Date:27/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/27/stories/2006122707300200.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Information on the move

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: It was first information about the city on their web portal www.bangaloredreamz.comand then the "missed call" service to get information on the number: 40164016. Now they have introduced a "Bangalore on Mobile" service, by which all the information one would need if one is new to Bangalore or even if he or she has lived here for ages and wants to know what is new in town can now be accessed on the mobile phone. One would even be able to find out if an old favourite bar or restaurant is still around when he or she returns after some years overseas.

According to Praveen Konda of Stratycon Technologies, innovators of the "Thinking Beyond" concept behind the web portal with a difference, the latest scheme aims to provide information to those on the move, literally. Because they may need it, and fast.

It works fairly simple, if one is familiar with SMSing. For instance, say a person wishes to find out information from a particular area. All he or she would need to do would be to type an SMS message regarding the particular need and the place from where it has to be found. The message would read something like, for example, "Hospital Koramangala" or "Hotel Jayanagar" or "Blood Bank Majestic'". He or she then sends the message from his mobile phone to the number: 9945123456. Within ten seconds or so, the service provider will revert to the mobile phone user with the required information displayed on the screen. In case the service required is not listed with the "Bangalore on Mobile" service, the SMS would be re-directed to the missed call service of Stratycon Technologies who would provide the person with the information, but perhaps not instantly.

"We have gone a step ahead and made the service the cheapest of its kind," says Mr. Konda. He explains that usually, a mobile phone user is charged Rs. 3 to Rs. 4 for SMSes sent, depending on the service provider. Stratycon has provided a number that is easy for speed dialling and SMSes using this number can cost next to nothing or can even be free depending on the service provider and the tariff plan opted for. The caller is the winner, he says.