BANGALORE: Hughes, the global player in broadband satellite networks and services, has announced that it has tied-up with Oxigen for offering prepaid recharge and bill payment services across all HughesNet Fusion centers in India.

As part of this alliance, Oxigen will be made available across all 250 HughesNet Fusion centers in 95 cities in Phase I.

Oxigen works on the concept of electronic distribution of prepaid airtime and bill payment services in India. The service will extend to over 1000 centres by the end of 2006. This tie-up will help Oxigen increase its points of presence from the existing 14 circles to 21 by the end of the year, states an official release.

The company offers prepaid recharge and bill payments services for all leading telecom service providers pan India including Airtel, Cell-One, Hutch, Idea, RIM, Spice, Trump, BPL and Tata Indicom.

"The Indian telecom market is growing at a CAGR of 29 per cent with over 4.5 million new subscribers joining the mobile club every month. A majority of this market, close to 75 percent is predominantly prepaid customers, who are spread across the length and breadth of the country. This tie-up will allow Oxigen services to be available across the country especially the tier B & C cities", said Pranav Roach, Director Hughes Communications India Ltd.

Speaking on the tie-up, Oxigen executive chairman Pramod Saxena said, "Hughes has effectively leveraged the strengths of satellite broadband to create electronic superstores in the form of HughesNet Fusion centres. I am confident that Oxigen will be able to leverage this infrastructure to provide greater accessibility and availability of prepaid recharge and bill payment solutions for customers pan India". HughesNet Fusion will give Oxigen 1000 additional points of presence especially in regions like Gujarat and Kolkata.