The mobile space is buzzing with activity as more tie ups, innovations and new launches come to the fore. Here are some of them that were in the news lately:
SBI Launches Mini Savings Account With Eko
State Bank of India and Eko Aspire Foundation have tied up to launch a product that aims at financial inclusion for the unbanked. SBI’s mini savings account is expected to be available via mobile through its tie up with Eko. They plan to roll out the project across Mumbai and Punjab within two months.
The pilot project was first launched at Uttam Nagar in Delhi in February and thereafter it was taken to four districts of Bihar. Mobile seems to be the saviour of rural areas be it banking, farming or even fishing. And we don’t even have the entire rural population in India using mobile just yet. I guess more is to follow.
Reliance Mobile Launches Gaming On USSD
Reliance Communications has launched Games based on Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD). USSD allows real time messaging on GSM mobile. Real-time Messaging is quicker than normal SMS. The first few games that will be launched for USSD are “Tic Tac Toe”
The USSD Games service is priced at Rs.5 per day and at Rs.30 per month for unlimited games.
Virtual Sim To Increase Rural Mobile Subscribers
Comviva Technologies an Indian VAS (value-added services) has brought a new product for the poor of several countries including India. The is based on a “Virtual SIM” technology that allows users to share their handsets even when using a single sim. According to this new technology upto 6 users can subscribe to telecom services from the same handset.
This technology could help in penetrating the Indian rural segment for operators as it would appeal to this audience.
The technology basically uses the SIM of the primary subscriber while the secondary subscribers can use the telecom service by authenticating themselves on the network by using a code provided by the operator.
Looks we caught the same story on SBI and Eko. Mobile banking can be a great next wave of opportunity for the Indian telcos who are just now reeling under a price war. I have some thought on this on my blog