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No more free e-mails on mobiles for Bombayites

Baburajan K

E-mails on cellphones may no longer be a freebie from either of the Bombay operators - Hutchison Max or BPL Mobile. The two private mobile operators in the Bombay circle are contemplating charging the subscribers for e-mails.

BPL Mobile, which launched its e-mail services on mobile phones last year, currently offers free services. "After a certain level of acceptance, these services will be charged. We have achieved a number of 30,000 registered e-mail users in Bombay," said BPL Mobile chief operating officer BP Singh.

BPL would like to fix some tariff at a later stage based on the response from the users as it may not be the right the time to impose a tariff on e-mail users. The timing of the proposed revision in rates is being discussed, Singh added. Hutchison is also thinking on similar lines.

"We will have to charge some money on e-mails sent by our subscribers on the mobile at a later stage. However, no decision has yet been taken," said Sandeep Das, CEO of Hutchison Max Telecom. At present, Orange is charging an admission fee of Rs 99 per user for the service.

Hutchison Max, which recently unveiled e-mail services on mobile, has been getting good response from its existing customers. Though Das declined to comment on the present e-mail user-base, he said the company is looking at growing the numbers in line with the market conditions.

According to BPL's Singh, its total subscribers numbering about 270,000 in Bombay, are keen to use mobiles for sending e-mails. "Our state-of-the-art services have helped them avoid personal computers for sending e-mails. Subscribers can also get information like stock market quotes, etc," he added.

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