HOLLA TO HAVE INDIA-SPECIFIC FEATURES

MOBILE APPLICATION MAKER NIMBUZZ PLAN TO OFFER INDIA-SPECIFIC FEATURES ON ITS FREE CALLER IDENTIFICATION APP HOLLA,WHICH IT SAYS HAS CROSSED ONE MONTHS AGO,AS IT SEEKS TO DIFFERENTIATE THE PRODUCT FROM ITS BIGGER RIVAL TRUECALLER IN ITS LARGEST MARKET.

            HOLLA, WHICH EMULATES TRUECALLER IN HELPING, BLOCK SPAM CALLS FROM PESKY SPAMMERS OR OTHER UNWANTED CALLERS,ALLOWS USERS TO SEE DETAILS, INCLUDING THE CALLER’S NAME,PHOTO AND LOCATION DURING AND INCOMING CALL LIVE.

          “WE WILL ADD ANEW FEATURE SOON WHERE YOU CAN PRESS A PANIC BUTTON ON THE APP, WHICH ALERTS THE CENTRAL MONITORINGS SYSTEM OF OF THE DELHI POLICE ABOUT  A NUMBER THAT IS STALKING YOU” SAID NUMBUZZS CEO VIKAS SAXENA ADDING HOLLA WILL BE A BIG DRAW FOR CONSUMERS IN THE INDIAN MARKET WHERE SPAM CALLING IS RAMPANT.

            THE COMPANY IS SIMULTANEOUSLY WORKING WITH SOME TELECOM OPERATORS IN JAKARTA,WHERE SPAM CALLERS WILL BE CHARGED HIGHER THAN NORMAL CALL CHARGES,TOUGHENING THEIR BUSINESS CASE.

            INDIA’S TELECOM REGULATOR HAS IMPOSED TOUGH RULES ON SPAM CALLERS AND SPAM MESSAGES,WITH PENALTIES VARYING FROM HIGH CHARGES TO BLACKLISTING FOR TWO YEARS.MOBILE PHONE USERS CAN ALSO CHOOSE WHETHER THEY WANTS SOLICITED CALLS OR MASSAGES,AND SPECIFIC KIND OF SUCH CALLS CONTINUE,LEADING TO INCREASED USE OF SPAM BLOCKING APPS.

TRUE CALLERS HAS MORE THAN 100 MILLION DOWNLOADS,WITH INDIA BEING ITS BIGGEST MARKET. THE SWEDISH START-UP GOT $60 MILLION IN FUNDING FROM KLEINER PERKINS CAUFIELD &BYERS AND SEQUOIA CAPITAL LAST YEARS-VALUING THE COMPANY AT $250 MILLION –AS PER FINANCIAL TIMES,ENHANCING INTEREST AMONG INVESTORS IN THIS CATEGORY OF SERVICES OR APPS.

            IN COMPARISON, HOLLA IS MUCH SMALLER AND IS YET TO RAISE INVESTMENT ON ITS OWN BUT,NIMBUZZ’S SAXENA SAID THAT IDENTIFYING PHONE CALLS AND BLOCKING SPAM CALLS WILL BECOME MAINSTREAM SOON AS LARGER COMPANIES LIKE FACEBOOK ARE PLANNING TO GET INTO THE RING AND EARLY STARTER TRUECALLER HAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED A MARKET.

            FACEBOOK RECENTLY TESTED AN ANDROID CALLER ID APP CALLED’PHONE’,ACCORDING TO SEVERAL MEDIA REPORTS,AND COULD BE READYING TO LAUNCH THE SERVICE SOON.HOWEVER, FACEBOOK HAS NOT TALKED ABOUT THE APP OFFICIALLY YET

            GURGAON-BASED NIMBUZZ,WHICH WAS RECENTLY ACQUIRED BY UK- BASED NEW CALL TELECOM PENDING APPROVAL FROM FOREIGN INVESTMENT PROMOTION BOARD (FIPB),BROUGHT FORMER EMPLOYEES FROM TOP PHONE MAKING COMPANIES,INCLUDING A SOFTWARE CONSULTANT WHO HAS WORKED WITH APPLE INC IN CUPERTINO, A SOFTWARE DEVELOPER AND A PRODUCT MANAGER FROM NOKIA AND ADVERTISING SERVICE MANAGER FROM BLACKBERRY, AT ALMOST THE SAME REMUNERATION LEVELS AS THAT IN SILICON VALLEY.”GIVEN THE PACE AT WHICH THE INDIAN START-UP SPACE IS MOVING, PROFESSIONALS CAN DO THE SAME KIND OF WORK HERE AS IN SILICON VALLEY”. SAXENA SAID.

