M-commerce to overtake e-commerce soon (India)
In an emerging market such as India, mobile broadband is expected to become the prime source of internet access, racing ahead even of e-commerce. Accprding to a report by ET, of the next 300 million Internet users to be added, more than 200 million are expected to be mobile Internet users. The variety of low end smartphones available in the market, beginning at $ 58 will aide in the growth of this phenomenon.
The report highlights other Asian markets where mobile commerce has been making its mark. In Japan, around 20 percent of online commerce is done via the mobile phone; whereas, China has an m-commerce level of 12 percent of the overall 30 percent.
As per the report, the number of mobile only Internet users is expected to be over 50 percent in India by 2015. Of the total e-commerce in 2015 in the country, about 15-20 percent is expected to be transacted via the mobile phone.
M-commerce offers consumers certain advantages such as convenience in placing orders over their mobile phone, enhanced interaction between retailer and purchaser, easy mobile payment options with advanced technolgy functions, amongst others.
Vodafone partners with Boston Scientific to transform healthcare through mobile (UK)
Vodafone Global Enterprise – the business within Vodafone which manages the communications needs of its largest multinational customers –announced an agreement with Boston Scientific Corporation, a global leader in the design of medical devices, to develop mobile health monitoring solutions that are set to transform healthcare by providing doctors with real-time information about patients’ cardiac health and certain vital signs remotely.
Remote healthcare monitoring systems, powered by Vodafone’s global world-leading machine-to-machine (M2M) technology, will allow patients to use mobile devices to send health information to their doctor without having to leave their home. This reduces pressure on hospital outpatient and inpatient services and significantly increases the speed with which doctors and consultants can respond to early signs of deterioration in their patients’ cardiac condition.
Vodafone Global Enterprise Chief Executive Nick Jeffery said that the mobile internet has already transformed how people work, share their lives with friends and family and learn about the world around them. Wireless communications are now also set to change how we stay healthy and recover from illness. The new mobile technologies will empower both doctors and patients, enhancing quality of care while reducing costs and inefficiency.
Boston Scientific Senior Vice President and President, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Michael Onuscheck, said that with long patient lists and busy schedules, doctors are always looking for solutions that improve patient care while driving clinical efficiencies. Their collaboration with Vodafone allows them to use their mobile expertise and provide wireless remote patient monitoring services that appeal to both patients and healthcare providers.
Airtel Ghana offers rebate on data bundles (Ghana)
Mobile operator Airtel Ghana has introduced 50 percent bonus on all prepaid data bundle rates between 12 midnight and 5 am on its network. Airtel, which has the lowest pay-as-you-go rates in the country, is hopeful that the reduced rates will drive data usage on its network, as reported by Business Ghana.
Oare Ojeikere, Marketing Director at Airtel Ghana explains that the offer, adding to Airtel Ghana’s already low rates, is meant to encourage current customers to do more with Airtel’s internet and to encourage new users on the network. Ojeikere adds that what they want to offer their heavy users and young people in schools engaged in research is to get more for less on other 3.75G network.
Ojeikere added that the reduced rates would be especially beneficial to young people and students who often want to download large music and video files. What they have noticed is that a lot of their student and young customers have quite a large plethora of music files and videos that they follow and download and we know that by offering them half price on browsing, we will be making life a bit easier on their pockets.
Head of Corporate Communications and External Affairs at Airtel Ghana, Donald Gwira said with the increasing popularity of social media especially among the youth, the 50 percent discount would come in handy to the large segment of young people on our network and those who use data as part of their everyday life. With the introduction of Ghana’s first 3.75G internet network two months ago, Gwira said Airtel is positioned to offer the fastest and most affordable rates to enrich the lives of customers. Customers can subscribe by simply dialing *125# to experience life in real time with Airtel’s amazing and affordable Internet services.
Airtel to roll-out 4G services today (India)
Leading mobile operator in India, Bharti Airtel, will launch its 4G service in Kolkata today. As reported by Wireless Federation earlier, the operator will be the first to launch 4G services in India, which is expected to offer users download speeds of around 100 MB per second on the move and can go up to 1 Gigabits per second at a fixed location.
The operator has partnered with ZTE Corporation to plan, design, supply and deploy its 4G network in Kolkata, which will allow its subscribers to experience high-speed wireless internet access.
Sanjay Kapoor, Bharti Airtel CEO (India and South Asia), said that acccording to industry estimates, by 2016, six percent of all mobile connections will have 4G connection, which would create 36 percent of the total mobile data traffic, thus paving way for the ensuing data revolution. Further, the impending launch of 4G in the country will provide ultra high speed data access, driving fundamental changes in society at large.
As per sources, the operator has requested union telecom minister Kapil Sibal to inaugurate the 4G network.
Vodafone launches special service for corporate segment (UK)
Mobile operator Vodafone said that its new service offers mobile network priority to corporate customers. According to reports, a company spokesman said that subscribers to Vodafone’s two most expensive data bundles used in laptops or tablet PCs, but not in smartphones, will benefit from the new service in a six-month pilot project at no extra cost.
As per reports, Vodafone also said it will raise investment in current fiscal 2013, which ends March 31, to $ 340 million from $ 327 million in the previous year, to improve its mobile networks. The move will offer corporate customers more bandwidth to better deal with heavy traffic. Further, the operator has claimed that the priority treatment is limited to some customers only and other clients won’t be disadvantaged by it.
Vodafone Qatar mobile internet promotion (Qatar)
As per Vodafone Qatar’s ongoing promotion customers can use internet on their mobile for only US$ 0.12 per MB. The exciting new mobile internet promotion was announced in March and will continue until 12 midnight on the 19th April 2012.
