Company Press Release:

Spice ushers a Mobile Revolution with the launch of ‘Sabka Spice’ offer in Punjab

‘Sabka Spice’ Handset & Connection Combo offer comprises a unique Spice S300 handset and a Spice connection at Rs 599 only

New Delhi, June 10, 2008: Spice Telecom, Punjab’s premier telecom service provider today launched a first-of-its-kind in the world Handset Combo Offer with a unique handset & a Spice connection. Aptly called the ‘Sabka Spice’, the Handset Combo offer is available at Rs 599 only, and is designed to make mobile telephony accessible to the rural population. The ‘Sabka Spice’ Combo offer provides a unique Spice Handset, that is designed keeping in mind the needs of the rural populace. The handset comes with a 3 years warranty and a choice of Spice Prepaid & Postpaid Connection. The Sabka Spice offer is economically a very attractive offer; as the prepaid connection comes with one year validity and zero rental for one year along with a call rate of 50 paise. Similarly the postpaid connection comes with very attractive local, STD and roaming call rates.

With this introduction, Spice has taken another bold step forward in strengthening its position in the rural mobile market. Not only is the price point of the Sabka Spice Combo offer a first in India and designed to increase the mobile penetration in rural markets but even the technology is rural centric. The mobile handset comes equipped with a unique Voice Response Technology that even semi-literate people can understand.

Thus both the price point and the technology will make the phone highly useful for the rural population and increase the penetration of mobile services in rural areas.

Though the mobile penetration in Punjab is at a high of 45.67%, it is noteworthy that mobile adoption is mostly concentrated in the urban areas, whereas the majority of the population i.e. 66% is in rural areas. The Sabka Spice offer will increase the mobile penetration in the state, and take it beyond 50% as this is a mobile telephony solution that has been developed based on the needs of the rural market. Sabka Spice offer will ensure that the economic benefits of mobile telephony also percolate down to the rural areas, and help improve the economic situation of the rural population. The offer is expected to revolutionize the rural market in Punjab, where the monthly household income is over 30% higher than the national average.

At the ‘Sabka Spice’ launch, Mr. Subodh Srivastava, COO, Spice Telecom said, “Spice has always strived to offer to the consumers, world class mobile telephony solutions. Globally, the challenge has been to develop a solution that is cost effective and easy to use for the rural population. The Sabka Spice combo offer is our effort at inclusive development that gives the rural people an opportunity to go mobile with an offer that is affordable and customized to the needs of rural population.”

Mr. Mukul Khanna, Vice President, Spice Telecom added, “The Handset Combo offer is a novel way of enhancing our penetration in the rural sector. We are working towards bringing users from even the remotest regions into the ambit of development. We forget that the majority of our population is still in the semi-urban and rural areas and they have every right to stay connected too. The teledensity in rural Punjab is around 20% compared to 80% in the urban areas, hence we are sure that the Sabka Spice offer will create a mobile revolution as it is an offer that is unparalleled anywhere in the world.”

Sabka Spice Handset Combo Offer @ Rs 599

The Sabka Spice Combo Handset offer provides a unique Spice Handset and a choice of Prepaid & Postpaid Connection at a price of Rs 599 only.

A) Sabka Spice Prepaid Connection Offer

B) Sabka Spice Postpaid Connection Offer

Unique features of ‘Sabka Spice Handset offer’

The Sabka Spice handset offer comes with a stylish mobile phone ‘Spice S 300’ especially designed for the rural markets, and a Spice connection.

1) Long Battery Life: The phone battery is highly efficient considering the fact that it may not be possible for the rural consumer to recharge the phone everyday. The mobile phone has a stand by time of 250 to 300 Hrs & talk time of 3.5- 4 Hrs.

2) Intelligent Audio Interface System: A unique intelligent Audio interface system substitutes for LCD. Alerts on the mobile are called out through this mechanism. Thus, even people who can’t read can use the phone by following the audio alerts. For eg. it Speaks whenever you Dial a number, connect/disconnect the charger, and it speaks out the complete number when you receive an incoming call. The phone will be available in a choice of languages including: English, Hindi & Punjabi; thus even semi-literate rural consumers can use it with ease.

  1. Speakerphone: The speakerphone feature allows the phone to be operated in noisy environments thus making the phone useful for the rural consumers in their day today life.

  2. Universal Charger: The phone can be charged using any mobile phone charger.

  3. Light Weight: It just weighs 75 gms, thus making it easy to carry around.

  4. Speed Dial: The speed dial feature allows the users to store the often used numbers, which can then be dialed with the simple push of a button.

  5. Intelligent LEDs: The phone is equipped with two smart LEDs - Blue & Red to handle the following functions:

    1. Red LED

      1. Battery charging. On full charge color changes to Green

      2. Missed Call (represented by Blinking 5 times in a second)

    2. Blue LED: for network availability

The above features make the Sabka Spice Combo offer well suited to the needs of the rural population, as it meets their needs like never before; at a never-before-price of Rs 599 only, for a Spice Handset & a Spice Connection.

 

About Spice Telecom, Punjab
Spice Telecom, the brand name of Spice Communications Limited is presently operating Cellular Phone Services in the states of Punjab and Karnataka. Spice Telecom is promoted by Modi Wellvest Private Limited. Telekom Malaysia is a strategic investor in Spice Telecom. Spice is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. For more information on Spice Telecom, please visit, www.spiceindia.com