The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has asked operators to put forward their views on how to facilitate the growth of value added services, including a likely framework for policy and support infrastructure.
This follows the release of the ASSOCHAM-Deloitte study on mobile value added services (MVAS), which states that MVAS will generate Rs 480 billion worth of revenue and is thus clearly slated to drive the vehicle for inclusive growth in India.
The study which was initiated almost four months ago, has attempted to identify key elements and parameters that could facilitate an optimum ecosystem to support digital entrepreneurship. The research identifies key forces of a ?facilitating ecosystem? – essential for fuelling innovative growth in this sector.
The study states that whereas the focus of MVAS has so far been infotainment, there is great growth potential in building various utility services which can digitally empower the citizens by providing efficient access to essential information and services and foster inclusive growth.
Poised for rapid economic growth, India still lags behind on key development indicators such as basic health and education facilities. In order to promote and expedite inclusive growth, India can use mobile technology, MVAS in particular, to deliver these services.
This paper demonstrates the acute need and the rationale for doing so through an analysis of the country?s needs, market dynamics for MVAS in India, and a study of global best practices and case studies. Lastly, it also talks about some of the challenges the MVAS industry faces, and steps that need to be taken by the regulatory authorities and the industry players to fulfill the potential of MVAS to reach the Indian citizenry with basic services in an effective and efficient manner.
