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AHMEDABAD: Gone are the days
when Diwali and New Year
meant exchanging warm
greetings via personal calls or
visits to friends and relatives.
According to data from mobile
operators, Gujaratis now prefer
sending cold, impersonal text
messages or recycled messages
through free mobile application
services and social media like
Facebook and Twitter.
Over five crore mobile phone
subscribers in Gujarat sent close
to six crore text messages in
three days of festivities this
week, starting with Diwali,
according to an estimate by
telecom operators in the state.
Further, telecom operators in
Gujarat claim to have witnessed
a 20% rise in mobile data usage
for social media and over the top
(OTT) applications such as
Whatsapp, Blackberry messenger
and other applications over text
messages.
"We saw over 1 crore text
messages in three days of Diwali
in Gujarat. We also see a spurt
in mobile data usage by almost
20%, which can be attributed to
the replacement of text
messages," said Vodafone India's
spokesperson.
There are about seven active
mobile operators in Gujarat at
present. Operators acknowledged
that a share of voice and SMS is
moving to data.
"About six crore SMSes are
expected to have been circulated
in the state in the last three days
but there is a structural shift in
the industry from voice and SMS
towards messaging programmes
and social media platforms. The
rise in use of OTT applications is
eating into our revenues,
especially during major festivals
like Diwali," said an official
from another telecom company,
which saw over 85 lakh text
messages sent in Gujarat.
However, SMS or short message
service, which saw an explosive
growth in volumes and revenue
in the early 2000s, seems to be
facing stiff competition from
other applications.
Rajiv Vyas, an executive with an
insurance company, said, "Text
messages are charged on festive
occasions even if people have
subscribed for free SMS schemes
and packages. This is the reason I
prefer messengers and social
media to wish my social and
official group."
With the popularity of mobile
data rising, exchange of festive
greetings through this medium
had been a convenient mode for
most Gujaratis this Diwali.
"Mobile data is increasing
substantially with people shifting
to these services and the
government should consider
using it for government-to-
citizen services. As long as
companies are monetizing it,
things are positive. But it can be
disturbing if people use a
telecom operator's free network
for data usage," said an official
from Cellular Operators
Association of India.
Gujaratis sent 6 crore SMSes in 3 days of festivities - TOI Mobile | The Times of India Mobile Site
when Diwali and New Year
meant exchanging warm
greetings via personal calls or
visits to friends and relatives.
According to data from mobile
operators, Gujaratis now prefer
sending cold, impersonal text
messages or recycled messages
through free mobile application
services and social media like
Facebook and Twitter.
Over five crore mobile phone
subscribers in Gujarat sent close
to six crore text messages in
three days of festivities this
week, starting with Diwali,
according to an estimate by
telecom operators in the state.
Further, telecom operators in
Gujarat claim to have witnessed
a 20% rise in mobile data usage
for social media and over the top
(OTT) applications such as
Whatsapp, Blackberry messenger
and other applications over text
messages.
"We saw over 1 crore text
messages in three days of Diwali
in Gujarat. We also see a spurt
in mobile data usage by almost
20%, which can be attributed to
the replacement of text
messages," said Vodafone India's
spokesperson.
There are about seven active
mobile operators in Gujarat at
present. Operators acknowledged
that a share of voice and SMS is
moving to data.
"About six crore SMSes are
expected to have been circulated
in the state in the last three days
but there is a structural shift in
the industry from voice and SMS
towards messaging programmes
and social media platforms. The
rise in use of OTT applications is
eating into our revenues,
especially during major festivals
like Diwali," said an official
from another telecom company,
which saw over 85 lakh text
messages sent in Gujarat.
However, SMS or short message
service, which saw an explosive
growth in volumes and revenue
in the early 2000s, seems to be
facing stiff competition from
other applications.
Rajiv Vyas, an executive with an
insurance company, said, "Text
messages are charged on festive
occasions even if people have
subscribed for free SMS schemes
and packages. This is the reason I
prefer messengers and social
media to wish my social and
official group."
With the popularity of mobile
data rising, exchange of festive
greetings through this medium
had been a convenient mode for
most Gujaratis this Diwali.
"Mobile data is increasing
substantially with people shifting
to these services and the
government should consider
using it for government-to-
citizen services. As long as
companies are monetizing it,
things are positive. But it can be
disturbing if people use a
telecom operator's free network
for data usage," said an official
from Cellular Operators
Association of India.
Gujaratis sent 6 crore SMSes in 3 days of festivities - TOI Mobile | The Times of India Mobile Site
