ITV

Tag: Freecharge

  • Smartphone becomes popular payment wallet in India: Nielsen

    Smartphone becomes popular payment wallet in India: Nielsen

    MUMBAI There is no denying the fact that the smartphone has become an incredibly powerful tool of information, content and entertainment. And now it is rapidly growing to become a wallet, especially in India, with Paytm having the highest penetration as of December 2015 as per a Nielsen report.

    According to data from Nielsen Informate Mobile Insights, the most popular mobile payment apps in terms of time spent, are those that provide services over and above pure payment like mobile recharging, ability to book movie tickets, shopping and so on. This ability to multitask creates a ‘sticky’ factor with users.

    For most marketers, mobile payments have largely been considered a product for developed markets, but based on current trends in India they hold just as much appeal in developing markets. With over 6 billion mobile users, and with 4G entering the market, internet proliferation is expected to reach an all-time high in 2016. Putting the same in perspective with the findings of UK based Juniper Research, the adoption of mobile payment is projected to be strong.

    More than one in three mobile wallets and over 50 per cent in developed markets, will feature contactless payment by 2018, says the research. The popularity of such apps has risen from over one-in-five active users last year to over one in every two users this year. 

    An analysis of real time metered smartphone usage data with Nielsen Informate Mobile Insights reveals how Indian consumers are using mobile payment apps. Overall time spent on mobile payment apps has increased by nearly 1.5x, with users spending an hour and a half on mobile payment apps every month.

    The study has also observed certain trends that have emerged in the Indian market:

    Males drive the mobile payment category on smartphones

    Mobile wallets have made transactions effortless, and more men seem to have embraced this concept than women. Mobile payment apps are 1.2 times more popular among men than women, and men are twice more engaged with these apps than women.

    Small Town Buzz

    Nielsen’s findings indicate that even though the penetration of mobile payment apps among users is similar across towns of all sizes (60 per cent of those in large towns and 58 per cent in small town use them), usage is higher among tier I and tier II users, with these consumers spending 109 minutes a month on these apps.

    Less Is More

    As per experts, the key to accelerate mobile payment app adoption is to make the payment process simple for the consumer. The less information the consumer has to manually enter, the better the adoption rate is. The other key factors that limit consumers’ willingness to use mobile payments include trust, convenience and unstable data connectivity.

  • Sony Pictures Networks India eyes Rs 1200 crore revenue from IPL; 80% inventory sold

    Sony Pictures Networks India eyes Rs 1200 crore revenue from IPL; 80% inventory sold

    MUMBAI: The latest instalment of cricket’s flagship franchise – the Indian Premier League (IPL) is almost here and the official broadcaster Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India is going all guns blazing when it comes to getting advertisers on board.

    With almost 80 per cent of the ad inventory sold, the broadcaster is eyeing revenue of Rs 1200 crore from this season of the IPL.

    An upbeat SPN India president Rohit Gupta tells Indiantelevision.com, “We have mostly sold out our entire inventory. All the big spots are locked and we are in the last stages of talks with a few advertisers. We will be in a position to announce them in a day or two.”

    E-commerce giant Amazon, which upped itself as the presenting sponsor of the tourney last year, will continue to be a presenting sponsor this year too along with telco Vodafone and a new entrant in the category Oppo.

    “We increased the number of presenting sponsors from two to three this year because of the huge demand. Mobile phone manufacturers Oppo has come on board this time as a presenting sponsor and it’s great that new associations are continuing. It shows the growing interest level in the tournament,” says Gupta.

    Other sponsors that have been roped in include Freecharge, Coca Cola, Ceat Tyres, Tata Sky, Vimal Pan Masala and Raymond Suitings. 

    “Freecharge is a new inclusion this year. We also have a few advertisers who went off for a brief period but have returned this year again, which is an encouraging sign. Coke has also come on board for the first time and hence we continue to have a cola brand associated with the tourney. We are in final stages of talks with a two wheeler and a four wheeler brand and it’s likely that they will be on board too. This will mark the presence of an automobile brand too,” reveals Gupta.

