Visual Radio service launched in India

Mobile radio listeners have a new channel for entertainment through visual radio with four companies - Hutch, Radio Mirchi, Nokia and HP - today announcing the rolling out of this service in the country.

Visual radio allows listeners to tune in to local FM radio via the receiver on their Nokia Devices while simultaneously receiving interactive information and graphics that are synchronised with radio broadcast through cellular network onto the screen of the handset.

Listeners can enjoy engaging and content, participate in radio station promotions, poll, contents and interact with Radio Jockeys and special guests. Radio Mirchi becomes the first FM radio station to offer this interactive content.

Visual radio handsets were already available in the country with applications but Hutch is the first mobile service provider to offer this, Hutch marketing head Naveen Chopra told newspersons in New Delhi.

He, however, declined to comment on the revenue share of the collaboration.

Nokia's visual radio handsets are available within the price range of Rs 6,000-25,000 and and as per service charges, Chopra said in case of post-paid connections, there will be no rental for GPRS connections. Only usage charges, including the downloading charges, will apply. The normal charges for downloading are 10 paise per 10 kb of data.

A GPRS-enabled handset is a must for visual radio.

Hutch has close to a million GPRS subscribers, Chopra said, adding that 10 per cent of the mobile operators' revenue comes from value added services. (MORE)