With this fantastic new rate of only US$ 0.12 per MB, customers can now do more of everything online at a lower price! Whether customers wanted to browse You Tube, socialize on Facebook, look for the latest new updates, check today’s weather or anything else, the process has became a lot more enjoyable with Vodafone’s new mobile internet rate.
Luke Longney, Senior Marketing Manager, Vodafone Qatar, said that the possibilities with mobile internet are endless! This mobile internet promotion along with free 0.facebook.com allows customers to do more of what they love online for less with Vodafone.
Airtel inks deal with ZTE to manage first 4G network (India)
In continuing with its plans of being the first Indian operator to launch 4G/LTE services, telecom operator Bharti Airtel has reportedly entered into a partnership with ZTE to manage its fourth generation (4G) technology based network in Kolkata. As per reports, the operator is targeting next month for the official launch.
As per a statement by the company, Bharti Airtel has selected ZTE Corporation to plan, design, supply and deploy its 4G network in Kolkata, which will allow its subscribers to experience high-speed wireless internet access.
Sanjay Kapoor, Bharti Airtel CEO (India and South Asia), said that acccording to industry estimates, by 2016, six percent of all mobile connections will have 4G connection, which would create 36 percent of the total mobile data traffic, thus paving way for the ensuing data revolution. Further, The impending launch of 4G in the country will provide ultra high speed data access, driving fundamental changes in society at large.
As reported earlier, Airtel had awarded the contract for managing its 4G network in Maharashtra to Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN).
India to become world’s second largest mobile broadband market (India)
The GSMA has announced that India will become the second largest Mobile Broadband market globally within the next four years with 367 million Mobile Broadband connections by 2016. In doing so, India will overtake the US, which will account for 337 million Mobile Broadband connections by 2016, but will still be second to China, which will have reached 639 million Mobile Broadband connections in the same period.
Since 3G licenses were first awarded to mobile operators in India in September 2010, Mobile Broadband connectivity has grown steadily. There are now more than 10 million HSPA connections across the country, and this is expected to grow exponentially, by 900 per cent, to more than 100 million connections in 2014. This will make India the largest HSPA market worldwide within the next two years, surpassing China, Japan and the US in the process.
According to a company report Anne Bouverot, director general of the GSMA, said that the mobile industry in India is set for immense growth as Mobile Broadband technologies such as HSPA and LTE start to proliferate, but there is scope for far greater development. Further, to take full advantage of this, the Indian government should facilitate the timely release of additional spectrum in a fair and transparent way for all stakeholders. The benefits are clear to see – a 10 per cent increase in Mobile Broadband penetration could contribute as much as US$80 billion of revenue across the country’s transport, healthcare and education sectors by 2015.
As per a GSMA study, despite a large rural population, mobile growth in India is being largely driven by more affluent communities in cities. Net additions in urban areas reached 85 million last year compared to 57 million in rural areas, with mobile penetration increasing by 20 percentage points in urban areas to 161 per cent, against a 6.5 percentage point rise in rural areas to 36.6 per cent.
The provision of Mobile Broadband in rural and remote areas will help India bridge the so-called ‘digital divide’. It will improve productivity, help overcome the constraints of transport infrastructure and provide much needed services such as banking, health and education. Given the significant social and economic benefits, expanding affordable access to Mobile Broadband should be a high priority of the Indian government.
The study reveals that with an average retail price of US$500, the cost of an LTE smartphone is four times the average monthly GDP per capita in India, and at an average of US$200, the retail price of an LTE USB dongle is twice an Indian’s monthly income on average. As LTE networks proliferate worldwide and more devices become available, costs will come down. Initiatives like the introduction of the low cost Aakash tablet in India are helping spur widespread access to the Internet in emerging markets, but more can be done.
Bouverot also said that it is important that all citizens in India have access to high-speed Internet connectivity and the transformative opportunities it provides. The current average cost of an LTE device is prohibitive for the uptake of Mobile Broadband for those on low incomes. The GSMA is committed to working with its mobile operator members to investigate innovative ways in which to make access to the mobile Internet more affordable for all.
Telkomsel launches ‘Facebook by Fonetwish’ app (Indonesia)
Indonesia’s leading mobile operator, Telkomsel, has launched ‘Facebook by Fonetwish’ application for its customers. The service allows its subscribers to log into their Facebook profiles, update status and view their friends’ walls, by simply dialing a number, without needing an internet connection.
Singapore-based software applications developer U2opia Mobile developed Fonetwish for mobile phones allows users to access Facebook on all kind of handsets without internet. Fonetwish has a reach of over 300 million people across the globe.
According to reports, Ririn Widaryani, Deputy VP Product Lifecycle Management, Telkomsel has said that they are enthused by response to Fonetwish by Facebook application. Indonesia has the highest adoption of the Facebook in the region and they expect a good response to this service.
Sumesh Menon, Founder and CEO of U2opia Mobile, has said that over the next few months, Facebook by Fonetwish will add more functionality, based on what the local market is looking for.
Orange hopeful of launching 4G services in the next 3 years (Jordan)
Mobile operator Orange Jordan has said that it will begin work on its network in order to provide 4G services to users.
According to reports, Nayla Khawam, CEO, Orange Jordan, said that the company will invest about US$ 70.4 million in 2012 to upgrade its 2G and 3G networks and start preparing for the provision of 4G service in no less than three years.
She added that the future is 4G services and they have already started their plans to introduce the technology, which will enable providing high-speed data services and other new services in the market. Khawam also said that the demand for 4G services will see a substantial increase in the next three years.
She also said that mobile operators need to focus more on data as compared with voice services. The 4G technology offers high speed internet access that enables users to browse the internet and use mobile apps in a more seamless manner.
