Airvoice to launch HapAd services

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Airvoice Infocom, the Erode-based company, which offers mobile advertising through the voice medium, plans to launch its HapAd services in India by April 2008.

Disclosing this to CyberMedia News here, R Sivakumar, managing director of Airvoice Infocom Erode Pvt Ltd said that the development of the software was being done in US.

“We will be bringing the service to the Indian market during January 2008 for a test launch and further on we plan to launch the full-fledged services by April 2008,” he informed.

Sivakumar said that the mobile advertising market is estimated at Rs 987 crore in India. “With the launch of HapAd voice advertising service we are aiming at revenue of about Rs 2200 crores by 2010. The main advantage is that HapAd is an interactive medium, with low content costs and delivers to the targeted audience,” Sivakumar said.

The company plans to offer opt-in for customers for listening to the voice advertising through mobile, and also plans to share the revenue with the end mobile user, by way of discounts on the bill. For this purpose Airvoice is in talks with cellular service providers.

On the expansion plans Sivakumar said that Airvoice will be establishing own office networks in the four metros of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai apart from one in Bangalore. “We plan to offer marketing of the service through the franchise model and the advertising agencies across the country,” he said.

The company is aiming to raise Rs 100 crores for its expansion and roll-out plans through venture capitalists.

“Airvoice will be launching video advertising once the 3G policy is announced,” he added.

According to sources close to the management, the company has already been approached by MTNL, Mumbai circle and Airtel’s Bangalore circle for roll-out of the services.

Airvoice is withholding since the software is still in the developmental stage and yet to brought to India.