Bangalore: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) launched CellOne, its countrywide cellular service, in Karnataka on October 21 and said it is aiming for a two-lakh subscriber base in the state by March 2003.

"We are aiming for a two-lakh subscriber base in Karnataka by March 2003," chief general manager of Karnataka Telecom Circle K Padmanabhan said at a function, where Chief Minister S M Krishna launched the service.

Krishna made the inaugural mobile call to his ancestral home at Somanahally in Mandya district.

Let there be copious rains in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu," he said in the cell phone, obviously referring to the Cauvery row between the two states.

The Chief Minister complimented Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee for initiatives in highway development projects and Communications Minister Pramod Mahajan for the country's strides in the communication field, saying both were working hard in this regard.

He said a strong foundation for "technological explosion" was laid by late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and then nurtured by late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Krishna also launched BSNL's answering machine service and voice mail service.

BSNL officials said CellOne covers 121 cities and towns in Karnataka.

According to Padmanabhan, the CellOne project for Karnataka has cost BSNL Rs 120 crore.

PTI