Mobile entertainment company Buongiorno has revealed that it will launch its premium digital store service across India this month. Branded as Blinko Gold, it will offer Indian mobile consumers access to high quality mobile downloads and entertainment content. Buongiorno says the content will be packaged in a rich set of services powered by an advanced database and CRM system that will analyse service provisions and track end-user behaviour, in order to maximize the consumer experience.
Buongiorno cites research from Stanford University that shows that at present, only 23.07% of Indias 1.1 billion population owns a telephone. But with 51% of that population estimated to be aged under 25, and with nearly 8 million net subscriber additions every month, says Buongiorno, it is a market clearly showing enormous growth potential, signified by the recent entry of operators such as Vodafone and Virgin Mobile into the market. Indeed, improved regulatory structures, combined with declining tariffs, innovative pre-paid tariff plans and cheaper handsets are fuelling unprecedented growth in mobile phone uptake across the country, Buoongiorno notes.
It adds that with competition increasing, voice tariffs have gradually declined over the years, causing operators to look at alternative revenue streams such as the Values Added services (VAS) that Buongiorno provides. VAS presently contribute 7% of the total telecom revenue for Indian operators and this is expected to rise to around 12% in 2010; a figure that represents a market value of $2.74 billion (1.39 billion). VAS in India today consists mainly of SMS services and content focusing on the populations passion for Bollywood movies and Cricket.
Buongiorno began working in India in early 2006 through a strategic partnership with The Times of India. The company also works with many other media partners in India, including MTV Mobile, Samsung Mobile and Sony BMG, affording a great insight into a market with phenomenal growth prospects. In addition, Buongiorno has partnered with Mumbai service provider BPL Mobile, to offer a completely new experience to its subscribers with its icon-based WAP site: wap.mizone.bplmobile.com.
Buongiornos Indian operations are based out of New Delhi, where the Company has over 75 employees.
Entering into emerging markets, we have to overcome a number of challenges, including managing and aggregating a completely local content catalogue for the service provisioning, says Buongiorno CEO, Andrea Casalini, adding that more than 95% of the content is local Indian content. Also, unlike Europe where subscription services are stabilized, in India they are just now receiving the thrust from the operators. So, to propose services and products to operators and its consumers, on a single transaction basis, is a strong challenge. With fantastic partnerships already in place, we are confident the Blinko Gold brand will help us capitalize on this significant opportunity.