160By2 Launches Free SMS To Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia & Singapore

Hyderabad based SMSCountry, which operates the free SMS service 160by2, has launched free SMS services to Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia & Singapore. This means that registered users can send an SMS to mobile numbers in these countries, without paying the standard International SMS charges. Satya Kalyan Yerramsetti, CEO and Co-founder of SMSCountry has said that the company plans to launch services in other South East Asian markets as well.

By aggregating free SMS services in various countries on an Internet platform, this free SMS service is disrupting the existing format in which International SMS' are sent. 160by2 has a mobile application as well, which uses both SMS and GPRS to send free SMS'. For Pre-paid users in Kerala, Airtel charges Rs. 3 for an international SMS to the Gulf region, while BSNL charges Rs. 5 for all International SMS'.

A Precedence in Internet Telephony

A precedence exists in case of voice over Internet protocol (VoIP/Internet Telephony), wherein one can make calls to International telephone numbers using services like Skype, at a lower cost. In India, VoIP is not allowed to terminate in a PSTN (Landline or Mobile) network, though the telecom regulator TRAI is pushing that agenda.

Competition & Costs

SMS costs in International markets are higher (we're assuming that Bulk SMS costs are higher too), so will any one be willing to take on the costs? Other service providers can follow suit, but garnering a user base is quite another task: 160by2 claims to have 4 million registered users (India has over 400 million mobile subscribers), and monetizes with advertisements using 80 characters of each SMS sent. Based on their website, they have a campaign running for Sprite, and also offer mobile classifieds services (though mobile SMS based classifieds are free).

Readers will remember that Indiatimes used to offer free SMS services earlier, though MocoLife, which was launched last year, offered 30 free SMS' a month. NEA Indo-US and DFJ funded startup MGinger also has launched Free SMS services.

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Rosmah Suggests Telcos Provide Free SMS For Donations

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 (Bernama) -- The prime minister's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, today suggested that telecommunication companies (telcos) prowide free SMS access for people to pledge donations to Yayasan Pembangunan Anak-anak Yatim dan Miskin (Pemangkin), a development foundation for orphans and poor children.

She said the willingness of the telcos to do that would be their contribution to corporate social responsibility in helping the needy.

Rosmah said the donations would be channelled through the Skim Sumbangan Amal Jariah untuk Pembangunan Anak-anak Yatim dan Muskin to help the target groups.

"The Islamic Economic Development Foundation (YaPEIM) will discuss with the telco operators on the matter and I hope the outcome is that each SMS sent to Pemangkin to the number 32728 will not be charged.

"We know that a fee is charged on each SMS sent but for this purpose (charity), we hope it will be free of charge," she told reporters after the launching of Pemangkin, here, today.

Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Maj-Gen (Rtd) Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom and Deputy Minister Senator Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim.

On Pemangkin, Rosmah said it was a noble effort to help children in need of financial assistance for education and to live in comfort like those who still had parents.

"Indeed this effort also serves to enhance YaPEIM's standing as a charitable and socio-economic development institution founded by the government to improve the people's well-being," she said.

Pemangkin is now focusing on the Skim Anugerah Kecemerlangan Pelajar Miskin dan Anak Yatim Nasional (Santun), an award scheme for excellence for poor and orphaned children, and Program Pembangunan Anak Yatim dan Miskin Mangsa Tsunami di Acheh, which is a development programme for poor and orphaned children of the tsunami victims in Acheh.

Rosmah said Santun offered, among others, financial assistance for up to six years, and motivational, voluntary and apprentice programmes.

So far, 491 poor children and orphans nationwide, including 256 selected students participated in the Santun programme, while more than 1,000 orphans in Acheh benefited from the other programme, which also covered education and entrepreneurship.

-- BERNAMA

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