As for mobile Internet, we have created a leadership mobile browser with Opera that provides Internet connectivity in major Indian languages, irrespective of handset support.

This is a big step in enabling local Indian languages to get mass access to Internet users.

This is happening with mobile VAS pegged at values that customers can afford. The challenge ahead is to keep finding price points and smaller packets of usage as ARPU’s slide with incremental customers.

CIOL:  What kind of a change do you expect in the government's strategy to give a boost to the VAS space?
PS: We will see a stronger implementation of DND. If this leads to an opt-in model only, then it will work against our ability to communicate with and educate consumers on mobile VAS.

On the flip side, we will see better adherence to right of customer, to be charged correctly and fairly for M-VAS services and to have better assurance of service levels.

CIOL: What percentage of VAS market share do you hold in India and what is your estimate by the end of the first year?
PS: VAS services already account for 11 percent of our revenue from mobile Customers. This has been climbing steadily from 7 percent two years ago and is set to close on more than 12 percent by year end.

CIOL: What would be the key areas you will be looking upon to cash in on in terms of VAS?
PS: Data capability has always been an advantage for CDMA and Tata Teleservices has provided data capability on all devices , even on the lower end.

With this, we see customers better positioned to get benefits of services like mobile commerce and mobile Internet.

CIOL:  Any new product in the offing?
PS: A whole new range of m-Commerce services is available on Tata Indicom and we should see these broader services with m-Commerce as a string enabler.

Caller ringtones will take on anew form with Ad Ring back tones - as advertising supported ring back tones.

In mobile advertising, Tata Indicom has released its pop-ads that bring graphic interactive advertising to common devices. This is a much richer experience than the flat text based SMS service and we should see an increasing use of this among advertisers with targeted profiling.