Future of LBS in India

Location Based Services in India is still in its nascent stage. Although Mobile VAS market value is over Rs. 5000crore in India currently, location based services has limited contribution as of now. 

Scope for improvement

There is an old saying that “ where there is a will, there is a way”. Same goes for location based service providers too. India being the second largest mobile market today, has great potential in terms of LBS provided, service providers focus on improving the service as per mobile users’ needs. Here are some thoughts for enhancing the usability of Location Based Services in India:

1. Create Innovative ideas – Work on new ideas based on location such as:
— Expand the list – have a comprehensive database with more places for information seeking such as schools, party halls,shops, commuting distance, time etc if not already available.
—  Generate more relevant applications – develop killer applications based on market segments
— Make it more attractive – Send pictures (based on handset compatibility), phone number details, most popular landmark                

2. Multiple service access channels – Expand your service to be explored through various other channels such as IVRS, SMS, Web, WAP, USSD (as applicable). Example – IVRS can be used by all age group people and by any handset.                                                                 

3. Increase service offerings based on handset compatibility – tweak technology based on handset

4. Continuously update your database – with new information about road digging, road construction,road blocks and with alternate routes

5. User friendly application  – Keep the product/service easy and simple to use

6. Strengthen your sources – Get information from relevant sources such as traffic police, residents, shopkeepers in that area

7. Conduct market research – Get to know your users, what their pain points are, gather their requirements and implement it

8. Accurate and relevant data – Work on delivering exact information requested by user 

9. Expand your sales
— Broaden your boundaries – Focus on attracting more enterprise and not just individuals
— Free trials – Provide services for free to users initially until comfortable
— Enhance sales pitch – Spend awareness by trying to promote the service

9. Reduce the cost – Try to support basic phones as well (SMS based service), nominal user fee and get advertisers and sponsors to pay for the service used by mobile users

10. Personal safety – Provide disclaimer about personal information being kept confidential

There are a lot of challenges that the LBS industry in India is facing and most important of these is availability of accurate Geographic Information System(GIS). At least by working on reducing the cost of the service and providing alternative methods for mobile users for seeking location specific information, service providers are sure to attract more users. After all, with the world’s second largest mobile population, it would not only serve as an excellent information delivery system on the fly, but a potentially huge market as well.

- Kavyanidhi Narayan

Location Based Services – Definition and Services offered

What is LBS?

Location Based Services, based on GPS (Global Positioning System) technology is an informative service which provides location specific data to mobile users while commuting from one place to another. It makes use of mobile application which helps mobile users locate the destination address.

Service offering:

Location Based Services can be used in a variety of contexts, such as health, work, personal life. Some of the most popular services supported are:

1. Maps and direction – provides turn by turn navigation to any required address.
2. City Sightseeing – provides subscribers with location information of a place such as restaurants, museum, park etc.
3. Mobile Yellow Pages – allows subscribers to get location specific details of their interest such as doctors around that area, car service centers etc.
4. Locating place – malls, hospitals, movie halls, ATMs, banks etc
5. Receiving alerts – location based advertisements (about exhibitions, sale), traffic updates, road. construction, road block etc
6. Resource tracking – fleet management, courier tracking etc
7. Friend Finder – alerts subscribers when one of their friends in their buddy list is in close proximity to their location or vice versa.
8. Chatting – Location based chatting service to be in touch/meet people around that location.

There are many LBS players in India such as Yulop, Onze technologies, Map unity, Imere Technologies, MapmyIndia,Interchain solutions and many more.

- Kavyanidhi Narayan

Short Map Service : Mini version of LBS

Location based services seems to be growing in popularity. Here is a mini version of LBS developed by Bangalore based start-up “Onze technologies”. This service is called Latlong (latitude- longitude) and helps commuters with accurate directions from source to destination.

How does it work?

It is based on SMS technology and mobile user needs to send an SMS to 90088 90088 with ‘current location’ and ‘destination’ as keywords. Directions are sent back to information seeker instantly.

Distinguishing Features

There are some interesting features supported by this service. Such as:

• Displays the exact distance, appropriate auto fares
• Shortest and best route to get to destination
• Landmark information available with exact turning details (right, left)
• Automatic language correction – Gives accurate address even if there is an typo in destination name
• Tag your business – Shows your business on someone’s map if you wish to
• Feedback options available

Benefits of Short Map Service

• Provides you with exact directions
• Cost effective – pay only the SMS charge
• Supports any mobile phone
• Continous update of information in database – souces: traffic police, BBMP, media and local population

Currently the services are for Bangalore and Chennai within India, it is expected to cover other cities in India sometime soon. In a developing country such as ours where commuters rely on pedestrians for directions, this service sure has a bright future. It not only eliminates the difficulties for commuters to stop and ask people around for directions, but provides mobility and is not expensive too.

What do you think about this service?