            HOLLA DOES NOT REQUIRE INTERNET CONNECTION TO WORK, UNLIKE TRUECALLER, AND OFFERS ANALYSIS OF THE USER’S CALL PATTERNS AND TIME SPENT ON PHONE CALLS.

            THE APP IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE,IN ENGLISH,FRENCH,SPANISH,ARABIC,PERSIAN AND PORTUGUESE.NIMBUZZ’S CHAT AND FREE CALLING APP HAS MORE THAN 200 MILLION USERS GLOBALLY, OF WHICH OVER 30 MILLION ARE IN INDIA.  

'Make in India': FDI is also 'First Develop India' says PM Modi

Ease of doing business, focus on Public-Private partnerships, harnessing the potential of Democracy, Demography and Demand - that's what forms the key focus of PM Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' campaign.

Calling development of India a 'collective responsibility', PM Modi on Thursday said, "We must stress on two FDIs - First Develop India and Foreign Direct Investment." "For Indians FDI is a responsibility, it means to First Develop India, for global investors FDI is an opportunity in the form of Foreign Direct Investment," he explained.

Focusing on job creation through growth of the manufacturing sector, Modi said, "We need to enhance the purchasing power of Indians. We need to create jobs to move poor to middle class bracket." "Treat India as not just a market. See every Indian as an opportunity to increase their purchasing power," Modi emphasised.

"We have to change the economic dynamics; we have to improve manufacturing in a fashion that benefits the poor. This is a cycle, move poor people towards being a part of middle class," he added. "Manufacturing boost will create jobs, increase purchasing power, thereby creating a larger market for manufacturers," he explained.

Talking about the ease of doing business, Modi stressed on ensuring smoother state-centre relations. "Development of states is important. States and centre have to work together to attract investment." "Development of states is development of India," he added.

Laying out a red carpet to both global and domestic industrialists and investors, Modi said, "We want our companies to shine as MNCs. We are ready to stand as facilitators." "We can change the direction and fate of India," he sought to assure.

In the context of manufacturing and deficits Modi advocated the importance of exports. "We are aggressively going to work towards export promotion," he said.

Stating that Asia is the next growth story Modi said, "The world is looking to Asia for growth. I don't need to give an invitation; I just need to tell people the address of India."

Seeking to reassure investors of the government's intent to promote growth Modi said, "Development is an article of faith for the government. We are dedicated to growth." "I do not only talk about good governance. I talk about effective governance. Government working as a facilitator can produce results," he added.

Noting the important role that government has to play Modi said, "I want to take India higher on Ease-of-Doing-Business Index. We need to create an environment of growth, development in the country." "Incentives alone won't work; development and growth directed measures are important. Investors need security first, then growth and profit," he said.

"Government should intervene to instil confidence. Government is committed to growth; there is no political agenda but article of faith. Be assured you will not lose your money," Modi told investors. "Rule of law should be there, corporate government responsibility should be the norm," he said while talking about collective development responsibility.

Modi expressed confidence that the NDA government has reversed the trend of investors wanting to leave India. "In the last one year, many industrialists wanted to shift out of India. We don't want that industrialists should be forced to leave India. I can say with confidence that people don't think of leaving India now."

Trust formed the mantra of Modi's pitch to investors. "I agree that money doesn't come by merely inviting it. We should begin by trusting each other. Trust is the first step."

Citing the government's move to allow self-attestation of documents Modi said, "Self-certification may seem a small decision, but we have trusted the citizens of the country. Our motto is to trust citizens; this trust has the potential to change many things."

Modi also talked about the critical importance of robust infrastructure. "We have to move towards next generation infrastructure. We need not just highways, but I-ways too, that is Information-ways." "We have to move towards port-led development. Infrastructure is important to support manufacturing and industry."

Exhibiting confidence in India's talent pool, Modi said, "Nobody can question the talent of our people...especially after yesterday (after ISRO's successful MOM)." At the same time Modi pointed out that skill manned power should be made available based on requirement of the industry and area.

PM Modi concluded his 'Make in India' pitch by urging investors to focusing on developing India and ensuring that the manufacturing sector becomes a success story.