Spice introduces multi-lingual SMS and TV on mobile handset

Dec 15:  Spice Telecom in Bangalore on Friday has announced to launch its multi-lingual Short Message Service (SMS) services in 12 Indian languages under ‘Spice Local Lingo’ plan in the state soon. Earlier Spice has also announced to launch ‘TV on mobile set’ plan to its subscribers in the state on Thursday. Spice has already launched ‘TV on mobile set’ plan for testing purpose in Chandigarh, announced Navin Kaul, CEO Spice Telecom.

“The service is part of Spice’s future plans to provide innovative products to its subscribers”, said Kaul to the reporters here today.

Priyanka Chopra, the brand ambassador of Spice Telecom has unveiled this service in Bangalore. Karnataka and Punjab are spice oldest subscription area where it has more than 2.5 million subscribers in Punjab while 1.4-million in Karnataka.

Under ‘Spice Local Lingo’ plan, Spice has offered to send or receive Short Message Service in 12 Indian regional languages covering Kannada, Hindi, Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi, Assamese, Gujarati, Bengali and Urdu.

“This service can be downloaded on all Java enabled mobile phones of Nokia and Sony Ericsson sets” said Rakesh Singh, COO in Karnataka here on Friday while introducing this service. The users have the option to select one or more languages for text communicating. The users can subscribe this service through Internet and through SMS.

After downloading this service, users enable to use language specific soft keypad that appears after successfully installation on the set. User can type a normal text message via entering message edit box and send it to others’ mobile. If the receiver does not have the special language facility on their set, a picture SMS can be sent to him/her.

Spice has introduced an introductory subscribe package comprising a one time download charge of Rs.20 per language plus Rs. 5 for subscribing it for a month. SMS charges in Spice Local Lingo have been set up Rs.0.50 per SMS.

In the ‘TV on mobile set’ plan, Spice has offered 12-television channel include Hindi and English News Channels, some national and entertainment channels include Cartoon Network. The service is also available in different combination depending upon the customers’ choice within this package.

The introductory price of this ‘package’ service is Rs 150 per month for a bouquet of 12-channel while it differs when subscribers select only some selected channels while Spice has introduced a special offer for the first subscribers to get one month or one bill subscription free, who opt this service before 11 January 2008.

This value added service is the innovative product of any private mobile company while BSNL has already launched this type of services in India. This spice service is still available in Chandigarh and Karnataka while Spice is planning to expand this service across the country.

Spice has also tied-up with ICL to provide Live Cricket on its set. The ‘TV on mobile set offer’ is available in some selective sets of Nokia and Sony Ericsson mobile, but Spice planning is to make available this service is on Samsung, Spice, Motorola and other low end GPRS enabled devices on Nokia and Sony Ericsson very soon. The target line has not been disclosed so far.

Former Cricketer Brian Lara and Inzmam-ul-haq have introduced this service on Chandigarh on December 13.

Accessing this service, users have to dial *789#, or send 'SPICETV' as SMS to 50789 to activate the service, while receiving URL users can now install the SpiceTV application on their handsets, open it, and choose their selective package for subscribing.

The user can watch television while on move. Spice has also tied up ICL to provide live coverage of all ICL matches as Mukul Khanna, Vice President Marketing, Spice Telecom said on December 13 while launching this service.

“Our subscribers can now watch live cricket on their phones. And what better an opportunity to launch this service than with ICL matches on in the tri-city wherein Spice Telecom is the Official Telecom partner”, said Mukul.