Like the computer revolution, the cell phone or the mobile is creating a major revolution across the country. What started as ripple is today emerging as a giant wave bringing about virtual socioeconomic change in the country. Due to its ubiquitous use the sea change is visible in every sphere of human life. In matrimonial markets, sting operations and shockingly enough in the dangerous field of terrorism, mobile is being used as a tool.

In the initial stage, the possession of cell phone was the privilege of a few people but today major mobile companies are vying with one another for the mobile market. Now mobile has become affordable for anyone. The changes in a span of less than a decade have been so dramatic that many have come to realise that they can’t contemplate a life without favourite mobile.

The period 2002-2005 was a defining year for the mobile services business. Not only did the mobile services add some 775 million subscribers but also registered 50.53% growth in revenues. According to the report of National Telecom Survey the communication services market in India was worth Rs. 50,358 crore in 2002-2003.

This is a growth of 5-11 percent over the 2001-02 fiscal year when the market size was Rs. 47,908 crore The services covered in the survey include the basic services, the cellular services, national and international long distance and Internet services. As per the report while basic services contributed 57% to the total services industry size of Rs. 50,538 crore last year, the fast growing cellular services- came second with 16%. The rapidly growing mobile subscription base has now crossed more than 20 million.

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The cellular revolution has now reached grassroots. In a few tit like Mumbai and Ahmadabad you don’t have to search for auto rickshaws. Some savvy drivers wait for the customers to dial on their mobile; after incoming calls became free a host of rickshaw drivers, carpenters and plumbers are using services. While corporate majors are driving up cell phone revenues in urban pockets, mobile phones are changing the way small entrepreneurs and farmers do business in the interiors of the country.

The disabled patient visiting cancer center uses his cell phone to call the chauffeur (who too possess a mobile) from the distant parking lot. another occasion the company driver standing in queue at the busy reservation counter of the Eranakulam South Railway station informs his GM’s madam at home about the late running of a train for reservation of a seat in which he was asked to book. He takes an on: spot decision on alternatives while still at the queue.

Cell phone companies are now trying to rope in more customers: providing special services and even those seeking life partners use mo” Many companies are targeting specific user communities even in the country-side for you don’t have companies everywhere.

In Kerala BPL was the first mobile company to convince the fishermen to go mobile, the six lacs cell phone subscribers in Kerala 12% is fishermen who their phones while at sea to ascertain the best available rates for 1 catch at the several markets on the Kerala coast. An empty basket of your favourite fish in the market need not disappoint you. The vend would contact his man on the sea and if his reply is favourable, the seller will ask you to contact him again.

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Idea Cellular also provides special schemes for fishermen across the coastal regions of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa. They provide cover up to 15 km into the sea. This allows fisherman to keep in touch with the mainland. In the north, Airtel helps farmers sell grains and vegetable Punjab and Haryana. Airtel organization provides the latest rates at the five main markets at Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala, Ludhiana and Bhatinda.

In recent times over Rs. 500 crore money spinner advertiser market has caught the fancy of the cell operators. Mobile Firs: – consortium of Cellular Operators—BPL, Mobile Escotel, RPH cellular and spice cellular was launched in 2003. It is India’s first matrimonial service on mobile telephones

The scheme enables the Mobile First subscribers to find prospective life partners either for themselves or their near or dear ones through mobile telephones. The three million pan Indian subscribers of Mobile First in 700 urban centers would be able to subscribe to this facility by using the SMS.

It is indeed a godsend when an individual could search for a life partner with greater ease and speed and that too at low cost option to place a matrimonial advertisement with the reach extending across almost all the states and meters.

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Who will not be tired in the big cities standing in long queues for paying the electricity bills and water bills or for getting cinema tickets? It is the time when the tempers run high and consumers have to wait patiently to get their turn. If some elements try to jump the queue a hell breaks loose. But some cellular service providers are prepared to come to the rescue of these consumers.

They provide personnel who come to doorstep to collect the bill and make the payment or even deliver movie tickets; you can also call the service providers or send SMS to arrange for electricians or plumbers. Even a doctor can quickly be contacted. Crucial services like blood banks and ambulances can also be sought.

This kind of service is not a source of revenue for the operators but it promotes goodwill for them.

Service providers also allow for payment of cell phone bills electronically. Citi bank Suvidha or Citibank Credit Card holders who are also Airtel subscriber can pay over phone by calling the banks through payment at ATMs or via Internet. Standard Chartered Banks Credit Card consumers can pay cell phone bills through credit card. IC3CI and HDFC account holders can pay up over the Net.

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Hutch, with its service Hutch Help has been trying to help customers get in touch with chemists and enable women customers to access plumbers and electricians for nominal pay of Rs. 7. Airtel enables servicing of SSLC or CBSE exam results by sending an SMS.

Revenues from mobile advertising and marketing exceeded 2 billion dollar over the next years during. Mobile advertising is expected to surpass online advertising services. It is claimed that by 2008 more people would access information on hand held mobile (phones). There could be substantial increase in revenues by promoting mobile commerce in camera.

70% of the country’s population below 30 years category accounts for 25% of the current subscriber. It is only natural for major mobile companies to target the new schemes for the youth.

Delhi government has restricted the use of mobile while driving simply because it could create conditions for accidents. But doctors in Delhi are pressing the Delhi Government to waive this rule just because according to DMA (Delhi Medical Association) doctors have to attend to emergency calls from their patients. And if they ignore their calls while driving, it amounts to injustice to the patients. At present, the traffic police can slap a fine of Rs. 1000 if they find you using the mobile while driving.

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It is indeed a matter of pride that an Indian engineer, Mr. Arun Sarin— a graduate from the NT Kharagphur is the Chief Executive of the world’s biggest mobile phone, company, the $ 100 million UK based Vodaphone This has made Arun Britains most powerful businessmen Mr. Sarin has been director of Cisco System, the networking switching giant. He was also’ le CEO of Vodaphone’s US and Asia Pacific Operations and chief opening officer of Air touch, a US based wireless provider. Born in India, he was B.Tech of IIT Kharagphur and obtained both an MS and MBA from the University of California at Barkeley in 1978.

Like any other scientific or technological device the mobile is also used for destructive purposes. You can’t blame the mobile if the user uses it for committing crimes against humanity. The notorious terrorist Amrozi bin Nurhasym of Indonesia denoted his car bomb attacks in Indonesia in October 2002 by using mobile phone.

Even the five year old in England vise mobile phone promoting worries about their health and safety. Anew research by the British Government has warned young children using mobile phone because of the greater risk of radio waves penetrating their thinner skulls. Primary school’s children in UK are the fastest growing market for mobile phones with more than 401000 owing a handset. One in nine children aged five to nine have a mobile, which is double the number two years ago.

Cell phones operators have mounted an aggressive market strategy, to woo potential customers and their campaigns are yielding rich dividends. Indian society is in a flux and people of all categories are trying to get mobile telephones because they need them. They are no long going in for it for the heck of it. For most the mobile has added colour and convenience to their daily life.