Friday, August 28, 2015

M2M is defined as a technology that enables electronic and mechanical devices to communicate with each other seamlessly and perform actions without human intervention. M2M (machine to machine) leverages innovations in micro computing and wireless technology that allow embedded devices to collect and distribute real-time data and has the potential to connect millions of machines today, and even more in the near future.

M2M has become an integral part of IOT. It has open new streams of revenue to be grabbed. Many Telecom Operators have launched new services based on M2M communication. Vodafone started its M2M services in 2013 with the launch of Remote Monitoring & Control Service (RMCS). It also provides global SIM card to support M2M applications around the globe. Similarly many telecom operators have followed the suite.
The global machine to machine (M2M) data traffic from 2013 to predicted 2018 (in terabytes per month)

Source: Statista  


It’s imperative for telecom operators to grab this huge opportunity of revenue generation. It is projected M2M industry total size by 2022 would be $199.6 bn with global market revenue of $37.2 bn.

Coming to India, M2M modules (device) market generated 2732 million USD (134.9 crore INR) revenues in 2011 and is expected to generate to 82.6 million USD (413.3 crore INR) by 2015, growing at a CAGR of 32.3%33. Source: Cyber Media research report (2012).


Kunjesh Mehta
Batch - 2016
Symbiosis Institute Of Telecom Management 

Start-ups With Their Game Changing Ideas !

1. GLAMSQUAD:  By Victoria Eisner launched in January, 2014. Idea: Wishing that beauty services could come to me at a single click/touch of button.
 
2.  DWNLD:  Launched in September 2014. Idea: WordPress coming to Apps. Just create an app quickly & cheaply and put it in App store. Within 7-10 days it gets approved.

3. Ello: Launched in August, 2014. Idea: Social network promising no ads and not selling personal information to advertisers.

4. SHYP: Launched in September, 2014. Idea: Forget to go to the post office. It sends the packages for us; just take a picture of what is to be sent and a driver comes to pick the package in min. and we are done.

5. ALFRED: Marcela Sapone & Jessica Beck came up with the idea. Launch in September. Idea: Is your affordable personal butler. After working out a schedule, Alfred will stop by once or twice a week & take care of all chores: folding clothes, sorting mail, picking up laundry, & cleaning your house.

6. YO: By Arbel launched in April. Idea: Notification to any friend in the simplest manner in a robotic voice.  took 8 hours to create become #1 social networking app in US store & #4 in app overall.

7. Team Indus: By Rahul Narayan, Dilip Chabria, Julius Amrit, launched on 29 Dec, 2014. Idea: Building capabilities to provide cost effective, rapid turnaround, full spectrum services for Aerospace applications to global customer.

8. Proof of Performance: Harjaap Singh Mann, Arvinder Mann, launched on 29 Dec, 2014. Idea: Prevent revenue leakage. Services include outdoor media planning, compliance audits and competitive intelligence.

9. Zoomcar: David Back (President), Greg Moran (CEO) launched on 29 Dec, 2014. Idea: Self-drive cars on hire. Reserve a car through the website or a mobile application on hour/day basis.


