Airtel launches 'Call-me-back' service for prepaid subscribers

Airtel, in partnership mCarbon (a Value Added Service provider), has unveiled 'Call-me-back' service for prepaid subscribers. With the help of this service, a user can request their family and friends to call them back if they have a balance of less than Re 1.
  
To use this service the user needs to send a toll-free SMS with the word CALL <space> <Airtel mobile number you want to speak to.> to 121. Thereafter the person you want to speak to will get an SMS from the number the user saying: "Please call me back. Thank You." There is no charge to user for this service, and the call-back by the friend or family member will be charged as per his current calling plan rate. The customer who is calling back can be an Airtel prepaid or postpaid user anywhere in the country (including on roaming).

This service can be availed when the balance in customer's prepaid account is below Re 1, and can be used up to 3 times in a day.

Rajesh Razdan, Co-founder and Director, mCarbon Tech Innovation, stated "The customer's experience of an operator has many facets and involves many touch-points. We are pleased to launch 'Call-me-back', one such service that drives our philosophy of Customer Experience Management. We are positive on our ability to continuously add new and exciting applications under our wing."
  
Earlier this week, Airtel unveiled a new prepaid hotspot service called 'WiFi Hangout'. The service that is currently available in select cities namely Mumbai, Bangalore and the NCR allows prepaid users to enjoy a broadband Internet experience anywhere on their Wi-Fi enabled devices such as Laptop, tablet or mobile. The Airtel WiFi Hangout plans begin at Rs.20 for 30 min, Rs.30 for 60 min and Rs.50 for 120 min of unlimited usage.
  
Apart from this Airtel had also come up with an Airtel Data Share Plan. Under this plan the subscriber will have to shell out Rs. 1000 per month and can use 3G data on up to three smart devices. There is a cumulative cap of 5GB, on exhaustion of which the Airtel user can continue to use unlimited data but at the speed of 80KB per second. 

MF transactions through SMS

Paper Work

 

Investors can conduct their mutual fund transactions through SMS. To avail of this facility, you need to register with the AMC, which will specify the types of transactions allowed through this mode as well as the maximum transaction value. The investor needs to fill up a form prescribed by the AMC and mention the unit holder details, KYC verification status, mobile number through which the facility will be used, etc. In case of joint holding, the application will have to be made jointly. 
Debit mandate 
In addition to the SMS facility registration form, the unit holder needs to provide a debit mandate to his bank to carry out transactions through theSMS facility. A debit mandate registration form for SMS facility needs to be filled up by all unit holders. 
Processing 
It usually takes 21-30 days from the date of receipt of documents for the AMC to get the debit mandate verified by the bank and process the application. The AMC then allots a PIN for SMS transactions. 
Transactions 
On receipt of the PIN, the investor can carry out transactions in his folio by sending an SMS to the prescribed number in the format prescribed by the AMC. The company sends a transaction confirmation message to the investor, which needs to be acknowledged. 
Points to note 

• The first purchase needs to be carried out through a physical form, while the subsequent transactions can be carried out via the SMS facility. 

• The investor needs to keep the AMC informed, in the prescribed format, about any change in details in order to keep the SMS facility active. 

• The transactions using the SMS facility have the same broker code that was registered during the previous transaction.

UNHAPPY TIDINGS? SC quashes tribunal order, 200 SMSes per day cap back

New Delhi: The cap of 200 text messages per day per person came back into force on Monday with the Supreme Court staying the telecom appellate tribunal's decision quashing the limit imposed by the telecom regulatory body.     The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had challenged the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal's (TDSAT) decision before the apex court on the ground that the limit was enforced to strike a balance between the sender's right to freedom of speech and expression and the receiver's right to privacy.      A bench of Justices G S Singhvi and Gyan Sudha Misra stayed the TDSAT order after hearing brief arguments from senior advocate Krishnan Venugopal. It also issued a notice to Aditya Thackeray — on whose petition the TDSAT had quashed the limit as violative of right to freedom of speech and expression. The bench asked Aditya, son of Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray, to file a response in six weeks.      Trai had first restricted text messages to 100 per day per mobile phone subscriber as part of its tough Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations. However, the limit was later raised to 200 messages per day per person.      The telecom regulator said the national average of text messages was just two per person per day.

