Mediaboss Marketing

Some may call it the 'Crackberry syndrome', but many cell phone users are addicted to their handsets as it keeps them connected 24x7. The modest gadget once meant to convey voice messages has now evolved as a social networking platform, enabling users to be a part of their private gossip chaupal or communities even in the middle of an important official meeting. Convergence has helped cellular phones acquire an aura of Swiss army knives an all-purpose gadget.

If Internet is said to bring the world to one's doorstep, then it wouldn't be incorrect to say that a handset with Internet access brings everything under the sun on your palm. While, the consumer gets excited about addition of every new service to his handset, the operators and service providers keep innovating ways to cash on popularity of MVAS.

The mobile users had long been feeding on VAS, sending SMSes, browsing the Internet, downloading music, caller-back tones, and playing games, but there was always an urge to get a real-time access, all the time and everywhere, which social networking sites on handy devices fulfill.

A report by Juniper Research on mobile UGC predicts that user-generated content is predicted to grow and increase revenue inflow from the present $572 mn to over $5.7 bn in 2012. Interestingly, social networking sites will account for 50% of this amount. People using social networks are going to grow from the current 14 mn to around 600 mn by 2012. Currently, downloads from social networking sites stand roughly at around the 200 mn which is set to grow to over 9 bn in the next five years.

K Sheker, director, Bay Talkitec quotes in a report, and says that about 50 mn people, or about 2.3% of all mobile users already use the mobile phone for social networking, from chat services to multimedia sharing. The forecast is that the penetration will mushroom to atleast 12.5% in the next five years.

An ICM study sees some future for networking on mobile. It says: If a quarter of Internet users are already accessing social networking sites on their mobile phones, this shows an interest in this service.

"Considering the lifestyle and technology needs of today's generation, mobile social networking is poised to become the preferred way of networking. India is the second largest mobile phone market. In India, this trend is comparatively new but seeing the growing popularity of social networks, it will gradually catch up," says Evert Jaap Lugt, founder & CEO, Nimbuzz.

Buongiorno's Co-CEO Milind Pathak feels that in India the trend is still nascent from global perspective. Efforts are being made and now the companies and operators in India too are thinking of developing products on these lines.

Latest in India is BigAdda that has launched social network on mobile (SMS-WAP-client). 'Mobile Adda' is a platform available as an integrated offering across SMS and WAP. It is an installable application for over 500 different mobile phone models.

Excerpt from:
Networking on the Move