Aditya Raina
Batch - 2017
Symbiosis Institute Of Telecom Management 

Airtel Loop Acquisition Case

The Airtel and Loop acquisition case is almost 16 month old which happen nearly at the end of the February last year. Loop mobile which operates only in Mumbai circle had more than 3 million subscriber till November 2013 and Bharti Airtel with 4.1 million subscribers second to the Vodafone with 6.8 million subscribers in Mumbai circle. The Loop Average Revenue per User (ARPU) was about ₹225, against the sector average revenue of ₹100 and Airtel’s ARPU of ₹195.
            As Loop’s Mobile License got expired on last quarter of 2014 and it had a debt of ₹400 Cr. So, there was a news from source that Airtel is going to acquire Loop Mobile and the announcement will come out in some days and the deal is likely to be final in ₹700 Cr. Among these the debt of ₹400 Cr. is also going to be including in the final deal. If Loop is acquired by the Airtel, Bharti Airtel will be the biggest operator in the city with 7 million subscribers from the sources, it is also clear that Loop is going to sell both its Mobile and Tower Business.
            Bharti Airtel had agreed to acquire Loop Mobile in February to be the biggest operator in Mumbai circle but the deal was canceled, for not able to get the approval from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and Telecom Department of India. As they objected by saying that they can’t be restrict the Loop subscribers from porting to another network service provider and the Bharti Airtel’s acquisition is not a part of India’s telecom policy.
            An analyst says that it was a bad deal where the facility of mobile Number Portability is a good option to change the subscriber. As this deal will help the Airtel or Vodafone to acquire the Loop’s customer as the Loop is going to be out of market in Telecom Industry but the deal was fail because of TRAI interference.
            On Another hand Loop has requested TRAI to assist in closing its operations and help Loop’s customer with individual porting codes to its entire subscriber base. So that subscriber can easily port to other network before the licence expires (29 November 2014).  
As on 8 th June 2015 status from Indian Court. Essar Group promoters Ravi Ruia and Anshuman Ruia, Loop Telecom promoters Kiran Khaitan, her husband I P Khaitan and Vikash Saraf are facing trial in the case along with three companies -- Loop Telecom Ltd, Loop Mobile India Ltd and Essar Tele Holding Ltd (ETHL).


Bharat Kumar
Batch - 2017
Symbiosis Institute Of Telecom Management 

Friday, August 14, 2015

WhatsApp Revenue Model

WhatsApp Messenger is a cross-platform mobile messaging app which allows you to exchange messages without having to pay for SMS. Sequoia invested $8 million in 2011 in WhatsApp. WhatsApp was recently bought by Facebook for a whooping amount of $19 Billion in 2014, making it the company's largest acquisition. As per the terms and conditions of the deal, all 55 employees of WhatsApp including its founders will be granted restricted stock worth $3 billion that will vest over four years after the deal closes. In India, Reliance Communications has teamed up with WhatsApp for providing a unique scheme for Reliance's prepaid users -a WhatsApp Plan. So, WhatsApp is making money by tie-ups with popular telecom companies as well. 
Ways by which WhatsApp earn and at the same how it reduces cost: 

1] Subscription Charges  WhatsApp already has a powerful revenue model. The WhatsApp messenger application is free for the first year and then it ostensibly charges around 0.99$ per year. WhatsApp has 450 million users. Six years after its founding, the company has 700 million monthly active users. Assuming most current users end up paying the subscription, that’s a potential revenue stream of several hundred million dollars a year from WhatsApp's current revenue model alone. The basic strategy is pretty simple. You download the app which is free of cost, and use it for one year. You are surely used to the app and will renew it for the subsequent years.  

2] Value Proposition: Its co-founders Jan Koum and Brian Acton thought of giving a value proposition that no one could beat. They knew they could do what most people aim to do every day: “avoid ads.” They build an app that’s very simple, intuitive, and compatible across the range of mobile phone. Besides, WhatsApp also promises on respecting the customer’s privacy. While signing up for a WhatsApp account none of the data such as- email id, birthdate, address, workplace, likes, GPS location- are collected or stored. They knew they could charge people based on these value propositions.  

3] Curbing the cost of production by entertaining least manpower: WhatsApp employs a handful of engineers (around 50) who work in the application development. The rest of the staff are basically for the customer support.  

4] Limited Budget:  WhatsApp saves its money by avoiding any expenses incurred on print, audio visual advertisement for promotion of the application. They have kept tight budgets, and do not spend a penny on advertisements. They rely on the old rule of "word of mouth" advertising.   

5] Less maintenance cost on the web-site: There's hardly any extra piece of information on the website. Their website is worth only a few dollars. So, there are less maintenance costs as well. This means that they save a lot of running funds. This is how WhatsApp seized the opportunity of providing a messaging platform at affordable costs along with added features.


Rishika Ghosh
Batch - 2017
Symbiosis Institute Of Telecom Management