Tata Tele moves tribunal against Voda on SMS fee

New Delhi: Tata Teleservices has approached telecom tribunal TDSAT against Vodafone's notice threatening to disconnect termination of SMSs on its network over a dispute on certain fees. Vodafone had issued termination notice to Tata Teleservices Ltd (TTSL) asking it to pay Rs 188 crore as SMS termination fee by November 17, failing which it would disconnect the Tata group firm SMSs from its network.      TTSL's petition was put on Friday before a special vacation bench of Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).      During the proceedings, both the parties agreed to put the matter on November 20 for next hearing. Meanwhile, Vodafone has also assured the tribunal that it would not stop interconnection of TTSL SMSs from its network till the next date of hearing.      "As agreed by both the parties, this matter may be put up on November 20, 2012 under the same heading," said TDSAT member P K Rastogi in his order. Vodafone is demanding termination fee from Tata Tele at the rate of 10 paise per SMS from April 2011. AGENCIES

Bharti scion’s ‘Hike’ into instant messaging mkt

Mumbai: Bharti SoftBank Holdings (BSB) — spearheaded by Kavin Bharti Mittal, one of the twin sons of billionaire Sunil Bharti Mittal — is entering the fastgrowing mobile instant messaging market, taking on the likes of Blackberry messenger and Whatsapp. 

    Hike, which is being launched globally, comes after six months of BSB buying a 49% equity stake in a Gurgaon-based mobile start-up Y2CF Digital. In an interaction with TOI, the Bharti scion said the mobile app market in India is currently fragmented, which is where Hike will look to come in and plug the gap. The JV will also launch a mobile portal in association with Yahoo! Japan early next year and make an announcement on the gaming front soon. 
    "In the last couple of years, instant messaging has taken over SMS in a big way as operators see revenues decline or remain largely stagnant. Currently, there are five-six different services and no one app ties everyone together. Hike is an attempt to make that happen," said the 26-year-old Mittal who heads strategy and new product development at BSB. Hike, a cross-platform messaging service, will also allow users to send messages to people who have not downloaded the app in the form of an SMS. Mittal said he will be working with operators to introduce new revenue streams in order to monetize the app. This will mean tying up with operators on the billing front once the service gains critical mass. 
    The slow uptick of 3G in India has been one of the big deterrents for the growth of data-led services in the country, Mittal said. "In an emerging market, building data services is difficult. So the pace at which 3G is picking up affects everyone building mobile apps. But in the next two-three years, things will accelerate. It is a matter of when and not if," said the self-acclaimed tech enthusiast who has interned at McLaren Racing, Google and Goldman Sachs. 
    The mobile data services market is projected to grow to Rs 67,100 crore by 2015, according to a recent report by Internet and Mobile Association of India, and will contribute 54% of telecom revenue. 
    Talking about the targets set for BSB's location-based service Hoppr and justlaunched Hike, without giving any specific number of the traffic coming in, Mittal said, "We believe that 10 million is the new one million." BSB is an equal joint venture between telecom-to-retail conglomerate Bharti Enterprises and Japanese communications major SoftBank Corp, which was announced in October last year to build digital consumer properties across mobile, internet, gaming and social media.

Trai targets pesky ads: Pay more for 100+ SMSs

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  New Delhi: In a fresh bid to curb unwanted text messages spanning sauna belt to apartments, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Monday announced new measures, including hiking the tariff for sending over 100 SMSs a day and an easier system to lodge complaints.      Although it decided against levying a penalty that it had proposed earlier, officials said the proposal had not been given up yet. But the immediate focus is on SMSs sent from phones that account for a bulk of pesky  promotions. Trai said within a fortnight, telecom companies would have to ensure that anyone crossing the 100 SMS mark a day would have to pay at least 50 paise more for every subsequent message.      Stating that the telecom regulator had adopted a "zero tolerance" approach towards pesky messages, a senior official said, "This is the first of many measures we are planning to take."  HOW TO BLOCK 1 Call 1909, register for fully or partially blocked category. In partially blocked segment, you can choose from one of the seven sectors —financial services, real estate, education, health, consumer goods & autos, entertainment and tourism 2 SMS to 1909: For fully blocked category, say "START 0". For partially blocked, SMS 'START' with one of the seven options 3 Within 24 hours, you will receive a registration number and the service will be operational within 7 days HOW TO LODGE A COMPLAINT      Via SMS:  Simply forward the message to 1909      Add the phone number of the sender and the date on which it has been sentTrai aims to control cheap bulk SMS packs  New Delhi: The new guidelines announced by Trai to deal with pesky SMSs — the tenth amendment to the rules on commercial communication or unwanted messages — propose to crack down on messages sent using software applications. Within three months, telecom operators have been asked to put in place a system that blocks messages with same or similar characters. The proposed mechanism will ensure that at best 200  messages with "similar signature" are sent in an hour. Once this limit is breached, the service provider can block it.      "We have arrived at the figure of 100 SMSs after a lot of consultation process," the Trai official said. "Our analysis shows that on an average, a person sends two SMSs a day and 47 in a month. The limit we have prescribed is much beyond this." In any case, registered telemarketers, banks and airlines will be exempted from the new rule.      An official said the aim now is to control cheap bulk SMS packs. Currently, mobile service providers offer concessional SMS packs and tariff plans for bulk SMS users. "These SMS packs and tariff plans are being misused by unregistered telemarketers to send promotional SMSs to consumers. To prevent unregistered telemarketers from misusing such SMS packs or tariff plans for sending bulk promotional SMSs, a price restraint has been placed," Trai said.  Times View: Time to act D eclarations by the telecom regulator that pesky calls will be reined in are always welcome, but with each reiteration they lose their credibility unless there is some corresponding action on the ground. The reality is that we have been hearing such threats from the regulator for years now but the pesky calls and messages have not stopped, making most people give up hope that they ever will stop. We hope that this time things will be different.

