mobileVAS

Mobile email service provider, Synchronica which plans to take on the might of BlackBerry for mobile email communication, announced that it has clicked a major deal with a European-based operator for its across the globe subscribers.

As part of the deal, Synchronica will receive one-time activation fee of €1 per user, plus an annual subscription fee of up to €2.64 per user plus a yearly support fee of €0.96 per user. Synchronica will also receive fees for professional services relating to integration and customisation.

Synchronica did not reveal the name of the operator but said that the operator has more than 100 million subscribers worldwide and it expects to witness increased uptake in markets of Eastern Europe, the CIS and South East Asia due to the alliance.

We are delighted to have signed a multi-territory deal with a top 10 mobile operator group. This agreement shows that Synchronica plays in the top league of mobile email infrastructure providers worldwide and that we are able to convert our technical leadership into market share. Mobile Gateway is ideally suited to deliver push email to business users and consumers in particular in the rapidly growing emerging markets of Asia, CIS, Africa, Middle-East and Latin America and we are pleased to see this confirmed by a major operator group,” said Carsten Brinkschulte, CEO of Synchronica.

Bharti Enterprises, Bharti Telesoft which specialises in offering VAS solutions and services announced the launch of Zing, a new mobile browsing solution that promises to provide the enhanced experience over full range of java-enabled handsets covering entry level as well as high-end smartphones.

Jatayu, the subsidiary of Bharti Telesoft which is offering this solution claims that Zing enhances page rendering speeds by 100 percent. The firm says that the solution will allow operators to offer advanced level of internet experience on mobile to their respective subscribers and also drive uptake of wireless internet services.

Raj Kesarimall, VP, Jataayu Mobile Device Solutions said, “With Zing we are enabling a full web experience for mobile users across all segments of the subscriber base. We see Zing having a major impact on the way people experience the mobile Internet and expect operators to benefit from increased mobile Internet uptake and use. By 2011, the mobile Internet market will generate revenues of US$80 billion, according to IBM Global Business and currently, operators are only realizing a small proportion of the overall market potential. Zing will enable operators worldwide to increase their share of the mobile Internet market significantly.”

Mumbai-based Netcore Solutions’ offered free SMS alert services, ”MyToday’ is allegedly in the midst of cloud of lack of clarity over whether the services are permitted under the country’s policies and regulations.

Leading operator Bharti has alleged that the services violate the National Do Not Call Registry and the unsolicited services norms of Trai. It has blocked these services from its network.

According to Netcore, the services are opt-in services and a subscriber has to subscribe to the services to avail the alerts.

The VAS provider says that talks are being held with Bharti and the regulator to resolve the issue.

Netcore’s MyToday services offers free alerts mainly pertaining to news and latest developments to the country’s mobile subscribers. It gets its revenues from mobile advertising offered to these subscribers.

The company claims to have about 3.8 million subscribers for its services. Almost all the leading operators and publications are partners with the company for this service.

Nokia unveiled its 5800 Xpress Music phone yesterday which promises to porivde enhanced level of music on mobile handsets. The handset will be available in India from January next year.

Also coinciding with the launch, Nokia introduced the concept of its mobile music store in the country and said it is in talks with leading Indian music companies for tie-ups.

“Mobile music will continue to be a key priority area for Nokia in 2009 and our strategy is aimed at developing the market for mobile music by following a partnership driven model that enriches consumer experience with innovative devices, accessories and local content,” said Anssi Vanjoki, Executive Vice-President, Nokia.

7Seas Technologies, a Hyderabad-based firm specializing in offering 3D mobile games, announced partnership with Mobile Entertainment Distribution (MED) for distribution of content in the European market.

MED will offer seven games from 7Seas bouquet which will be available in languages including English, French, Dutch, Spanish and German.

Citi Group-owned broadband service provider, You Telecom, is reportedly planning to offer video-on-demand (VoD) services to its digital cable service subscribers. The service provider has tied up with Shemaroo to provide access to more than 1,000 video titles.

As per reports, You Telecom will adopt the pay-per-movie mode and charge about Rs 50-70 per movie. The service is expected to be made available by December. The service will be branded as ‘YOU Multiplex service’ and will categorise the movies under, romance, drama, comedy and classics sections.