Google Launches SMS Text Messaging Service in India

[navjotjsingh]

Google has launched their SMS text message service in India (already availabe for US and other customers at sms.google.com) for mobile phone users who wish to find out information from Google about business listings, movie showtimes and other local or web information via sending queries to the number 54664 from their phones (online demo available at www.google.co.in/sms).


This way, mobile phone users who do not have web browser or Internet access via their phones can still ping Google for information via SMS. If it takes off in India, this should be a huge service for other Google friendly developing countries like Brazil and China, which have a strong wireless infrastructure and where text messaging is a common part of lifestyle.


“The latest offering is part of our mobile strategy in the sub-continent, where text messaging has become a part of daily life. With mobile service providers adding over a million subscribers a month, we intend to offer them a quick and easy way to get the information from anywhere and anytime,” Google India products head Vinay Goel said.



Source: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/g...in-india/5799/



Operator Charges:
Google SMS is a premium SMS service; queries sent to 54664 will be charged at the following rates:
Aircel: Rs. 3.00
Airtel: Rs. 2.00
BPL: Rs. 3.00
BSNL: Rs. 0.80/1.00 (post-paid/pre-paid)
Reliance: Rs. 3.00
Note: Incoming messages from Google are not charged.



What the heck? No Vodafone/Hutch?? Maybe due to the fact Hutch Tied up with MSN Live Search.

[utsav]

no tata too?

[din]

May be good for people not having gprs / cdma internet in phone.

[navjotjsingh]

Well only thing is we can try SMSing them and check ourselves whether other operators are supported or not.

Which mobile service providers does Google SMS support?

Google SMS is currently available on the following mobile service providers in India: Aircel, Airtel, BPL, BSNL, and Reliance. We are working to expand our coverage to other service providers - stay tuned for updates.

Taken from http://www.google.com/support/mobile...407&topic=9126

So probably no MTNL/Vodafone/Tata/Spice and others for time being.

[apoorva84]

bsnl is the cheapest...good....

[dr_jimit]

Do they have started free web to mobile SMS sending ? As it was available in US?

[anand1]

Good work. This shows the Google expanding arms gradually bringing all human community closer.

[Gigacore]

cool feature