SMS perverts use fake papers to hoodwink cops

Mumbai: The incessant ringing of her cellphone in the dead of the night woke up Reema (name changed) from her deep slumber. The Chembur resident, who works as an executive with a private firm, answered the phone, only to hear the maniacal laughter of aman. A few days later, Reema received an obscene text message from the same number. To make matters worse, Reema's two female flatmates also started receiving vulgar SMSes from the same number. They then approached the police. "The man told us the cops will never find him as he had procured six SIM cards using fake documents," said Reema. 

    The cops traced the number to a Goregaon man and learnt that he was unaware that his papers had been used to obtain the SIM card. 
    Reema and her flatmates are not alone. Many women are still waiting for the perverts, who harassed them through obscene SMSes and emails, to be brought to justice. Investigators, too, admit that very rarely do such persons get caught. "Mobile service providers do not thoroughly check documents while giving out SIM cards. This negligent approach helps the perverts get away with their crime," said an officer. 
    According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Mumbai has the maximum number of registered cases of sexual harassment or obscenity through SMS, MMS or email. Between 2007 and 2012 (till August), 84 such cases were registered in the city. When it comes to states, Maharashtra, too, doesn't fare better. The NCRB data shows Maharashtra has the third highest number of such cases (169) registered in the country in the same period. 
    JCP (crime) Himanshu Roy said, "We will take up the matter with the information technology ministry so that proper action is taken against erring service providers." 
    A spokesperson of a leading telecom operator said the cops were trying to pass the buck by blaming operators. Times View: Crack the whip B oth service providers and cops need to be more proactive when it comes to helping victims of online/mobile sexual harassment. The trauma that the victim goes through should not be compounded by official apathy and the gloves should be off while dealing with these predators. They are a real enough menace though they may be operating in the virtual world.

Google Introduces Free SMS Service For Gmail Users In India

Gmail has redefined the web-mail segment and it has now fully evolved, and is not just a mere email application. Gmail isn't just limited to sending and receiving emails, but users can also chat via Gmail. Recently a video conferencing capability has also been added through Google Plus Hangouts, and more interestingly now Google has attached one more feature to its chat, which allows users in India to send free SMS right from the Gmail's interface.

This new service lets Indian Gmail users to send an SMS from Gmail to any mobile phone and receive replies as chat messages. This feature was added to Gmail on October 10th for both regular users and Google Apps' users. Google's support page says that the SMS chat in Gmail is supported by all mobile operators in India.

SMS in Gmail Chat is free; however, it has some restrictions to prevent abuse. Initially, every user will get a credit of 50 free messages. Each credit is equal to one SMS message. If a reply is sent to the SMS, then the SMS limit is increased by five. The credits will increase after 24 hours and if you don't want to wait, then you can also purchase SMS credits. Users from any country can send free SMS to any region that supports the SMS feature via Gmail.

Those who want to opt out of receiving Gmail chat SMSs can block all future messages from that sender by replying the message with the word 'BLOCK'.

This Gmail texting service will compete with other mobile messaging services that are gaining in India. Sites like Way2SMS and 160by2 are already very popular in India and Whatsapp has also collaborated with Indian carrier Reliance to offer unlimited messaging plan to college students.

SMSSheep.Com to Heat Up Free SMS Market by Allowing Free Unlimited International SMS

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New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/04/2012 -- SMSSheep.com, a reputed online SMS service provider announces plan whereby the user may simply log on to their website, write SMS and send them internationally without the need of paying a penny. 

"The website is going to be of immense importance to people who often have to send SMS internationally. Our website allows users to have their SMS sent right away simply by logging on to the website entering the country, entering the number and sending the message." Says John Kerry of SMSSheep.com. "Our website allows people from all over the world send free unlimited international SMS. Send SMS from anywhere to anywhere on the world without the need of any registration"

SMSSheep.com has been able to achieve high click through in a very short span of time and is currently ranked at high Page Rank of 3 as per Google Page Ranking. It is expected to achieve even better ranking in time to come.

The website is simple to use and can load faster on slow internet connections as well.

"SMS Sheep was started with a mission to let people all over the world send text messages for free.