    For the uninitiated, Pepsi was the title sponsor for the IPL for xx seasons but severed its association last year and hence 2016 will be the first time that rival beverage brand Coca Cola has decided to come on board.

    When queried about the revenue that SPN India is eyeing from the IPL this year, Gupta refrained from commenting on the financials. However, a source close to the development said that the network has hiked its ad rates by 15 to 20 per cent and is hopeful of raking in around Rs 1200 crore in ad revenue.

    The source says, “For a 10 second ad slot, the network is charging between Rs 5.5 lakh to Rs 6 lakh, which is 15 to 20 per cent more than what they were charging last year.”

    IPL will be telecast in four different language this year. Besides Hindi and English, there will be a Tamil and Telugu feed as well to cater to the southern audience. However, the network is not monetising the regional feed separately. “We don’t monetise regional feeds separately. We will go ahead the way did last year,” asserts Gupta.

    A senior sports media planning expert on condition of anonymity says, “Rs 1200 crore this year means a 20 per cent jump from what they raked in last year, which is realistic as well as encouraging for the broadcaster. IPL has two new teams this year, therefore the sport will have a fresh and unwatched element in it. I think that has worked in favor of the broadcaster. Skepticism that were developing after the ban on Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals are now all dealt with. Placed right at the beginning of a financial year, IPL has established itself to be a great avenue to garner eyeballs and it manages to sustain its trends too, which is great.”

    SPN has the broadcasting rights of IPL till 2017. The network acquired the rights for 10 years for a massive $1 billion, (Rs 6600 crore). Experts predict that the new acquisition cost, when the rights come under the hammer again, will be at least double of what it fetched last time round.

     

  • Sony Pictures Networks India eyes Rs 1200 crore revenue from IPL; 80% inventory sold

    Sony Pictures Networks India eyes Rs 1200 crore revenue from IPL; 80% inventory sold

    MUMBAI: The latest instalment of cricket’s flagship franchise – the Indian Premier League (IPL) is almost here and the official broadcaster Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India is going all guns blazing when it comes to getting advertisers on board.

    With almost 80 per cent of the ad inventory sold, the broadcaster is eyeing revenue of Rs 1200 crore from this season of the IPL.

    An upbeat SPN India president Rohit Gupta tells Indiantelevision.com, “We have mostly sold out our entire inventory. All the big spots are locked and we are in the last stages of talks with a few advertisers. We will be in a position to announce them in a day or two.”

    E-commerce giant Amazon, which upped itself as the presenting sponsor of the tourney last year, will continue to be a presenting sponsor this year too along with telco Vodafone and a new entrant in the category Oppo.

    “We increased the number of presenting sponsors from two to three this year because of the huge demand. Mobile phone manufacturers Oppo has come on board this time as a presenting sponsor and it’s great that new associations are continuing. It shows the growing interest level in the tournament,” says Gupta.

    Other sponsors that have been roped in include Freecharge, Coca Cola, Ceat Tyres, Tata Sky, Vimal Pan Masala and Raymond Suitings. 

    “Freecharge is a new inclusion this year. We also have a few advertisers who went off for a brief period but have returned this year again, which is an encouraging sign. Coke has also come on board for the first time and hence we continue to have a cola brand associated with the tourney. We are in final stages of talks with a two wheeler and a four wheeler brand and it’s likely that they will be on board too. This will mark the presence of an automobile brand too,” reveals Gupta.

    For the uninitiated, Pepsi was the title sponsor for the IPL for xx seasons but severed its association last year and hence 2016 will be the first time that rival beverage brand Coca Cola has decided to come on board.

    When queried about the revenue that SPN India is eyeing from the IPL this year, Gupta refrained from commenting on the financials. However, a source close to the development said that the network has hiked its ad rates by 15 to 20 per cent and is hopeful of raking in around Rs 1200 crore in ad revenue.

