Cellpassion » VAS

Google integrates Google Voice with Gmail, allows you to call other phones from Gmail

Rajat Agrawal — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:06:56 +0000

Google today introduced a new feature today that integrates Google voice with Gmail. This will allow Google Voice users to call other phones directly from their Gmail interface at the same rates as Google Voice. Basically, all calls to the US and Canada are free while international calls start from $0.02. Like Google Voice, this feature is available to users in the US only. Watch this video below that encapsulates the announcement.

RCom signs exclusive deal with Universal Music for mobile music services

Rajat Agrawal — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 09:57:22 +0000

Reliance Communications (RCom) today announced a strategic tie-up with Universal Music to offer music services on its CDMA, GSM and upcoming 3G network. Initially, RCom will offer music services like ring tones, caller ring back tones and mobile web radio streaming services.

To kickstart the deal, RCom has announced two music packs – Simply Music Gold and Simply Music Platinum. The Gold pack, which costs Rs 25 per month, offers three full-length tracks, three ring tones, four caller tunes and 30 minutes of mobile web radio streaming. The Platinum pack, which costs Rs 99 per month, offers 10 full-length tracks, 10 ring tones, 10 caller tunes and 100 minutes of mobile web radio streaming.

RCom is expected to roll out its 3G services closer to the end of the year. The carrier had won spectrum to operate 3G services in 13 circles including Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.

Mobisodes and Mobile IPTV coming to a cellphone near you

Rajat Agrawal — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 05:29:31 +0000

With 3G network roll-out around the corner in India, Value Added Service (VAS) providers are clambering to find the next big thing after Caller Ring Back Tones. Some like Spice Digital and UTStarcom think that the answer lies in videos created to suit the mobile audience.

Spice Digital currently offers music services to its carrier partners in the form of Spice Sangeet. Users can listen to streaming music or even live arati from select holy shrines across India. The company claims that it currently serves over 20 million minutes of audio streaming every day. With 3G set to kick in later this year, the company has its eyes set on video content that is tailor-made for viewing on a cellphone screen.

“We are looking at offering mobisodes – short films that are created specially for watching on cellphones,” said Dr Abhinav Mathur, chief strategy and technology officer, Spice Digital.The company is also gearing up to provide live streaming of aratis rather than just the audio feed once 3G networks are rolled out.

Another company that is betting big on mobile video is UTStarcom, which has developed an IPTV service for mobile phones. It is very similar to Mobile TV services provided by CDMA carriers like Tata Indicom and RCom over their EVDO networks. The one key difference in UTStarcom’s offering is that users will be able to time shift on their cellphones – pause live TV – just like one can do with normal IPTV on the bigger screen.

UTStarcom’s IPTV service currently works on smartphones running on Symbian S60 (third and fifth editions) and Windows Mobile operating systems. “We are currently in talks with a few carriers to provide this service and it can be deployed commercially in the next couple of months,” said Himanshu Sahu, UTStarcom’s director – sales engineering, IPTV and VAS.

Image Courtesy: Mobile Whack