Karnataka - Bangalore   

Internet radio through cellphone

Rasheed Kappan

Mobile service providers are providing a range of offers

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Radio ga ga: Internet radio through cellphone is likely to be the next big thing in the market.

Bangalore: Internet radio, the next big thing after analogue and digital radio, has finally arrived in Bangalore the mobile way. Access radio stations from across the world right from your net-connected smart phone.

Combining the world wide web and the good old radio, mobile service providers are ready to explode on to the city’s multimedia scene with a bevy of offers.

Leading the pack is an offer from Tata Indicom that promises seamless internet radio for 15 days at a subscription charge of Rs. 25.

The service is provided though an application called “Brew” that connects to a bouquet of 41 international and local radio stations. Users of this service could also download music and ringtones from the internet.

Internet radio through cell phone is still in its nascent stage in Bangalore. The Indicom offer can currently be accessed on only three models, the Motorazr V3C, Samsung Wideo and Motorola World Phone. But the scene could change dramatically with more players waiting in line. If FM Radio is the rage today with over 12 stations in Bangalore, internet radio transcends geographical boundaries.

Internet radio can carry an unlimited number of stations, and live streams. Users can also access streams of recordings they missed. For instance, BBC’s Listen Again service is available on all its radio station websites provides recordings of most programmes for one week after they were aired.

With internet radio, you can listen to music even if you head out of Bangalore’s FM radio limits. The structure of internet allows every radio station to operate worldwide at no extra cost.

The ultimate beneficiary is the user, who with an internet-enabled mobile handset can listen to a huge variety of channels. The Indicom offer, for instance, offers stations such as Bloomberg, BBC, CNN, Fox Radio, ESPN Radio and Seattle WM.

Under current broadcast rules, private FM radio stations are not allowed to broadcast news and other analysis. Internet radio has no such restrictions. “By listening to internet radio stations on a net-enabled phone, either through Wi-Fi when near a hotspot or through the mobile phone network while outside a hotspot, you can get internet radio almost anywhere that you’re likely to want it. Users will be able to enjoy Indian and international music and listen to news, anytime, anywhere,” explains Manzoor Ameen, COO, Karnataka Circle, Tata Teleservices Ltd.

Here are some critical factors that are bound to boost internet radio’s use and popularity in the near future: Internet Radio offers a lot more choice and flexibility, and constantly improving sound quality; the cost of internet connectivity for cell phones is falling; and smart phones are getting smarter with faster internet connections and processing power.

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