    The source says, “For a 10 second ad slot, the network is charging between Rs 5.5 lakh to Rs 6 lakh, which is 15 to 20 per cent more than what they were charging last year.”

    IPL will be telecast in four different language this year. Besides Hindi and English, there will be a Tamil and Telugu feed as well to cater to the southern audience. However, the network is not monetising the regional feed separately. “We don’t monetise regional feeds separately. We will go ahead the way did last year,” asserts Gupta.

    A senior sports media planning expert on condition of anonymity says, “Rs 1200 crore this year means a 20 per cent jump from what they raked in last year, which is realistic as well as encouraging for the broadcaster. IPL has two new teams this year, therefore the sport will have a fresh and unwatched element in it. I think that has worked in favor of the broadcaster. Skepticism that were developing after the ban on Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals are now all dealt with. Placed right at the beginning of a financial year, IPL has established itself to be a great avenue to garner eyeballs and it manages to sustain its trends too, which is great.”

    SPN has the broadcasting rights of IPL till 2017. The network acquired the rights for 10 years for a massive $1 billion, (Rs 6600 crore). Experts predict that the new acquisition cost, when the rights come under the hammer again, will be at least double of what it fetched last time round.

     

  • TRAI chief R S Sharma defends differential pricing regulation

    TRAI chief R S Sharma defends differential pricing regulation

    NEW DELHI: While defending the decision on differential pricing for data services from telecom companies, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) chairman R S Sharma categorically stated that with the digital landscape changing constantly, the policy would be reviewed every two years.

    Speaking at the 10th India Digital Summit on the theme ‘Stand Up Start Up’ organised by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), Sharma stressed the necessity of augmenting telecom and digital infrastructure to meet the growing demand of a truly digital India.

    On connectivity, he said drive tests are done regularly by TRAI. “Telecom companies have started raising objections pertaining to consulting on the methods TRAI is using. We have started that process also. So this time when we did the test, we have also taken their suggestions into account,” he said.

    “Whatever drive tests we have done, have been very objective. This was done in a transparent manner and if there are any more suggestions for transparency, we are certainly ready to look at it. But by simply saying that what you have done is not really correct is not the right approach,” Sharma voiced.

    Adding that the next test drive is likely to be in April, Sharma said that connectivity was bound to improve with release of more spectrum.

    “Seamless connectivity is the essence of true digitisation. With Digital Locker; e-Sign and Aadhar, India is the only country in the world to have such advanced technology. India is also the only country to have the technicality of checking identity of a person digitally through Aadhar,” he said.

    Earlier, IAMAI chairman Kunal Shah, who is the founder & CEO of FreeCharge, said in his inaugural address that continuous innovation is the key for staying relevant and that the young start-ups should focus on reinventing rather than focusing on raising funds.

  • TRAI chief R S Sharma defends differential pricing regulation

    TRAI chief R S Sharma defends differential pricing regulation

    NEW DELHI: While defending the decision on differential pricing for data services from telecom companies, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) chairman R S Sharma categorically stated that with the digital landscape changing constantly, the policy would be reviewed every two years.

    Speaking at the 10th India Digital Summit on the theme ‘Stand Up Start Up’ organised by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), Sharma stressed the necessity of augmenting telecom and digital infrastructure to meet the growing demand of a truly digital India.

    On connectivity, he said drive tests are done regularly by TRAI. “Telecom companies have started raising objections pertaining to consulting on the methods TRAI is using. We have started that process also. So this time when we did the test, we have also taken their suggestions into account,” he said.

    “Whatever drive tests we have done, have been very objective. This was done in a transparent manner and if there are any more suggestions for transparency, we are certainly ready to look at it. But by simply saying that what you have done is not really correct is not the right approach,” Sharma voiced.

    Adding that the next test drive is likely to be in April, Sharma said that connectivity was bound to improve with release of more spectrum.

