Manac to expand in wireless entertainment sector

HYDERABAD: Manac Infotech, a Hyderabad-based firm, is planning to foray into

the wireless entertainment market in the Asia Pacific region by introducing the

SMS (short messaging system) and WAP-based entertainment products and games. The

company has already developed around 20 products in that sector.

The firm has already introduced three games in Andhra Pradesh, through Tata

Cellular and is in the final stages of finalizing a deal with Orange in

Maharashtra. The company is marketing the products on a revenue sharing basis

through the cell operators.

Though the Indian market is yet to become profitable for setting up a revenue

sharing model for this product, the firm would like to create a broad platform

to have a domestic presence in the country to show case its capabilities, said

Manac’s managing director Yeramilli Srinivas. Asia Pacific is the real market

for products like this and this is where we hope to make good profit, he added.

At present the firm employs 15 professionals and is in the process of hiring

an additional 25 to its rolls. Currently the firm has a subscriber base of four

lakh and promises to touch the million-mark by next month end. It is also

working in the space of 'invitation games' wherein the user invites another SMS

user to play a game through a mobile handset. "This is going to be really

exciting for the mobile users and is likely to help increase the penetration of

handsets amongst the youngsters," said Srinivas.

"Once our range of products expands to include PDA users, the range will

become viable and attractive for our users. Our current portfolio contains both

SMS as well as WAP-based applications offering the operator a powerful suite of

products to attract the subscriber. WAP-based applications include Moving

Emotions - an animated WAP messaging product, Mobile Cupid - a WAP based dating

engine and games," he said.