SMS Sheep today proudly serves Thousands and thousands of people worldwide." Says John

As per recent trends it has been found out that people consider sending SMS more advantageous over voice calls. It is considered to be discreet, cheaper and often free than a call, takes less time and can be sent and received at any time. 

As per studies, in the year 2010, about 6.1 trillion SMS were sent. That comes to about 192 000 SMS per second on an average. In the year 2012 which is also the 20th anniversary of Short Message Service, the figures are expected to have multiplied several times and websites like SMSSheep.com may further add fuel to it.

"In today's world when we are witnessing continuous growth of social media interactions on internet, websites like facebook becomes imperative. Therefore with the help of our cutting edge technology we have been able to achieve 100% integration with facebook" says John. 

"With the help of our superior technology we expect to become number one website for free SMS in short span of time".

SMSSheep.com is US based. Its website http://smssheep.com contains more information.

About SMSSheep.com free SMS
SMSSheep is a website for sending free SMS Internationally. The location is based in USA. More information can be found at http://smssheep.com.

‘Restrict mobile talk to six min daily, use SMS instead’

Mumbai: You can reduce the radiation risks posed by cell phones if you religiously avoid talking on your mobile for more than six minutes. But since it can be an unrealistic target for many, using a speakerphone or headset and keeping the mobile at least a foot away from the body is the safest option, experts say.      Most importantly, reduce the number of calls from cell phones and use the SMS option instead, or landlines whenever possible. Above all, don't forget to check the specific absorption rate (SAR) while buying a phone, it should be strictly 1.6 watt/kg, suggest experts.      If you are exposed to radiation from cell towers, or if your residence or office is within 1km from a TV tower or within 500 meters of an FM tower, then growing plants or trees with more water content, or putting water curtains on windows or galleries could help divert radiation.      But the best option is to complain against such a tower. An inter-ministerial committee of experts formed by the ministry of communications and information technology to study hazards posed by mobiles and towers has already highlighted that the radiation creates serious health risks, including loss of memory, lack of concentration and sleep disorders. In June last year, the WHO and International Agency for Research on Cancer classified radio-frequency electromagnetic fields as Group 2B agents that could "possibly be carcinogenic to humans," or in simpler words cause brain cancer. Globally, researches are still trying to gauge health hazards caused by prolonged use of cell phones.      Senior consultant radiation oncologist Dr Anusheel Munshi said while more data is awaited, preliminary findings could be strong enough for people to think prevention. "So far, prolonged usage for at least a decade has been linked with brain tumours. It is believed that constant exposure of certain regions of the brain to electromagnetic radiation is to blame for tumours," he said. Munshi also suggested that plug-in ear devices should be used often and even texting could be used more frequently than talking. Endocrinologist Dr Shashank Joshi agreed, saying said texting, emailing or using instant messaging applications can save us from cell phone hazards.      A paediatrician from civic-run Sion Hospital said cell phone usage should be kept to minimum for children. "The damages could be more in case of children as their skull bones are thinner than adults and therefore electromagnetic radiation could penetrate deeper," the doctor said.      "From September 1, 2013 only mobile handsets with revised SAR value of 1.6 watt/kg will be permitted to be manufactured or imported in India," said R K Bhatnagar, advisor (technology) to DoT. He said devices to help officials randomly check the SAR of the new imported or manufactured stock of handsets will arrive soon, at a cost of Rs 15 lakh each.      Similarly national engineering standards for handsets are also being framed to offer more health-friendly handsets. Manufacturers have to self-declare theSAR value in the brochure of the handset. "If any company selling handsets in India does not comply with the norms then action will be taken against it," said Bhatnagar.      He said corrective action such as reducing the frequency of antennas, changing their position and direction can also help reduce the effects of radiation on humans. "Re-engineering is possible in most cases, which can give lot of relief but in extreme cases removing them can be the final option," he said.      Consumer activist and expert Achintya Mukherjee said telecom companies should connect base stations and subsidiary stations with optic fibre cables and then create wireless-like in-building solutions to disseminate low wattage signals with less radiation.

FREE TRAFFIC SMS ALERTS (SMS-567678)

1. Traffic Police offers free SMS ALERTS to Mumbaikars. 2. Alerts are available for three areas viz south city, eastern and western suburbs. 3. You can subscribe to this service by sending a SMS to 567678 with anyone of the following JOIN TRAFFICCITY JOIN TRAFFICEAST JOIN TRAFFICWEST 4. You can choose one or more of the groups listed above. You can subscribe to this service by clicking on the 'subscribe' button below the group box. 5. Free SMS Alerts (140 characters – max) will be sent to the subscriber's registered mobile number by Traffic Control Room for the chosen area. 6. The SMS is followed by a small ad tag. This arrangement enables us to provide this service free of cost to the citizens. 7. You can unsubscribe by sending a SMS to 567678 LEAVE TRAFFICCITY LEAVE TRAFFICEAST LEAVE TRAFFICWEST You can unsubscribe to this service by clicking on the 'unsubscribe' button below the group box. 8.For any queries, email at jcptraffic@trafficpolicemumbai.org (For Marathi click here)

This free SMS text-based platform works by having residents respond via text message to questions posted in various places around the City

Monrovia Asks: What New Business Would You Like to See?

