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Play pranks and make excuses with your cell

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CIOL Bureau
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Shashwat Chaturvedi

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MUMBAI: Ringtones, wallpapers and caller tunes may finally have to make way for a slew of advanced value added services (VAS) soon to be launched in India.

The UK-based company, ICE 365 has struck deals with different mobile players for launching its innovative VAS applications.

“We have tied up with Airtel and are in talks with other players. Our applications should be launched in two weeks,” says Paul Shoker, chief executive, ICE 365.

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Shoker is currently in India, finalizing a deal with another publication house for the launch of a mobile classified service.

“Ironically, India is the fastest growing market and yet, the customers have not been exposed to high-end VAS applications. We intend to bring those innovative applications that are available in the European markets,” says Shoker.

The application that his company is launching with Airtel is called as miTune, miExcuse, miPrank. With these applications, users can exchange music, play pranks or even make excuses with their mobile phones.

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For instance, a user can create a sound of a doorbell while speaking to a person, creating the impression that someone is at the door.

There are quite a few excuses that one can make, such as, a child crying, a phone ringing, and others. Users can subscribe to these services for Rs 30 a month and then download a song or an excuse that they would like to play on their handsets.

“These application are targeted at the burgeoning youth market. They are the ones who are open to innovations and loosen their purse strings as well,” says Shoker.

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VAS players in India are constantly cribbing about the unfair revenue share agreement with the mobile operator. Did ICE 365 face the same problem?

“No,” says Shoker. “In fact, many of the operators that we spoke to were very impressed by what we had to offer. If you have something unique to offer, I really do not think, why operators would not offer a favorable revenue share agreement. But it should be truly groundbreaking.”

ICE 365 is also investing close to $10 million in its India operations over the next five years and is ramping up facilities at its Mohali center.

“We expect a turnover of around $80 million in the next five years, modest and quite achievable,” quips Shoker.

© CyberMedia News

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