Paid to hear an Ad on your Mobile? Airvoice, Soon to Re-define Mobile Advertising

Creating a Win-Win Situation for All - Telecom Service Providers,
Advertisers and Subscribers
MUMBAI, India--(Business Wire)--
Imagine, you press the "call" button on your mobile phone to dial
a friend's number. And, the phone instantly plays an advertisement for
a stipulated period and then connects you to the desired number.
What's more, you are entitled to earn money for every advertisement
you hear. You think this is another intrusion into your personal time?
No! This is definitely different!

This service is subscription based and will offer several options
to subscribers in terms of the type of advertisements they wish to
hear, time in which they would want to hear and also the option to
skip an advertisement. Interestingly, a win-win situation for the
telecom service providers (TSPs), advertisers and subscribers. As the
subscription is at the user's will, this model is non-intrusive.

So is this the next phase of mobile advertising? Can an Indian
company with a patented technology change the way the world advertises
on the mobile phone? Is mobile based advertisement just limited to
static text messaging or are there possibilities to offer more
technology value in the mobile advertisement ecosystem? The answer is
"YES". Airvoice Infocomm Pvt. Ltd. (Airvoice) is the answer; a new
entrant in the mobile advertising segment, started by a group of
dynamic young visionaries who will not only re-write some of the
connotations about 'Mobile Advertising Industry', but also continually
reinvent it to change the conventional process of advertising products
and services on the mobile phone.

Expected to be launched first in Chennai in the early part of Q2
2008, Airvoice is confident of making a substantial dent in the mobile
advertisement space. Its patented technology allows subscribers to
listen to 10 to 15 second advertisements before connecting their
desired calls. This is being made possible by integrating the mobile
switching centers of Telecom service providers with the high-end
technology created by Airvoice thereby allowing a smooth transition
between the advertisement and call.

According to Frost & Sullivan, advisors to Airvoice, "India offers
an unprecedented opportunity for telecom service operators,
infrastructure vendors, manufacturers and associated services
companies. India has already crossed the 250 million subscriber mark
and as per Government targets should be 650 million by 2012. This
means that mobile phones are emerging as the most influential
communication tool. Many companies have realized the potential of this
medium and have tested pilots for advertising. The success rates are
very good but a tool to gauge the definitive response rates is still
lacking. Also, companies cite limited level of interaction and
bandwidth issues as primary hindrances in the growth of text-based
advertising systems. They are looking for ways through which
technology will enable them to communicate their ideas and thoughts
better. Unfortunately, no existing system offers such a technology.
Airvoice addresses this very issue and strikes the right cord with
advertisers and consumers alike."

Currently, the mobile advertising market in India is dominated by
text-based messaging services. In 2007, industry estimates peg the
total value at INR 25 Crore, and growing at a staggering 250 percent.
Airvoice, currently, has no direct comparison as it offers
advertisements in voice and its technology model is completely
different. This allows Airvoice to appeal both to the subscribers and
clients.

According to R. Ayyappan, Chief Executive Officer, Airvoice
Infocomm India Pvt. Ltd., Chennai, "Airvoice's Mobile Advertising
platform has been designed to benefit all the stakeholders. For
Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), it will help increase their
subscribers' Minutes of Usage (MoU) and also help focus on building
relationships so that they can get a maximum share of subscriber
spend. For advertisers, it is an innovative platform to engage with
their prospective or existent customers. For subscribers, it is an
opportunity to experience the next wave of technology. With a patented
technology, we have ensured the elimination of competition in the
market."

Airvoice's service is a boon to advertisers who are struggling to
use the mobile phone as a potent advertising medium. It is a great
opportunity for TSPs who can now earn more revenue per call. It is a
welcome relief to subscribers who are tired of meaningless and
non-interactive SMS-es they receive as advertisements.

About Airvoice Infocomm Pvt. Ltd

Airvoice Infocomm Pvt. Ltd. is entering into the business of
mobile advertisement where the message will be delivered through
voice. This business comes under the wider spectrum of Mobile Value
Added Services (MVAS). Expected to be launched in the early part of
Q2, 2008, in Chennai, Airvoice will cater to all industry segments
that wish to advertise their services on the mobile phone. Its
customers will be subscribers with various telecom service providers
(TSPs) who register themselves on the Airvoice portal. The high-end
technology created by Airvoice that allows a smooth transition between
the advertisement and call is patented under the Patents Act, 1970, by
the Controller of Patents, Government of India.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Consulting Company partners with
clients to accelerate their growth. The company's Growth Partnership
Services, Growth Consulting and Career Best Practices empower clients
to create a growth-focused culture that generates, evaluates and
implements effective growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan employs over
45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies,
emerging businesses and the investment community from more than 30
offices on six continents. For more information about Frost &
Sullivan's Growth Partnerships, visit http://www.frost.com.

Frost & Sullivan
Corporate Communications, South Asia
Caroline Lewis, +91 22 4001 3438
fax: +91 22 2832 4713
caroline.lewis@frost.com
or
Corporate Communications, South Asia and Middle East
Nimisha Iyer, +91 22 4001 3404
fax: +91 22 2832 4713
niyer@frost.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008