Monrovia is launching a pilot program called "Textizen" allowing citizens to keep in touch with the city via text and is asking residents to use the service to recommend a new business in the Pavilions shopping

The City of Monrovia has been chosen for a pilot technology program to engage citizens: Textizen. This free SMS text-based platform works by having residents respond via text message to questions posted in various places around the City.  Joining the ranks of cities like Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit and New Orleans, Monrovia has been chosen for one of 40 cities across the country to use this breakthrough technology.  From Old Town kiosks, business windows, to the Library and City Hall, Monrovians are asked questions on specific community topics. 

Starting with a Fill-Up Old Town campaign, the City's Economic Development Department is actively seeking out input from residents, shoppers and businesses via text message to weigh in on what new businesses the City should attract to Old Town. Those walking through Old Town and along Myrtle Avenue can expect to see posters and flyers asking them questions about why they came and what businesses they would like to see.  Anyone interested in answering merely need to text in the answer, and respond to several follow-up questions afterwards.

Textizen has been launched by the San Francisco-based non-profit, Code for America, allowing community members to sound off on issues using nothing more than a cell phone. For the next several months, Monrovia will be utilizing the technology across town, asking questions about business, parks, transportation and budgeting. The City of Monrovia encourages everyone with text capabilities to join in the discussion. Text messaging rates apply, and cell phone numbers will never be shared or used.

"Textizen is a very exciting new technology.  What we hope to do is hear all Monrovia voices, including the ones who maybe want to get involved in the City planning process, but don't have time to attend a community meeting, or take a longer survey," said City Manager Laurie Lile. "We encourage people to text in with ideas about bringing more business to our historic Old Town."

Initial Textizen questions will be posted on the City's website, www.cityofmonrovia.org, on the City's Facebook and Twitter feeds, and throughout the Old Town District.

What brings you to Old Town Monrovia?

A. Movies
B. To Dine        
C. To Shop        
D. Take a Stroll         
E. Friday Night Festival

Text A, B, C, D, or E to: (626) 219-0761

There's Now No Need to Pay for SMS Services. Learn How to Get Free SMS

Columbus, OH -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/07/2012 -- In 2010, 6.1 trillion SMS text messages were sent. This translates into 193000 SMS per second and this figure is likely to have grown dramatically since then. SMS has become a massive commercial industry, earning $114.6 billion globally in 2010 alone.

As the global average price for an SMS message is $0.11, it can become quite an expensive service, particularly as many people rely on messaging for both work and play. That's why it is a relief to find a genuinely free service that allows all its users to send messages without paying a cent.

SmsSheep.com is an easy to remember domain that not only provides a full and reliable free SMS service but also integrates fully with Facebook. It doesn't ask you to become a member or ask for sign-in details – a welcome relief when you want to contact someone quickly. What's more, the service remains free even when used with international numbers. So, there's now no excuse not to contact your aunt in Tumbuktu.

http://smssheep.com/ really is the future of communication. Check it out now. 

Notes to editors

1. For more info: support@smssheep.com
2. SMSSheep was launched in 2009
3. Further images and logos are available

To check genuineness, send SMS before popping pills

Mumbai: Now before popping a pain-killer or having cough syrup, you can be sure that it's not fake thanks to an innovation designed to curb the menace of spurious medicines. Strips of popular and commonly-used medicines like Combiflam, Disprin, Crocin, Voveran and multi-vitamin Becosules will soon carry a unique code, which when sent via SMS will help verify the medicine's genuineness. 

