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V. Rishi Kumar

Hyderabad , April 18

No need to key in messages for sending that SMS through your mobile phone; soon, we will be able to send an SMS voice mail.

The Vice-President - Engineering, Roamware, a technology solutions provider for telecom carriers globally, Mr Avnish Chauhan, told Business Line that the company has test deployed the feature in about six carriers where over 20 million use this voice-based SMS.

The company is in parleys with other operators, including several India telecoms to offer this service.

It is planning two routes. The first is by deploying a platform that helps reach the service, offering it as a value-added service. The other option, which some companies prefer, is to host the service and collect a transaction-based revenue, he explained.

Unlike the earlier option of a push-to-talk facility, where the user had to buy a handset with a capability to access such a service, any handset can be used for voice SMS, he said.

The addition of voice capability to the network actually bypasses the issue of voice-mail service that some e-mail service providers currently provide. For instance, a user requires a PC and a headset to send a voice mail.

But, an SMS voice mail can be sent on the same mobile phone. Given the penetration of mobile phones, this offers greater advantage, he added.

Roamware works with over 200 networks globally across 87 countries, including several carriers in India.

It is estimated that the global market for SMS would touch a whopping $50 billion by 2010.

This service will appeal to users who are more likely to use messaging services then conduct real-time conversations.

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Voice-based SMS to be introduced soon

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