Mobile India: Vodafone India’s Mobile Box Office

Review: Odd to a Westerner, but proof that India will be a global leader in voice-based VAS

Vodafone India is re-launching the Mobile Box Office, a voice-based VAS that allows subscribers to connect to the fantastically vibrant Indian film industry in just about every way save for actually seeing the movie itself. In each movie “capsule,” users can listen to the movie’s storyline, trivia, dialogues, and of course the variety of songs found in every Indian movie.

Users can also get caller tunes and ringtones. The service offers films in six Indian languages—Hindi, Tamil, Telegu, Malayam, Bhojpuri, and Marathi.

The pricing starts at Rs. 10 (€0.18) for a single capsule, going as low as Rs. 6 (€0.11) if purchased in a bundle of 5.

This service may sound strange to a Westerner, who would much rather go see a movie than spend so much time hearing about it. However in India such a service makes sense as a feasible alternative because of the infrastructure—or lack thereof. In rural areas lacking consistent electricity, movie theaters are out of the question.  A service like the Vodafone Mobile Box Office can serve as a new, relatively inexpensive source of entertainment that is as ubiquitous as a mobile signal.

Even in urban areas now peppered with multiplexes, Bollywood movies are all-encompassing social phenomena.  This is in a way Hollywood movies are not.  For example, soundtracks for most Hollywood movies are an afterthought; but in Bollywood they are every bit as popular as the film itself.  Urban Indians on the go will still be interested in absorbing as much of the latest filmy as they can find.

What we think

The main takeaway here is not the service itself… it is the Mobile Box Office concept. This concept would not fly in anydeveloped country—but to see the Mobile Box Office service as a clear reminder that as we rush into mobile barcodes, wireless Internet, app stores and more; there is a huge market for simple voice-based Value-Added Services. This will not change soon due to high illiteracy rates that limit the appeal of SMS and web-based VAS.  Also the fact that many phones sold in India are of an ultra low cost sort, and simply can’t do anything more advanced than voice and SMS.

Because of this massive voice-based VAS market, India will be the leader in applying voice-based VAS solutions to a variety of VAS needs, from entertainment like Mobile Box Office to news, banking, and more.

This expertise will give Indian carriers and VAS providers an edge in business in the developing world.  There is an opportunity in Africa where many markets will face the same constraints as India.  Africa will be hungry for India’s expertise in the same solutions. In light of this, it is no surprise that telecom deals between India and Africa have begun picking up steam as of late.