BARCELONA, 20 February 2007 — The world’s top mobile technology event, the 3GSM World Congress 2007, has enjoyed a second successful year in Barcelona with an increase in both the quantity and quality of visitors. An estimated 55,000 visitors from across the globe gathered at 3GSM World to do business and discuss the hottest trends in the mobile phone industry. This year the Congress, organized by the GSM Association, hosted 1,300 exhibitors. Mobile entertainment and content formed a major theme throughout the show and the Mobile Entertainment Summit session addressed industry topics such as mobile TV and mobile music delivery.
The world’s largest film industry joined forces with the global mobile communications world in spectacular fashion as Bollywood premiered its first feature films for mobile viewers at 3GSM World. The Congress marks the start of the adaptation of thousands of Bollywood productions for the mobile screen — a development that could have a huge impact on the global mobile entertainment market, already worth some $23 billion.
The Bollywood Mobile Initiative is driven by Roamware, Hungama Mobile, Bollywood Director Sanjay Gupta and the GSM Association (GSMA). Roamware’s Media Call technology is providing the capability to integrate the cinematic content into the everyday mobile experience for film fans.
Two Bollywood short films “Zahir” and “Matriomony” were premiered at 3GSM World. These films are a part of the film “Dus Kahaniyaan” (10 Stories) produced by Sanjay Gupta of White Feather Films, featuring more than 20 leading Bollywood stars including Dia Mirza, Suneil Shetty, Sanjay Dutt, Neha Mandira Bedi and Aftab Shivdasani.
The films demonstrate the viral potential for Bollywood movies on the “fourth screen,” the mobile device. Set pieces with action and dialogue scenes interspersed with song and dance make the vibrant, fast moving movies a compelling entertainment experience for the mobile viewer.
“Bollywood today is the world’s largest movie industry, producing more than a thousand movies a year with an audience of more than two billion viewers across 127 countries. Formatting that content for the mobile audience and ensuring simplicity of delivery and accessibility provides staggering reach and revenue possibilities,” said Bobby Srinivasan, CEO and chairman, Roamware.
Neeraj Roy, MD and CEO, Hungama Mobile, added: “India is the fastest growing market in the mobile world, and the world’s fourth largest market. It has the potential to be the largest market globally by 2010. It is the most logical market from which to launch the mobile movie industry and present a brand new avenue of cinematic entertainment for mobile users everywhere. Hungama Mobile has already launched a Bollywood channel directly on operator decks around the world in nearly 30 countries, with over 70 operators. This channel contains music, imagery, video and games from Bollywood. Showcasing Bollywood movies on mobile is a natural extension.”
Bollywood is one of the fastest growing entertainment industry segments and has an appeal not only for the 150 million mobile phone users in India but for markets across all continents. Indian cinema is now dubbed in over 35 languages and accounts for as much as 16.5 percent of theatrical business in markets such as the UK. Indian films have made it into the Top 10 charts in markets including the USA, UK, Germany, Australia, Singapore and South Africa. Now Hungama Mobile and Roamware will take this content to some 2.5 billion mobile screens.
Another company making a bid for mobile screens at 3GSM World was Microsoft. The software giant unveiled the latest version of its mobile phone operating system, Windows Mobile 6. This new system features an upgraded platform that makes e-mail and Office documents look like a PC or laptop image. To ensure confidential information remains secure, Microsoft officials say security features include the ability to remotely wipe all data from the device if it is lost or stolen. Windows Mobile 6 is scheduled for consumer release in the second quarter of 2007.
During the 3GSM World Congress, the GSMA announced the 12th Annual Global Mobile Awards Winners. The highest award — in recognition of outstanding achievement in supporting the growth and vitality of the global mobile community — was presented by GSMA Chairman Craig Ehrlich to Dr. Mohamed “Mo” Ibrahim, the founder and chairman of Celtel International, which operates networks in 15 African countries.
