Dial Reliance soon, for lotteries

If Reliance Infocomm has its way, you could soon be playing a lottery on your mobile phone.

As a precursor to offering the service through its Reliance IndiaMobile network, Reliance Infocomm has started offering wireless data connectivity to online lottery companies across the country.

The company has provided connectivity to 250 static terminals belonging to Sugal & Damani, one of India's oldest lottery companies.

"Since we associate wireless with mobility, the terminal can be made mobile by putting it on a mobile phone. We are exploring the option, and a few customers are asking us to include this as part of our mobile phone services," a Reliance Infocomm executive said.

The offline lottery business in India is estimated to be over Rs 50,000 crore (Rs 500 billion) annually.

"With our connectivity, we will be offering extensive reach across the country, and rapid deployment of the terminals at a better price," he added.

Sugal & Damani is planning to install more than 1,500 terminals, to be called Compllot, across India by March 2004.

By March 2005, the number will be scaled up to 5,000. At present, the company markets the Punjab, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram state lotteries.

It has been assisting the state governments of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Manipur in designing, organising and implementing lottery schemes.

Online lotteries have not taken off in India because they do not tap the masses.

But Reliance's wireless data connectivity will enable people in smaller towns, too, to access lottery schemes. Therefore, Reliance executives argue that online lotteries can garner a substantial chunk of the offline lottery business.

"Unlike the other forms of online lottery, which use very small aperture satellites, C-Band radio, general packet radio switching and dial-up connections, we will be using wireless data technology, which will be more efficient," the executive added.

Reliance's mobile services are available in around 200 cities, and will soon be extended to 693 towns and cities across the country.