    Companies like Roche, Lupin and Unichem have already started rolling out medicines in the new packaging with the unique code and many, like Sanofi, Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline, are planning to follow suit. 
    This is how it will work: Consumers will need to send the alpha-numeric code printed on the medicine strip through their mobile phone. They will then get an SMS confirming genuiness along with health tips and drug-refill reminders. 
    While there is no uniform figure to determine the penetration of spurious or misbranded medicines in the country — with industry and the government offering varying estimates — the health ministry recently announced that of the over 48,000 drug samples tested between 2011 and 2012, nearly 5% failed the quality test, while almost one in three drugs (36%) were found to be "not of standard quality" from across the country. States like Maharashtra and Kerala are among the worst affected and have a larger proportion of sub-standard drugs, particularly in semiurban and rural areas. 
    Medicines may be substandard in quality or spurious when they are past their expiry date, contain incorrect quantity of ingredients or wrong ingredients, and when they have not been stored in proper conditions. Vaccines and anti-diabetic drugs, for instance, need cooling chains for transportation and storage. 
    Mostly, the drug's efficacy suffers but, in certain cases, it may cause serious side-effects and even be fatal. There may also be instances when these fake medicines offer no therapeutic benefits. 
    It is virtually impossible to tell the difference between real and fake medicines unless a laboratory analysis is carried out. Since that's may not be a practical solution, drug companies along with regulators have been trying to counter the menace through measures like barcoding, embedded holograms and RFID, but have met with little success. 
    Industry sources say the medicines that are faked most are of brands that are fast-moving and have a high turnover. 
    Certain companies are not rolling out the new packaging because of cost issues, and because many of their medicines are under price control. 
State has 1 govt doc for every 24K people 
New Delhi:On an average, a single government doctor serves more than 12,000 people in India while each government dental surgeon serves around 3 lakh. The WHO- recommended norm is to have one doctor for every 1,000 people 
    The latest figures on human resources, finalized by the Central Bureau ofHealth Intelligence and published in the National Health Profile 2011, show that the ratio of a doctor against an average population served is worst for Gujarat, followed by Tamil Nadu. One government doctor serves 25,168 people in Gujarat, 25,042 in Tamil Nadu, 24,540 in Maharashtra and 23,174 in Bihar. The figure is 17,811 for MP, 8,416 for Bengal and 3,933 for Delhi. However, when it comes to dental surgeons, the ratio is the worst in Bihar. A single dental surgeon in a government hospital serves 35.46 lakh people in Bihar and 20.57 lakh in Maharashtra. TNN

Mobiles as thin as credit cards?

New-Age Lens Tiny Enough To Fit 1,500 Across The Width Of A Hair Washington: Scientists are developing a new ultrathin lens which could lead to smart phones as thin as a credit card.      The new lens is flat, distortionfree and so small that more than 1,500 would fit across the width of a human hair — capable in the future of replacing lenses in applications ranging from cell phones to cameras to fiber-optic communication systems.      In a study published in journal Nano Letters, Federico Capasso and colleagues explained that the lenses used to focus light in eyeglasses, microscopes and other products use the same basic technology dating to the late 1200s, when spectacle lenses were introduced in Europe.      Existing lenses are not thin or flat enough to remove distortions, such as spherical aberration, astigmatism and coma, which prevent the creation of a sharp image.      Correction of those distortions requires complex solutions, such as multiple lenses that increase weight and take up space. To overcome these challenges, the scientists sought to develop a new superthin, flat lens.      The new lens has a resolving power that actually approaches the theoretical limits set by the laws of optics. The surface is patterned with tiny metallic stripes which bend light differently as one moves away from the centre, causing the beam to sharply focus without distorting the images. PTI SMART TO GET SLIMMER

Free SMS Messaging Apps For iPhone Users

Scared of using SMS messaging? Use these apps instead. (Photo: Flickr / davidchief)

Recently, and SMS security flaw in the iPhone has caused quite a concern for iPhone users. According to reports online, Apple iPhone's are have a gaping security flaw that can be very harmful. After news of this new SMS security issue, users have been panicking. However, there are other services you can use that can replace SMS messaging, and have more features. Here are a few substitutes for SMS messages that users can use that instead.

iMessage

Obvious, I know. But iMessage is really, really, useful, especially with the release Mountain Lion. Now, iMessage users can talk to their friends from both their phones and their computers. Not only that but iMessage is supported by Apple and, according to Apple, is very secure, as they told Engadget, "Apple takes security very seriously. When using iMessage instead of SMS, addresses are verified which protects against these kinds of spoofing attacks. One of the limitations of SMS is that it allows messages to be sent with spoofed addresses to any phone, so we urge customers to be extremely careful if they're directed to an unknown website or address over SMS." Of course, any company would promote their own products. But, iMessage is a lot safer to use than regular SMS texting, and aren't susceptible to the same security flaw. Also, iMessage allows users to send photos and videos from their account, on their computer or phone, to other users, and have a fantastic group chat feature that works great. For users wary of using SMS texting, iMessage is a great alternative that's already in your phone. 

Skype

Skype, the popular video-conferencing application, also has an iOS app that is available in the App Store for free. Just like the application that you can use on your Windows or Mac computer, the iOS app lets you communicate with other Skype users for free, including video chatting with them using your mobile device. While the mobile application is not as popular as its desktop counterpart, Skype for iOS can be useful. You can communicate with other Skype users for free, and, for a small fee, sends text messages to your contacts. Also, Skype recently added a feature that can send pictures within the instant messages to other users, helping it keep on pace with competitors like WhatsApp. The app might also be useful for AT&T users, who will be charged for FaceTime-ing with their contacts over a wi-fi connection. Skype allows you to do this without any other charge, but it does eat up a considerable amount of your data. 

