'Fastmobile may open a sales and support office in India in the near future'

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With the launch of MIM in India by cellular operators led by COAI, GSM customers will be happy to chat and enjoy the next revolution as MIM integrates mobile and the Internet world. What about the CDMA players?
We are currently talking to leading CDMA players such as Tata Indicom and the Reliance Communications for offering the MIM platform. Though Reliance CDMA is yet to utilize our platform, Reliance GSM is a member of COAI and the Reliance GSM customers will be able to use MIM services.

What are the key challenges in India?
Since our role is mainly restricted to offer platform on license-basis to telecom service providers, which would provide MIM services to their customers, the growth in demand for MIM services for the telecom operators will depend on developing a MIM community. This is a successful model globally and we expect fabulous growth in India. Fastmobile offers integrated communications and mobile community creation by empowering operators to create own mobile communities and leverage existing mobile communities for integration.

Is MIM available in multi-Indian languages?
The global nature of OMA IMPS standard being deployed in Indian members of COAI will ensure support for Indian languages. This will bring advanced messaging to the common man, while online translation of messages is possible as an enhanced service.

What are your India plans?
India is one of the fastest growing mobile markets in the world and we are actively looking at India as one of the main markets. We may be setting up a representative office in India in the near future in order to look after sales and support functions. At present, we have sales and support offices in Singapore, Manila, London and Brazil.

Last year, fastmobile opened its development center in Beijing, China to focus its customers around the world. Are you planning to set up software development centers in India?
Regarding a software development center in India, the board has to take a call. We have recently opened a dedicated China Development Center in Beijing to focus on J2ME, Symbian and BREW developments, server software development and operator customization. The China Development Center will meet the increasing demand for fastmobile's solutions and will support the implementation of fastmobile's integrated messaging services to customers around the world.

What is the scope of the agreement between fastmobile and Jataayu Software?
As per the agreement with Jataayu Software, a leading provider of handset and carrier VAS solutions, we will jointly address new business opportunities in the integrated messaging space. The deal means that fastmobile can now offer clients a standards compliant IM product and Jataayu's offering will be strengthened by a range of new features, such as enabling mobile email and branded IM portals. This partnership also enables fastmobile to move into a broader customer base where IMPS is a requirement, while at the same time still being able to bundle additional products and services such as email (IMAP4 and POP3), voice integrated messaging (VIM) and full support for branded IM portals such as Yahoo, MSN and AIM.

By our senior correspondent
vadmail@cybermedia.co.in