- Kavyanidhi Narayan

Per second tariff plan coming soon in India

TRAI has proposed to make it mandatory, a one pulse (charge per second instead of per minute) charging method to all operators in India. The main idea behind this is to make it beneficial for mobile users in India. It will be economical, reduces  wastage per call and provides transparency to mobile users tariff plans. At present, the minimum pulse rate of 60 seconds is experiencing quite a bit of wastage. Many times, mobile users talk just for few seconds and land up paying more due to rounding up for 60seconds plan.  Over all the Service providers will also benefit with this attractive tariff plan by gaining more subscriber base and increase in revenues by mobile users willing to talk for longer time. This is already been noticed by telecom company, Tata Docomo which has launched the one second pulse plan  3 months ago.

To actually notice if this change will make a lot of difference to consumers and other service providers, we will need to wait and watch after its implemented by all operators in India.

What do you think?

- Kavyanidhi Narayan

Mobile Marketing – Powerful promotional tool

Ever since SMS came into existence in early 2000s, mobile marketing has become know to mobile users. Today, India is one amongst the fastest growing mobile industry with over 10-12 millions subscribers being added to mobile subscriber base every month is reported by Indian service providers. The service providers are now experiencing an increasing demand for mobile marketing.

What is mobile marketing?

Mobile Marketing is any sponsored infotainment or entertainment service that the mobile subscriber receives for free and the content/service is paid by advertiser. In traditional sense, it is a method by which advertisers  promote their service/product through mobile technology, mainly through cell phones.

What are the various methods of Mobile marketing?

Advertisers reach the end-users (mobile users) through various channels based on channel availability and handset compatibility. Some of them are:

• Via SMS - Advertisment message of few characters is sent to end-user along with regular text message (Text message + ad = 160 characters)
• Via USSD - Relevant ads are broadcasted to subscribers based on their interest and location
• Via Mobile games – Promotional messages are delivered along with mobile games during mobile games download or while playing games online
• Dial through IVR – Advertisment clip is played just before mobile user browses through the voice portal for CRBT, infortainment subscriptions or content download
• Mobile web marketing – Advertisments are displayed on WAP portals in the form of web/wap banners on sites which are most popular among subscribers
• Location Based Services – Mobile user receive advrtisment clips at the right time, as per mobile user interest and based on their present location
• Via Bluetooth – Transfer advertisments between cell phones but more popular in the western world than in India

What are the benefits of Mobile marketing?

For mobile users

Many of the users think it is good to have this service specially because:

• Phone calls/ games are sponsored by advertisers
• Many a times ads are informative
• Easy and free method of receiving relevant information

For Promoters

• Good source of revenue generation for advertisers and service providers
• Easy method for promoters to reach their potential customers

What is its potential in India?

Popularity of Mobile marketing in India is growing every day. India having over 400 million mobile subscribers, seems to be having good potential provided the ads are delivered for free, say industry experts. Based on reports and analysis, it is observed that there are more takers if the ads are free and very few are interested in paid services. So for promoters, a good business model is in which they do not charge their viewers for ads. Look at what others in this Industry have to say:

http://www.telenity.com/telescope/09-01/lbs-based-mobile-marketing.php

Many companies such as OnMobile, Telenity,Velti , Activemedia technologies (bought by 2ergo), ACL wireless etc are focusing in this space. What do you think is the potential of mobile marketing in India?. Do you think there is agood chance for it to grow?

- Kavyanidhi Narayan

Mobile and Internet gaming: Women gamers on a rise

Industry experts say, gaming is no more just boys passion but more and more women are getting attracted to playing mobile games and Internet games. Currently number of men far outcome women in playing games in India, but its expected that women gamers is on the rise. In India currently 20% of the gamers are women, where are in US its 40% (Source: Business standard). But its a matter of time that Indian women will catch up with US women gamers. As per Vital Analytics  (India telecom market research firm in mobile space) – Feb/March 2009 report, 105millions urban mobile users play mobile games on their phone, out of which 30 million play almost daily!

Gaming developers and companies are also taking lot of interest in implementing new games specially designed based on women’s choice. For example: Zapak has come up with a portal exclusive for women called zapakgirls.com. Exclusive women games are make over, cooking, fashion, dress up, celebrity and doll games. Some gaming companies are suprised to see that women are also getting attracted to games related to cricket.

Based on a report of game downloads, it has been observed that women usually take up games which is easy to understand and requires minimal instructions. Also by reducing the prices of the games should get more women gamers try out new ones.

So lets wait to see what the ratio of gamers will be in near future and how fast women will catch up with men in playing mobile, PC and Internet games.

- Kavyanidhi Narayan

Rural strategy: To increase mobile subscriber base in India

Cellular operators, mobile VAS service providers, mobile phone manufacturers in India have started exploring more on the rural market in order to increase their revenues.  What they have released is that rural strategy is key to business success right now, given that urban market has reached almost the saturation level.