WhatsApp

WhatsApp is app that lets you communicate with your friends for free, no matter what phone they have. As long as you have app installed on your phone, you can send pictures, video, and text messages your friends. In addition, WhatsApp is capable of group chat's, which is the best part of the app. Simple and efficient, the group chat feature is almost perfect. As of now, WhatsApp works with Android, iOS, Blackberry, Nokia S40's, Symbian, and Windows phones, which should cover 90% to 95% of your contact list. The app is also popular among college students, who use the app to communicate with friends abroad with no added charges showing up on their phone bill. WhatsApp is perfect for users who have friends who don't have iMessage, but don't want to use SMS text's to contact them. WhatsApp is available in the App Store for a one-time charge 99 cents. For other devices, WhatsApp is available for free for one year, then a yearly one dollar charge is applied. 

Google Voice

Google Voice is a service provided by Google for iOS devices to instant message. With a simple user interface, Google Voice can fulfill all of your text message and calling needs. Google Voice provides users with free unlimited text messaging with any mobile phone, and users can also make phone calls with Google Voice for free as well. There are other features as well, like full integration with your contact list or Google Address Book, voicemail transcription, and cheap long distance calling. Google Voice is a comprehensive application for iOS that can not only replace your insecure text messaging, but has a lot of other features available as well. 

These very inexpensive services can help you move away from regular SMS messaging and find a more secure method of communicating with your contacts. Remember that, while these app's don't use up your text messages, some of them may use a large amount of data. For those who have limited data on your iPhone, be wary of how much data you use. 

MOBILE BIZ Pay at kirana stores with your phone

Mumbai: Micro transactions for payments such as local taxi fares and kirana store purchases are set to go cashless with the National Payment Corporation of India on Monday extending the Interbank Mobile Payment Service (IMPS) for merchants. 

    The likelihood of mobile payments picking up is high because unlike credit and debit cards, the cost of each transaction is very low at 25 paise, making it feasible for banks to offer it for payments as low as a few rupees. Although mobile payment services are already available, IMPS until now allowed only person-to-person transfers. As a result, although 39 million account holders in 50 banks are registered for mobile banking, transactions have been very low. 
    "There are around 10 million kirana stores, but the total number of point of sales terminals in India is less than seven lakhs. IMPS will facilitate micropayments over the counter electronically," said AP Hota, MD & CEO, NPCI. Of the 50 banks, seven including SBI, ICICI Bank and Standard 
Chartered have enabled IMPS merchant payments, another five are getting it enabled and the rest are expected to join in due course. 
    IMPS works in several ways. Payments of up to Rs 5,000 a day can be made through a basic handset which facilitates SMS. Higher value payments can be done using smartphones through a downloaded application. The IMPS mobile ID can be used for making online payments just as one would use a credit card or netbanking. It can also be used for payments through websites optimized for mobile phones or through interactive voice response systems (IVRS). 
    Merchants such as the Indian Railways' online booking portal IRCTC, DTH providers, insurance companies and other utilities have enabled payments through IMPS. 
    But the biggest impact would probably be in overthe-counter payments. At a time when the shortage of small coins is resulting in merchants choosing to forego small change or repaying in kind, a natural demand is likely to emerge. 
    The key impediment to IMPS is lack of awareness. Since a transaction involves multiple numbers, including the MMID number and mobile number to be keyed in, it is also a bit cumbersome. Unlike online banking and ATMs, which have been actively championed by banks to reduce traffic at their branches, IMPS does not have that kind of financial incentive for banks. 
    According to Hota, this is a process of evolution. NPCI is planning to introduce mobile payments on the USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data), the service through which prepaid mobile users check their balance. USSD transactions allow live communication between the user and the server. What this means is that even basic phone users will transact real time without the risk of SMS messages being held up in online traffic.

Revolutionary Free Talk Time features rolled out on way2sms

In 2006 - Way2SMS asked "Why can't personal SMSing be FREE?"

2012 - Again Way2SMS questions "Why can't mobile Talk time be FREE?"

Everyday you share so many links and exchange emails with your friends. Along with those, send our advertisers products or brands to your friends via Gmail and Yahoo mail. You get rewarded every time your friend visits advertisers website.

How Can I get Free Talk Time??

Your Contacts, friends and Social Connections are your asset. Now at Way2SMS, You can earn free recharge in 2 ways

1) Share & Win:

Share our advertiser Social ads to your facebook, Twitter friends .

You will get paid for every Unique visitor you drive to advertiser website.

2) Email & Win:

Recommend Our advertisers products services to your Gmail or Yahoo mail contacts.

You will get paid for every Unique visitor you drive to advertiser website.