    “Seamless connectivity is the essence of true digitisation. With Digital Locker; e-Sign and Aadhar, India is the only country in the world to have such advanced technology. India is also the only country to have the technicality of checking identity of a person digitally through Aadhar,” he said.

    Earlier, IAMAI chairman Kunal Shah, who is the founder & CEO of FreeCharge, said in his inaugural address that continuous innovation is the key for staying relevant and that the young start-ups should focus on reinventing rather than focusing on raising funds.

  • IAMAI names FreeCharge’s Kunal Shah as new chairman

    IAMAI names FreeCharge’s Kunal Shah as new chairman

    MUMBAI: The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has named FreeCharge co-founder and CEO Kunal Shah as its new chairman.

     

    The move was necessitated following Nishant Rao’s move to join Freshdesk as global chief operating officer, from LinkedIn.

     

    The Association has also named CCAvenue CEO Vishwas Patel as the new treasurer. Saavn Vinodh Bhat co-founder, president & chief strategy officer remains the vice-chairman of the association. 

     

    Shah co-founded FreeCharge in August 2010 with the aim to build a business that turned recharges into rewarding experiences for its consumers. In April 2015, FreeCharge was acquired by Snapdeal. Post acquisition, FreeCharge continues to be an independent entity under Shah’s leadership.

  • FreeCharge takes to role reversal in new ad campaign

    FreeCharge takes to role reversal in new ad campaign

    MUMBAI: Indian digital payments platform FreeCharge has launched its new brand campaign called ‘#ReverseTheCharge, which reinforces the brand’s connect with youth.

    The new campaign explores the youth-parent relationship with a twist by adding a flavour of role reversal. The pan India TVC campaign will cover 30+ channels on national television spanning major Hindi GECs and English channels. The campaign will leverage both offline and online platforms to reach out to the target audience.
     

    Created by Lowe Lintas, the campaign resonates with the youth of today who are more tech-savvy and know how to best use online platforms.

    Talking about the new TVC, FreeCharg marketing head Ashish Virmani said, “FreeCharge as a brand understands youth and their needs deeply. With FreeCharge, they just don’t recharge but in a way FreeCharge helps them solve their problems smartly. With this campaign, the youth has evolved to the point where they can charge their parents for being spendthrift. This campaign will be an integrated marketing plan leveraging TV, digital and radio primarily and aims to build the already strong appeal for the brand.”

    The #ReverseTheCharge campaign is targeted at the urban youth living in metros. The TVC is in Hindi and translated in other regional languages such as Tamil, Telugu and Kannada to strengthen brand awareness and penetrate deeper into the Indian market to attract new users on board.

    Talking about the campaign Lowe Lintas CCO Arun Iyer said, “For the launch phase of the campaign, we had established Freecharge as a brand that frees young people of various money-related charges placed on them by their parents. In this phase, we thought we’d flip the dynamics of this relationship. The young Freecharge user is a step ahead of the game and knows how to save so well, that in addition to freeing themselves of all charges of being spendthrift, they can now in fact, go ahead and place the same charge on their parents.”

  • Snapdeal names Harish Sivaramakrishnan as VP – design

    Snapdeal names Harish Sivaramakrishnan as VP – design

    MUMBAI: Snapdeal has appointed Harish Sivaramakrishnan as vice president-design. In his new role, Sivaramakrishnan will spearhead the design teams across the company’s portfolio of products and build a design studio across the Delhi and Bangalore offices.

     

    This is an expansion of his current role at Freecharge, where he is currently heading the UX, Design and the front end engineering teams. Sivaramakrishnan will now play a key role in product design as Snapdeal turns its focus to building a technology platform with intuitive web and mobile interface.

     

    Prior to Snapdeal, Sivaramakrishnan was with FreeCharge where he joined as head of design & UI engineering in 2013. Previously, he has also worked at Myntra as user experience architect. 

     

    Prior to joining Myntra, he spent a decade in Adobe in Bangalore and San Francisco working on a diverse set of products in engineering, product and design capacities.