Dr. Ibrahim has been a driving force in the industry’s efforts to connect the unconnected of Africa. A technical innovator who joined the industry 22 years ago at the launch of the world’s first mobile network, Dr. Ibrahim founded Mobile Systems International (MSI), a company that developed the software to help operators manage and plan their use of radio spectrum at a time when networks were planned using tracing paper and a map.
He subsequently founded a mobile operator that invested in the underserved African telecommunications market, which in 1998 consisted of a mere two million mobile users on the entire continent. That company eventually became Celtel and it paved the way for much of the growth of mobile communications throughout Africa. With more than 17 million users, and 60 percent growth per year, Celtel is licensed to serve more than one half of the continent’s population. In 2005, Celtel was sold to MTC — a Middle East-based mobile group serving 20 countries — for more than $3.4 billion, although Dr. Ibrahim remains chairman of the Celtel board.
In October 2006, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation was launched, with backing from world leaders including Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan, Bill Clinton and Tony Blair. The foundation is a new initiative to promote and recognize good governance and leadership in Africa, and will award the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership — worth $5 million with a further $200,000 a year available for good causes suggested by the winner.
Additional stars of the 2007 Global Mobile Awards were three different handset makers. The Motorola MOTOFONE F3 was selected by the GSMA as the “Best Ultra Low Cost Handset.” To help bridge literacy gaps, the MOTOFONE offers a user interface with innovative voice prompts in local languages to guide the user through menu navigation, messaging and other functions. In addition, graphical icons visually demonstrate the menu features as well as network status and battery strength. The MOTOFONE enables even the newest phone users to embrace mobile communication with confidence. The GSMA award for the “Best GSM Mobile Handset or Device” went to Samsung Electronics for the SGH-D900. Sony Ericsson’s K800 Cyber-shot phone took the award for “Best 3GSM handset or device.”
New this year to the Global Mobile Awards were the “Bridging the Digital Divide” Awards, created to demonstrate the unique role of mobile communications today in connecting people, communities and nations, and driving the social and economic fabric of countries throughout the world.
The award for the “Best Use of Mobile for Social & Economic Development” went to the GrameenPhone Ltd — HealthLine in Bangladesh. Launched on Nov. 4, 2006, the HealthLine project is providing an opportunity for an interactive teleconference between any GrameenPhone subscriber and a licensed physician, who is available 24/7.
In Bangladesh, the Doctor:Patient ratio is 4000:1 and in the rural areas the ratio is much higher. GrameenPhone covers 95 percent geographical areas of the country. The rural areas where 80 percent of the population live, lack hospitals, clinics, health facilities and registered physicians.
On an average day 3,000 persons/families are calling the HealthLine call center, which still has very limited facilities with only four lines to the doctors. The present number of callers demonstrates that there is enormous demand for the service. Families can avail HealthLine services to get detailed advice from a registered doctor over 5-10 minutes of phone consultation costing between Tk 25 (about $0.35) and Tk 50. The revenue generated is per the business plan of Tk 10,000 per day with four lines. The pilot project has proved that the venture is financially sustainable and viable.
In the rural areas, village doctors, who are not registered physicians, readily consult the registered physicians at the HealthLine call centers. This facility enables both the village doctors and their patients to receive more reliable treatment and advice. The common person is also able to receive appropriate medical advice from home, which is quite convenient for women, the elderly and the rural poor who may lack transportation.
The initiative has not been widely promoted. However, now moves are under way to scale the project to demand. Ten doctors per shift are to be engaged for the project, with three shifts to provide 24-hour coverage.
The HealthLine concept is about adding value for health information and services. For the user, there is no additional investment except for the cost that the caller incurs as call charges to the call center. Similarly, in the future, SMS-based reporting of medical laboratory tests followed by courier delivery of printed copies of the report shall have charges. The financial burden on the consumer in Bangladesh is small, compared to the advantages such services bring, plus a burden is lifted from scarce clinic and hospital facilities.
