Comments on: The Future of Mobile VAS in India. The Consumer, the Market, and the Possibly Happy Marriage between Content and Distribution? http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/ The Refreshing Blog on Web, Advertising and Technology in India! Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:34:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: aune ahmad asad http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/comment-page-1/#comment-17125 aune ahmad asad Thu, 07 May 2009 12:14:33 +0000 http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/#comment-17125 VAS Market and it’s future: As telecom density is growing exponentially in global platform.The country which has got maturity in Voice such as Japan, Korea etc has the good platform for Vas application especially in Data uses. Vas market can be divided into three segment. Matured Market:This is the market which has the 100% mobile connectivity and the Telecom infrastructure in such country is at par with user more receptive in new technology.The market has huge potential for any new technology which has real time value for end user. Immatured market:This is the market which accelerating at very high speed in terms of new user and further it has two categories of user 1.Mobile as Voice call 2. Mobile as a voice and data.All developing country are more or less in this phase.Interesting is that this market has very good potential for Vas as it is of very big size and the people are bit techno savy. Nascent Market:This is the market where Voice is predominant,but interesting thing is that here is also there is good scope for any vas to service a premium service as Rich people are very rich and can easily afford it. Assuming these all it seems the company which has full bucket of Vas service will have bright future for longer run.Thanks, Aune Ahmad Asad VAS Market and it’s future:
As telecom density is growing exponentially in global platform.The country which has got maturity in Voice such as Japan, Korea etc has the good platform for Vas application especially in Data uses.

Vas market can be divided into three segment.

Matured Market:This is the market which has the 100% mobile connectivity and the Telecom infrastructure in such country is at par with user more receptive in new technology.The market has huge potential for any new technology which has real time value for end user.

Immatured market:This is the market which accelerating at very high speed in terms of new user and further it has two categories of user 1.Mobile as Voice call 2. Mobile as a voice and data.All developing country are more or less in this phase.Interesting is that this market has very good potential for Vas as it is of very big size and the people are bit techno savy.

Nascent Market:This is the market where Voice is predominant,but interesting thing is that here is also there is good scope for any vas to service a premium service as Rich people are very rich and can easily afford it.

Assuming these all it seems the company which has full bucket of Vas service will have bright future for longer run.Thanks,
Aune Ahmad Asad

]]> By: Ankit Sindhi http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/comment-page-1/#comment-15314 Ankit Sindhi Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:57:40 +0000 http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/#comment-15314 This was a very good analysis, full of insights. I am a final semester MBA student with Marketing majors, and my final semester project will be based on Mobile Value Added Services, its popularity in India, the consumer's point of view, and the role of the content providers, the distributors and even the handset makers. Thanks for this.. looking forward to more such articles. :) This was a very good analysis, full of insights. I am a final semester MBA student with Marketing majors, and my final semester project will be based on Mobile Value Added Services, its popularity in India, the consumer’s point of view, and the role of the content providers, the distributors and even the handset makers.
Thanks for this.. looking forward to more such articles. :)

]]> By: Gautam Kshatriya http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/comment-page-1/#comment-9765 Gautam Kshatriya Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:37:03 +0000 http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/#comment-9765 As I said on Rajesh Jain's post (emergic.org - check it out, its really good) in order for VAS 2.0 to flourish, there is a requirement for a change in the mindset of Telcos, that of ‘enabling smaller players'. I believe that TRAI’s approval of MVNOs will prove to be a step in that direction. With a relatively low entry cost, I imagine that a number of mobile service entrants, focussed on targeting a specific customer demographic. In order to drive revenues from this demographic, not only will they develop text/minute plans that are in line with that segments need, but will themselves push VAS to further drive revenue. Right now the Bhartis and Reliances of this world are more focussed on mass marketing to drive penetration - more customers, more customers, more customers is their mantra. But the MVNO that focusses on a segment will chant, ’same customers, more revenues, same customers, more revenue’ - hence a greater adoption of VAS. Check out my related post: http://www.moneyvidya.com/blog/?p=171 Gautam Kshatriya gautam.kshatriya@moneyvidya.com http://www.moneyvidya.com/blog As I said on Rajesh Jain’s post (emergic.org – check it out, its really good) in order for VAS 2.0 to flourish, there is a requirement for a change in the mindset of Telcos, that of ‘enabling smaller players’. I believe that TRAI’s approval of MVNOs will prove to be a step in that direction. With a relatively low entry cost, I imagine that a number of mobile service entrants, focussed on targeting a specific customer demographic. In order to drive revenues from this demographic, not only will they develop text/minute plans that are in line with that segments need, but will themselves push VAS to further drive revenue. Right now the Bhartis and Reliances of this world are more focussed on mass marketing to drive penetration – more customers, more customers, more customers is their mantra. But the MVNO that focusses on a segment will chant, ’same customers, more revenues, same customers, more revenue’ – hence a greater adoption of VAS. Check out my related post: http://www.moneyvidya.com/blog/?p=171

