One of the largest telecom operators in India – Idea Cellular Ltd. has entered into a partnership along with Quikr, India’s largest online mobile classifieds portal to offer sponsored mobile data through Sponsored Web Passes for over 137 million Indian Idea customers.
Earlier, idea had joined hands with Opera to offer web pass to Opera Mini users in India. The tripartite agreement aims to provide affordable internet packages to Idea subscribers, offering access to Internet and specific services, such as Facebook for a day or internet access for an hour at just Re. 1.
The keyword here is Web Pass. It is an alternative to monthly data plans for consumers who don’t desire to have a full-time access to Internet. In order to access the sponsored web access, the user just needs to open Opera Mini and click the ‘Idea Web Pass’ Speed Dial entry, and then select the ‘Free Internet’ by Quikr. The service grants 10 MB of sponsored internet access on the mobile phones for an entire day.
“Data is going to be the next big game changer in the Indian telecom industry. However, there are certain entry-level barriers that must be overcome for mass adoption. The web pass concept has helped us surpass the barrier of cost and convenience and has led to a spike in the number of data users on our network.” Said Sashi Shankar, chief marketing officer, Idea Cellular, during the announcement.
In an another statement recorded, Pranay Chulet, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Quikr.com said, “We are very excited to partner with Opera and Idea for this groundbreaking solution. Today, Indian consumers are increasingly using their mobile phones to reach out to all kinds of products and services. Given Opera Mini’s massive popularity in India, this is a great opportunity for us to connect with new consumers and create mindshare through this new platform of advertising, which directly benefits consumers, as well.”