliate of Underwriters Laboratories Inc (UL) - who audited
VSNL's operations across Western and Southern Regions and awarded the TL 9000
Certificate.
TL 9000 is a common set of quality system requirements and metrics designed
specifically for the Telecom industry, encompassing ISO 9001 and other best
practices.
"AS A TELECOM SERVICE PROVIDER, OUR ENDEAVOR HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO BE THE HALLMARK
IN QUALITY OF SERVICE. WE ARE GLAD THAT OUR ENDEAVOR HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED WITH
THE TL 9000 CERTIFICATION, THE PARAMOUNT BENCHMARK IN TELECOM SERVICES", said
Mr. S.K. Gupta, Managing Director, VSNL. "GOING FORWARD, QUALITY OF SERVICE IS
GOING TO BE THE KEY DIFFERENTIATOR AMONG TELECOM SERVICE PROVIDERS. OUR AIM IS
TO CONSISTENTLY REDEFINE THE QUALITY STANDARDS TO MAINTAIN OUR LEADERSHIP IN THE
TELECOM SERVICES MARKETPLACE", Mr. Gupta added.
TL 9000 Requirements and Measurements have been developed by The Quality
Excellence for Suppliers of Telecommunications (QuEST Forum) - comprising
leaders in the telecommunications field - Bell Atlantic, Bell South, Pacific
Bell and Southwestern Bell etc plus some 180 organizations who are spearheading
this quality initiative worldwide. The high cost of poor quality and the growing
expectations and demand of customers for quality, reliable and cost effective
telecom services were the triggers for this initiative. TL 9000 is quite unique
from other sector-specific Quality Management Systems. It is designed to guide
the telecom organizations towards business excellence through continual
performance improvement through adoption of 'best practices' and by benchmarking
the performance against the 'best-in-class' globally.
Since TL 9000's introduction in 1999 as the Telecom Industry Standard, nearly
500 Organizations worldwide got certified to it -comprising telecom hardware
manufacturers and software developers. As regards service organizations, VSNL is
the first telecom service provider to achieve TL 9000 Certification globally. UL
which is the global leader for TL Certifications, found during its audit, a very
strong commitment to excellence and systems across the organization at all
levels from top management to front-end customer contact executives and keen
desire to continually improve the processes. VSNL's achievement of TL 9000
Certification is a re-iteration of India's telecom leader's commitment and quest
to pursue continual improvement and excellence for the benefit of customers and
all other stakeholders.
ABOUT VSNL
Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited is India's leading provider of International
Telecommunications and Internet Services. As the country's leader in
International Long Distance services and with a strong pan-India National Long
Distance presence, VSNL is the leader in the Corporate Data Market in the
country today with a strong service offering covering IPLCs, ILLs, Frame relay,
ATM and more recently, MPLS based IP-VPN services. With established relations
with over 80 carriers across the globe, VSNL today has a strong infrastructure
base that covers multiple gateways, earth stations and submarine cable systems.
Tata-owned VSNL is now rapidly growing its retail and corporate presence under
the Tata Indicom brand through its products like dial-up Internet, net telephony
and calling cards and has a subscriber base of over 6.5 lakh customers. The
Company also proposes to consolidate its presence in the Internet space by
entering into the Broadband business. VSNL also offers a host of other valued
added services that include Television / Video uplinking, Program transmission
services, Frame relay services and Inmarsat services.
VSNL is in the process of expanding its global presence and is setting up
operations in Sri Lanka. Singapore and the United States of America. VSNL is
listed across all the major stock exchanges in India and also has its ADRs
listed on the New York Stock Exchange. (www.vsnl.com)
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. Such statements involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other factors, 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, changes
in government policies or regulations of India and, in particular, changes
relating to the administration of VSNL's industry, and changes in general
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. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the
date of this release. VSNL expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to
release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement
contained herein to reflect any change in VSNL's expectations with regard
thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such
statement is based.
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FOR FURTHER DETAILS CONTACT:
Dr. G. C. Banik, Chief General Manager (PR), Mr. Alok Kulkarni
Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited, Vaishnavi Corporate Communications
Tel: 91-22-5639 5153 Tel: 91-22-56568787