Vodafone, Timbre Media re-introduce WorldSpace radio service in India

By Kul Bhushan | Updated on 20-Mar-2012

20-Mar-2012

Vodafone India has partnered with Timbre Media to provide WorldSpace Radio services on the mobile handsets across 18 circles in India. The new service includes access to thousands of songs via 10 radio channels. The WorldSpace Radio service on Vodafone will be available in circles namely Uttar Pradesh East & West, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Mumbai, Bihar, Kerala, rest of Bengal, Assam, North East, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Orissa, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Chennai.

Co-founder and head of Timbre Media, Seetal Iyer says that the new services do not compete with the local FM stations or their mobile services. Iyer further points out that WorldSpace Radio specialises in genre-based radio programming. The WorldSpace on Vodafone as 10 stations that provide music from different genres, ranging from old Hindi films to regional folk songs.

To activate this service, Vodafone customers can call 58000 (toll free) or SMS ACT Wradio to 111 (toll free) or USSD on *514*580#. Users will be charged a rental of Rs. 30 per month along with 300 minutes of free usage.

Vodafone also provides a top of Rs. 7 through which users can get additional 70 minutes of listening time, once free 300 minutes are over. The operator also plans to launch a separate service, which will be based on data streaming and priced at Rs. 5 per day.

Timbre Media, on the other hand, is looking to partner with other telecom operators as well and plans to bring out a dedicated mobile app for smartphone users. “Before we move to other mediums (like DTH), we need to perfect our service with mobile operators. But yes, mobile apps that can deliver premium music content are definitely on our list,” Seetal Iyer is quoted as saying.

It may be recalled that Timbre Media, Bangalore-based start-up, had acquired the licence to use the WorldSpace brand, a satellite radio network that went off air in December 2009. WorldSpace now faces stiff competition from the major FM players such as Radio Mirchi and Big FM, which are also targeting the mobile phones with their apps. According to an estimate, Radio Mirchi’s Mirchi mobile app as some 8-10 million subscribers.

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