RCom sets up platform to counter Trai's DNC rule

Reliance Communications, the CDMA service provider, is taking the mobile advertising route to tide over the do-not-call (DNC) regime that seeks to put an end to unsolicited telemarketing calls.

The company, looking for its pound of flesh from the Rs 1,000 crore telemarketing industry, has also set up a mobi-marketing unit and initiated talks with leading financial service companies in the country.

According to sources, RCom has set up a platform that enables "cold calls" to users, without intrusion. The suite generates a lead through mobile advertising that could be followed up by companies.

The Anil Ambani group company is putting up banner advertisements on its data suite of applications "� Reliance Mobile World "� accessible over the company's handsets. When a user clicks on the advertisements, a lead is generated which is passed on to the advertiser for a follow-up.

The suite would register the number of the user and time spent on the particular advertisement, before gauging his interest and sending the data to the advertiser.

The product was tested for ING Vysya Bank, and sources said it had generated over 40,000 qualified leads in 10 days.

The move comes after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had pulled the plug on telemarketing calls. The regulator had sought setting up of a National Do Not Call (NDNC) registry, which would check unsolicited calls after 45 days of registration. Apart from calls, unsolicited SMSes and mailers to sell products and services were also banned by the Trai.

When contacted a Reliance Communications spokesperson declined to comment, but added: "Our company has a pan-India telecom infrastructure and a state-of-the-art mobile platform that enable us to offer various innovative products and services."

The company is also believed to be in talks with retail banks, mutual funds, credit card and general and life insurance companies to rope them in as clients.