Way2SMS will reward you with a certain recharge amount for every Unique visitor you drive to advertiser website. You can Convert this amount to recharge after Reaching Rs.10. Way2SMS Supports recharge on all major telecom operators In India.

Dealing with Social Media

Given the double-edged sword that this has become, self-regulation by the platforms is the best option

Salman Khan is famous: he has delivered a series of films grossing . 100 crore-plus. He has a namesake, equally famous, though amongst a different circle of admirers. The latter has set up the eponymous Khan Academy, a website, which Forbes has called "the most influential teaching organisation on the planet." With over 2,410 videos and 129 modules (mainly maths), it has been visited by 63 million people. 
Less widely known, especially to those over 30 years, is Ray William Johnson, the originator of the most-subscribed video channel on YouTube. It has over 5.6 million subscribers and has garnered, incredibly, almost two billion video views. A bigger celebrity, US President Barack Obama, uses Twitter, and his tweets have as many as 18 million followers. Clearly, the reach of the new media is massive — and rapidly growing. For many youngsters, social media is the major means of communication. Little wonder, then, that more and more businesses are using Twitter, Facebook and You-Tube to supplement other media in their marketing efforts to reach the young. Recognising the commercial potential, advertising agencies have set up separate digital media groups, recruiters too are using social media as an important tool for outreach. 
Many companies are yet at the rudimentary step of websites, little realising that those who have not yet begun to use the new media are in danger of being left behind. 
Though social media penetration in India is limited, amongst urban youth, its power — in conjunction with SMS and MMS — was seen recently, through the widespread and instantaneous dissemination of rumours, threats and doctored images. These messages and images ignited passions and spread panic, leading to some violent incidents and a mass exodus from Bangalore. The upheaval caused by the messages and images led the government to impose constraints on the number of SMSs and MMSs that a person could send (first, only five a day, then raised to 20; the limit has now been withdrawn). 
Instructions were issued to block or take down some pages and websites. Given the consequences of dissemination of morphed pictures, particularly in a surcharged environment, many considered some restrictions as reasonable. However, the reported order to take down spoof sites of Prime Minister's Office gave a different turn. It seemed the government was taking cover of 'lawand-order' issues to stifle satire and comment against it. 
The disturbing trend towards censorship — denied, of course, by the government — is exemplified by the demand to remove cartoons from textbooks, the arrest in Kolkata of a professor for creating a satirical cartoon and the removal of some Twitter handles. 
Such politically-motivated moves impinge on freedom of expression and cannot be seen as 'reasonable restrictions'. In a diverse society with politically-created and inflamed sensitivities, there will always be groups that find something or the other offensive. 
On which side — banning the book or curbing rioters and rabble rousers — the heavy hand of law descends, defines the space for freedom. In some instances, this is not an easy decision. In recent years, cities have been held to ransom by motley groups of organised protesters who, generally for political ends, have often indulged in violence. Such groups have succeeded in getting bans imposed on books, art and movies, thanks to weak-kneed governments. Too few have spoken up for freedom. 
Yet, we need to recognise a genuine problem. The new media empowers everyone with access to a computer, or even a mobile phone, to become a 'broadcaster' of content and potentially reach millions, almost instantaneously. 
    While there are the likes of Khan Academy, the scope to spread lies and rumour, aided by technologies that enable morphing of photographs, is as large as the potential to reach out with education or entertainment. Mobilising people through the new media can be done easily, for good or bad. Invasion of privacy and defamation can be done on an unprecedented scale, and recourse is difficult to impossible. 
Clearly, some degree of regulation — as differentiated from censorship or control — may be desirable. The best approach would be self-regulation by the platform providers. A model, News Broadcasting Standards Authority, exists for TV, and it has successfully established its credibility and utility. It is time for the platform providers to set up something similar: an autonomous and empowered group to set standards, handle complaints and recommend removal of objectionable content. 
Asecond — and less desirable — approach is a governmentmandated but independent body, composed solely of respected non-officials. It needs to be akin to the Film Censorship Board, though 'censorship' is clearly a red rag, rather than the 'autonomous' regulators for other sectors. The worst approach is the present one in which the government, acting as both prosecutor and judge, makes decisions in an opaque and arbitrary manner. 
The new media has attracted great attention for its extensive reach and ability to mobilise, especially after the Arab Spring and, in India, the scaremongering and threats following the Assam violence. Yet, technology is not the only means of quick or distorted communication. The uncensorable power of word of mouth — and its ability to spread information or rumour extensively and quickly — is often overlooked. Over three decades ago, it was largely rumours of enforced sterilisation — communicated by word of mouth at a time of media censorship — that brought down a government. As they mull censorship of social media, this is something that the power-that-be may like to keep in mind.

KIRAN KARNIK STRATEGY & POLICY ANALYST