     

    Sivaramakrishnan said, “Snapdeal’s growth in the technology space has been unprecedented and it gives me great pleasure to be a part of this young and energetic team. Over the years I have been extremely passionate about building great consumer experiences in the Indian e-commerce space. I was fortunate to have gotten the opportunity to bootstrap the FreeCharge Design team and now look forward to building a uniform design sensibility across Snapdeal’s entire digital commerce ecosystem.”

     

    Snapdeal chief product officer Anand Chandrasekaran added, “Great design is as much form as it is function. At Snapdeal, we strive to deliver the best buyer and seller experiences and are thrilled to make design an integral part of our approach to product development. In India design is yet to get its due recognition. We are extremely excited to have Harish onboard and wish him a great journey ahead with the Snapdeal family. Our consumers and sellers will be the beneficiaries of our endless debates as we endeavor to get to pixel perfection.”

  • FreeCharge appoints Sudeep Tandon as chief business officer

    FreeCharge appoints Sudeep Tandon as chief business officer

    MUMBAI: Online platform FreeCharge has roped in Sudeep Tandon as its chief business officer to further strengthen its senior leadership team. 

     

    Based out of Mumbai, Tandon will closely work with FreeCharge CEO and co-founder Kunal Shah. 

     

    Tandon’s appointment will enhance the corporate strategy and strategic alliances of the company.

     

    Shah said, “FreeCharge is at an exciting stage post acquisition by Snapdeal and we are expanding management bandwidth to reach to next level. Tandon was key advisor during early days of FreeCharge and has deep understanding about the brand’s vision. His process-orientated approach and continuous push for innovation will strengthen our execution. I believe Tandon’s capabilities will help us leap ahead and bolster our vision.”

     

    Tandon comes with over eight years of experience in telecom, technology strategy, product and business development. He has been associated with brands like Samsung, Cisco and Cartesian in the past. 

     

    Prior to FreeCharge, Tandon was an engagement manager at Cartesian, a telecom, media and technology (TMT) focused strategy consulting firm. At Cartesian, Tandon led several client engagements with a particular focus on solving strategic challenges for mobile network operators globally. 

     

    Tandon added, “I am excited to re-join FreeCharge as it is an enthusiastic workplace always experimenting with futuristic ideas and dipping hands into verity of variants like electricity and gas payments. I look forward to play an active role in this endeavour and innovate more and more.”

  • Innovative customer initiative from DEN Snapdeal TV-Shop and FreeCharge

    Innovative customer initiative from DEN Snapdeal TV-Shop and FreeCharge

    MUMBAI: DEN Snapdeal TV-Shop (DSTS) has introduced an innovative deal in association with the FreeCharge, the online recharge platform, to help customers deal with the pain and hassle of missing accessories in their shipment. To compensate customers for a missing part or accessory, or short shipment, the company is offering mobile money as compensation.

     

    Explaining the initiative, Maneesh Goel, the company’s CEO said: “Our experience has shown that customers are anxious about query resolution time in cases where they received a shipment with a missing part or accessory. To considerably reduce the complaint resolution time we now offer mobile money in lieu of the cost of the missing part. It offers our customers a seamless shopping experience and saves them both time as well as money.”

     

    So, for instance, if you have ordered a mobile phone and the shipment was received with the charger missing, DEN-Snapdeal TV Shop will credit into your mobile phone account the precise amount the charger is worth.

     

    This initiative from DEN Snapdeal TV-Shop comes from its collaboration with FreeCharge and is a boon for customers who are not Internet savvy and do not have an email ID. It makes it easier for these customers to have their phones recharged through the call centre. It reduces query resolution time drastically and enhances customer experience.

     

    FreeCharge is India’s leading online recharge platform for prepaid mobile, data cards, DTH and postpaid mobile bill payment. Snapdeal acquired FreeCharge earlier this year in one of the largest deals in the consumer Internet space in India.