Singapore: Close on the heels of acquiring Tyco Global Network, Tata group chairman Ratan Tata today (Nov 3, 2004) launched a $100 million undersea optical fibre cable linking Singapore to India.

"It is an important milestone and the cable can give five terabit per second capacity of bandwidth. The 3100-km long cable will prove quite crucial for the growth of bandwidth to provide important links with the world," he said.

This cable would make Tatas-owned Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL) a truly global player, he said.

Responding to queries, he said Tatas would finalise the NatSteel acquisition by December this year where the group would be making an investment and not taking over the management.

Addressing a gathering, Tata said his group would explore the possibility of investments in hospitality segment in Singapore.

Asked about the overseas issue of its IT flagship company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), he said, "We are in the lock-in-period of six to 12 months. But we shall be looking at it very seriously."

On Tata Teleservices, he said the priority was to cover the whole of India and "we are looking at every possibility, including roping in a strategic partner as well as a public offering in this company."