Gautam Kshatriya
gautam.kshatriya@moneyvidya.com
http://www.moneyvidya.com/blog

]]> By: Harshil Karia http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/comment-page-1/#comment-3069 Harshil Karia Wed, 06 Feb 2008 06:43:09 +0000 http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/#comment-3069 Chirayu - i actually disagree with your observation. Mobile VAS as of now is terribly expensive - in time it will become cheaper... as mobile operators will be forced to become more liberal and more consumers start accessing the internet through their phones. Then possibly VAS will be free - supported by ads. Im not trying to be the expert here or anything but just looking at trends and speaking to a lot of people in the mobile industry i get the sense that: a) Everyone from mobile wants a marginally higher consumer's share of wallet - so they want consumers to go beyond the realm of text, and voice. Right now 'VAS' is through text - so its restricted. Even then consumers are using a lot of the so called VAS services that operators provide. b) Consumers themselves - and im talking about the common man - they are looking for more to do with their phones. Opening up their phones to the internet gives them a whole new dimension of empowerment (granted that it may be confusing for some) - just observe what 20 somethings from middle and lower middle income households are doing on the trains. Try and observe what a phone means to them :) And true the guys in cars will use VAS - but then they wont spend as much time on obtaining VAS - the guys who are sitting in a train for a few hours a day - they have the time, and also the motivation. Chirayu – i actually disagree with your observation. Mobile VAS as of now is terribly expensive – in time it will become cheaper… as mobile operators will be forced to become more liberal and more consumers start accessing the internet through their phones. Then possibly VAS will be free – supported by ads. Im not trying to be the expert here or anything but just looking at trends and speaking to a lot of people in the mobile industry i get the sense that:
a) Everyone from mobile wants a marginally higher consumer’s share of wallet – so they want consumers to go beyond the realm of text, and voice. Right now ‘VAS’ is through text – so its restricted. Even then consumers are using a lot of the so called VAS services that operators provide.
b) Consumers themselves – and im talking about the common man – they are looking for more to do with their phones. Opening up their phones to the internet gives them a whole new dimension of empowerment (granted that it may be confusing for some) – just observe what 20 somethings from middle and lower middle income households are doing on the trains. Try and observe what a phone means to them :)

And true the guys in cars will use VAS – but then they wont spend as much time on obtaining VAS – the guys who are sitting in a train for a few hours a day – they have the time, and also the motivation.

]]> By: Chirayu http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/comment-page-1/#comment-3036 Chirayu Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:00:43 +0000 http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/#comment-3036 Shantharaju,reliance mobile blog is creating that barrier. They are trying to replicate popular content in order to hold consumers back. Also, the observation in the blog that Japanese and Indian markets are similar is incorrect since the income groups that travel by local transport ( barring few in mumbai due to practical reasons of time), is very different from those driving cars. If one were to look at it objectively, the heavy users of mobile VAS will be high income, car owning individuals. Shantharaju,reliance mobile blog is creating that barrier. They are trying to replicate popular content in order to hold consumers back.

Also, the observation in the blog that Japanese and Indian markets are similar is incorrect since the income groups that travel by local transport ( barring few in mumbai due to practical reasons of time), is very different from those driving cars. If one were to look at it objectively, the heavy users of mobile VAS will be high income, car owning individuals.

]]> By: shantharaju s http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/comment-page-1/#comment-2417 shantharaju s Fri, 28 Dec 2007 09:02:53 +0000 http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/#comment-2417 we will be the most lazy people in the future we will be the most lazy people in the future

]]> By: Harshil Karia http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/comment-page-1/#comment-2233 Harshil Karia Thu, 13 Dec 2007 13:23:15 +0000 http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/#comment-2233 Thanks all of you - yes Rohit your point is pertinent and i think some operators will definitely do it - but one must also keep in mind that once people start accessing the internet on independent browsers there is very little mobile companies can do - it would not be in their interest or the users' interest to block popular sites. There is very little an operator can do if 1 million people a day are visiting Orkut from their phones. Reliance i think is a one of example and they have played their cards smartly because they retain a lot of control over VAS. Thanks all of you – yes Rohit your point is pertinent and i think some operators will definitely do it – but one must also keep in mind that once people start accessing the internet on independent browsers there is very little mobile companies can do – it would not be in their interest or the users’ interest to block popular sites.

There is very little an operator can do if 1 million people a day are visiting Orkut from their phones.

Reliance i think is a one of example and they have played their cards smartly because they retain a lot of control over VAS.

]]> By: Writer http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/comment-page-1/#comment-2218 Writer Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:44:35 +0000 http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/#comment-2218 Nice article. We surely expect a lot of changes as technology is evolving.. Nice article. We surely expect a lot of changes as technology is evolving..

]]> By: Rohit http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/comment-page-1/#comment-2216 Rohit Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:09:47 +0000 http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/#comment-2216 The analysis is quite detailed. I will like to add one more thing here is that in India mobile operators still control the contents being passed over Internet. Take example of Reliance which has complete control of what you access. There is a high probability that the operators will block the applications which are getting popular and force you to share the revenue. Alternatively they may block the application and come out with a similar application of theirs. Ultimately they may end up like a toll plaza for the VAS content on mobile, unless either competition or government forces them to. The analysis is quite detailed. I will like to add one more thing here is that in India mobile operators still control the contents being passed over Internet. Take example of Reliance which has complete control of what you access. There is a high probability that the operators will block the applications which are getting popular and force you to share the revenue. Alternatively they may block the application and come out with a similar application of theirs. Ultimately they may end up like a toll plaza for the VAS content on mobile, unless either competition or government forces them to.

]]> By: Youpark http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/comment-page-1/#comment-2212 Youpark Thu, 13 Dec 2007 07:31:01 +0000 http://www.watblog.com/2007/12/12/the-future-of-mobile-vas-in-india-the-consumer-the-market-and-the-happy-marriage-between-content-and-distribution/#comment-2212 Very detailed analysis! Will probably take weeks for me to have review of it! Very detailed analysis! Will probably take weeks for me to have review of it!

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