Bangalore: Reliance WebWorld, the retail chain of Reliance Infocomm, plans to open over 2,000 outlets in the country by 2004 offering Internet and mobile based products and services.

Reliance has already set up 225 WebWorld outlets in top 100 cities and plans to add over 350 by December 2003, Reliance WebWorld CEO Sarup Chowdhary told reporters in Bangalore today (November 13).

Reliance had a plan to set up 777 outlets, he said, adding there was a blueprint to add over 2,000 outlets by the company.

Chowdhary said Reliance had a unique franchisee model through which it invests on the infrastructure and the franchisee contributes a sum and operates the outlet.

He said the WebWorld offers broadband Internet access, gaming, digital suitcase, video conferencing, virtual private office, video chat and Reliance India mobile services to its customers.

Chowdhary said Reliance had tied up with Microsoft to launch a gaming competition of the latter's popular computer game Halo in seven cities of the country.

Microsoft Home and Entertainment Division Asia Sales Director Yolanda Chan said the company was adopting a twin strategy of offering games and hardware in the country.

She said India had about seven lakh gamers and the Halo game competition was aimed at rapidly increasing the gaming community in the country.

PTI