With companies shifting focus from mainstream media to cut costs, the next best alternative available to them is the mobile. Mobile marketing, through SMS and other mediums, is witnessing a healthy growth. This has led to mobile users being bombarded with a plethora of ads and other content.

In the process, the Indian user has become one of the most exposed user to mobile ads. Though it can be considered as an achievement on one hand by mobile marketing companies, who are making the best of it, it’s not the best time for the Indian mobile user. After all who wants to be bombarded with ads when you are least interested in them.

Going deeper, we see the rise of the free SMS and other similar platforms offered to brands, as one of the reasons for this outcome. Another contributor is the economic slowdown, which has caused brands to divert a part of their ad budget to cheaper alternatives. Looking forward, we see the exposure increasing with improvement in the content and the way it is delivered to the user. A good example of which is the Airtel SMS2.0 platform.

There has been a lot of things happening within the telecom department regarding the 3G technology. A few weeks back a rumor revealed that the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) has pushed the 3G auction by two weeks to January 15. Then some days later, we heard about the telecom ministry playing hardball by keeping the auction as per previous schedule.

Now in a recent twist, Telecom secretary Siddhartha Behura announced in a press conference that they would be conducting the 3G auction sometime in the second week of January and would be allocating spectrum by the end of month. He also said that come what may, there would be no delay in the plan to complete the auction by mid-January.

Let us hope the government sticks to their word this time because more delay could mean delay in the cash reserves for the government.

Tata Teleservices Limited extended its telecom service in the Assam circle by introducing a range of products. It includes prepaid and postpaid mobile services, Photon a high-speed internet access, fixed wireless telephony under the brand name Walky Talky and many other value-added services.

To introduce its brand to the Assamese locals, Tata Indicom is offering the North East Corridor Starter Pack for Rs. 199/- wherein subscribers in this region can make long distance calls across Assam for 50 paise per min.

Tata Indicom’s products and services will be available at exclusive Tata Indicom showrooms and several other retail stores across the state. As a part of their first phase, they have already installed over 134 cell sites in 31 different towns.

Image

“I Miss you so much, It hurts….” Yes, we are talking about the new Airtel Voice SMS commercial that you must have come across on TV. What the ad tries to do, is rope in people to use the Voice SMS service on offer, as a substitute to the normal SMS. The USP would definitely be the ‘jazbaat’ or the ‘feeling’ that is added to an SMS, which you could not do with a normal SMS.

Though the idea has been put across fairly well, the service could find very less takers. SMS is generally used for short and precise communication and if I wanted the recipient to hear my voice, I would rather call. Anyways, if you’re still interested in using the service, add a star (*) before dialing a number and record your SMS. Each Voice SMS is charged at 75 paise.

Public operator BSNL has announced its move to slash call rates to SAARC countries by 15-30%in the days to come. Currently, calling to these countries is charged around Rs. 10-12, which would be reduced to Rs. 9-10 once the plan is implemented. BSNL also plans to slash calling rates to Middle East countries as well.

Call rates among the SAARC countries were among the highest in the world and this move would make calling more affordable. Some specifics of the new plan are:

• Talk Plan you need to avail the reduced rates: PostPaid Plan 720
• Landline users can call at Rs.9.60 per minute
• Mobile users can call at Rs.9 per minute
• Reduced rates available on calls to: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Bhutan

We Say: Though the reduction in the call rates is around 20%, we wouldn’t see a spectacular increase in calling to SAARC countries. Considering the fat price tag it comes with, some free calling minutes could help make it more attractive.

RCom has come up with another good value for money plan designed for users having moderate local and STD usage. It’s called the Platinum Plan 225 and here are the details:

Monthly Rental: Rs. 225
CLIP: Free
Free: Rs 100 worth Mobile-to-Mobile local calls; Rs 100 worth Local/National SMS
Calling charge to local mobile: 30p/min
Calling charge to local landline numbers: 80p/min
Local/National SMS: 30p/SMS
STD calling charge to all numbers: Rs 1.25/min

That sums up to 333 local mobile calls and 333 all India SMSes for Rs. 225. However, this plan is available only in major cities and only for those who opt for a new connection. RCom’s yet another move to lure new customers!