Celforce gears up before third operator enters the fray

Binu Alex

AHMEDABAD: Fascel Ltd., one of the two cellular operators in Gujarat under

the brand name, Celforce, has introduced various value-added features to make

what it terms as "need for ear to eyes."

But users in Gujarat, with its poor English reach, still have not made

optimum use of the services all-English operated, admitted the company sources.

Vice president, sales and marketing, Sanjeev R Ghanate, in an exclusive

interview with CNS said that the scenario has changed with more and more young

people looking to value added services.

"The traffic we experience during festivals for sending messages and

logos to one another is testimony to the fact that given a chance, people here

are not behind in terms of using value added services," he said.

Celforce, with 67 per cent market share, is the largest non-metro operator in

the country with over 1,75,000-customer base, but Ghanate says the services had

no or little impact in increasing the customer database. He added the company's

USP still remains the coverage and clarity though other services act as

boosters.

Celforce has incorporated Jet Airways schedule, NSE/BSE index, cricket

scores, ring tone downloads, portfolio management, entry and exit load alarms

and alerts of the latest changes in stocks, in its services. Recently it has

launched nearly 600 logos that can be displayed in a GSM enabled handset at

minimal commands and is on the verge of launching 'design your logo' shortly.

Like others, it has also introduced email at the handset number but a step

ahead in email notification for any 3 POP mail accounts.

Another unique feature is the electronic greeting, which a customer can send

from his handset. The receipt of the greeting is notified by an SMS and another

SMS is sent once the recipient reads it.

"It is cumbersome to enter alphabets and to study some of the features,

you need to take a masters degree in the subject," he said. But Ghanate

observed that though slowly, the customers are picking up especially in short

messaging services for which the company has also given easy to carry pocket

pamphlets.

The company is also organizing camps to make the customers friendly with the

features and to make the matters easy, the new pre-paid card comes with

pre-activated message center.

The company representatives visits the customers to explain various

transactions that can be carried out through their handsets like banking, list

of restaurants, SMS, logos, email and bill payments.

Fifty standard messages are coded which a customer can use from the voice

prompt service and send it anywhere in India to any mobile number. But for a

Gujarati who prompts with a 'Kaun' to start a conversation, these services will

remain an enigma.