Telecom companies are making conscious effort to come up with new products and services to attract the rural mobile users, specially by coming with beneficial and educational programs for farmers on agricultural information. Teaching them to use cell phones, sending SMS and attracting them to subscribe to services which will be benefical for their crop growth. This is achieved by providing information such as best price rates to set, weather updates, fertilizers to use, right season to grow crops etc. Telcos have been observing recently that they have started getting more than half of their monthly increase in mobile subscriber base from rural and semi-urban parts of India.  Vodafone, Reliance communication, Idea cellular has seen 50% of their new subscribers are rural areas  (Percentage – Source Business standard)

This potential to which telecom companies thought about 3 yrs ago is paying off now. Nokia the leading mobile phone manufacturing company with its low priced mobile phones is also experincing increase in handset sales, specially by rural users.

Industry experts say, even thought immediate benefits are low, rural markets are profitable in the long run.

- Kavyanidhi Narayan

NFC reader on your mobile phone will change lifes in Urban India

What is NFC?

Near Field Communication (NFC) a interesting technology which enables mobile users to just wave their mobile phone in front of the system which is NFC compliant in order to be able to use various services such as movie ticket booking, train and bus ticketing booking, using ATMs, locate directions, make payments will make life easier for mobile users very soon. NFC provides easy and secure communication between mobile phones and electronic devices. The requirement is that the two devices talking to each other should both be NFC enabled and placed atleast 4 inches close to each other. Working at a speed of 424kbits/sec makes the data transfer quick and since the devices need to be very close to each other make it a secure transaction. In accessing many information, password and authentication feature is also available.

Exchange of information between two NFC handsets (Source - Google images)

What are the services supported?

Some of the useful services allowed by NFC are :

• Travelling – Purchase tickets on the fly
• Shopping – Pay at retail outlets, malls, parking lots etc
• Banking – Secure, fast and safe payment transactions
• Restaurants – Pay for your food ordered without requiring to carry your credit card
• Organizations – Locate offices, synchronise calender events, access online digital content and take print outs

Due to the various service offerings, specially the ones required for daily activities such as  mcommerce and directions, makes life of mobile users simple.

With recent agreement among phone manufacturers, the arrival of NFC handsets is going to be easier and faster.

References

http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Use_Your_Mobile_Phone_As_Credit_Card/551-103829-547.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9672413-1.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near_Field_Communication

-Kavyanidhi Narayan

Status of 3G in India – Latest update/news

There is Good news for the telecommunication industry as defense ministry has agreed to release 45Mhz of bandwidth for mobile communication. At present 25MHZ of this bandwidth is allotted for 3G services and remaining 20Mhz for 2G services. The spectrum is expected to be released in installments with 10MHZ being release immediately for 3G and 5MHz for 2G services. India’s largest telecom service provider Bharti Airtel service 100 millions of its subscribers on 9Mhz spectrum. The release of this 10MHz spectrum is expected to help most circles, approximately 12 telcos to offer 3G services. Therefore, release of frequency bandwidth for mobile communcations has helped solve the problem for many telcos as it eliminates network congestion. Telcos operating in Indian cities – Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and states such as Karnataka, Andrapradesh and Tamil nadu are expected to benefit the most.

There are ~404million subscribers in India today. Gartner(leading market research firm) predicts a 90% growth in mobile users (771 million) in India by 2013.

Looks like with the release of more frequency for 3G services will attract more mobile users in India.

(Source – Numbers from Business Standard, 19th June 09).

- Kavyanidhi Narayan

Internet Search Engines

When we talk about search engines, it is mainly Google which crosses people’s mind. Other search engines such as Yahoo search, Live search is next in line. Beauty of Google search is that it gives as accurate results as possible and search is available in 45 international languages and 9 Indian languages. MSN search, Wiki seek (founded only),Blackle, Guruji.com, Asklaila etc are also well known. MSN search provides wide range of information, Wiki seek was for indexed wikipedia pages and pages that were linked to from Wikipedia articles. Blackle powered by google custom search displays search results on black background in order to save energy , Guruji and Asklaila is for the Indian consumers and gives results for Indian local information. Some of the recently launched ones are Bing (Microsoft), Wolfram Alpha, Cuil, Google Squared. Let us take a look at some details of these newly launched search engine:

Recently launched Internet Search engines

Search engine home page of some popular ones:
 
Blackle – http://www.blackle.com/
Guruji.com – http://www.guruji.com/
Ask Laila – http://www.asklaila.com/
MSN search – http://in.msn.com/
Google search  – http://www.google.com
Yahoo Search – http://search.yahoo.com/
Live Search  – http://home.live.com/

Do you use any other Internet search engines to retrive information? Do share your comments.

- Kavyanidhi Narayan