SMS is passe; instant messaging is in by G. Rambabu
The Hindu, Mar 25, 2003

With more than 75 lakh text messages zipping across the domestic cellular networks per day, it may be ludicrous to even suggest that the days of hugely popular short messaging service (SMS) are numbered.

Well, not if these words come from someone who thrives on the popularity of this medium of communication. Having provided messaging solutions to leading mobile operators including AirTel, Idea Cellular, Escotel, Spice and RPG Cellular, Mr. Sanjay K Goyal, CEO , ACL Wireless Ltd should know better.

As he explains, the "new mantra" that is going to make SMS passe and spearhead the future growth of the cellular services is instant messaging- a wireless solution for mobile operators that will allow their subscribers to engage in "live" chats, at less than half the cost of an SMS.

According to a report by Baskeville, a leading UK-based telecom consulting firm, $ 9.2 billion will be generated by 2006 in revenue through wireless instant messaging (WIM). In Asia, it would be about $1.28 billion, he said.

"This is a concept that is going to overtake the current SMS craze, especially since the cost for deploying this is much cheaper. Especially since the solution is interoperable with popular desktop instant messengers like Yahoo, Microsoft and AOL's ICQ. It will allow the user to chat the way one does now on the PC, from mobile to PC", Mr Goyal noted.

He pointed out that with all major operators in the country now upgrading their networks to GPRS platform, simple text messaging would no longer hold the charm that it has today. Multimedia messaging (including pictures and video), especially if "instant" will be the service to watch out for.

ACL has already launched its new version of its WIM which offers the capability to send pictures, tunes and blinking messages from PC client to mobile phones, and allows customers to send messages or chat from mobile phones or desktops to any other mobile device or PC anywhere in the world.

He noted that the company was already in talks with the operators to upgrade the messaging solutions and would be signing on with a couple of them soon. That apart, ACL is also targeting markets with GPRS-ready networks such as Western Europe, the US, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. At present, cellular operators in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia already use ACL's instant messaging solution, he said.

ACL, which has a staff of around 50, is headquartered in Delhi with sales office in Malaysia. . A majority of the equity of ACL Wireless is held by Mr Goyal, while the minority share is with the Hong Kong-based venture capitalist Inter Asia Venture Management (IAVM).