MTNL Introduces Friend Finder Service for GSM Subscribers
Always wondering where your nearest and dearest is? Eager to locate a friend (in a way that doesn’t violate their privacy)? Yes! With Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) Mumbai’s exciting new Value Added Service Dubbed as Friend Finder, your ‘liked’ or loved one is always just an SMS away!
MTNL today announced the launch of new VAS ‘Friend Finder’ a user-friendly service for its GSM mobile services subscribers (Dolphin/Trump) in Mumbai that can immediately locate their family member or buddy. The Friend Finder operates using, not a long-lens telescope or a private eye, but simply your mobile phone! With just a simple typed-in SMS command, you’ll be given the approximate location of the person you’re looking for.
What’s more, MTNL’s Friend Finder is a 100% permission-based service – a safeguard which prevents its misuse. Users require the explicit permission of people they’d like to regularly track before being able to enjoy the service. They, in turn, can grant or deny permission to others who wish to locate them.
Tariff and How to Use-:
To use this service, first a user has to subscribe to this service by sending SMS to 52323. Friend Finder is available in weekly pack (Rs.7/-) and monthly pack (Rs.25/-). Once subscribed the customer can add friends and find their location by sending simple SMSes to 52323 as given in table below.
| SMS Key Word | Description |
| SUBW / SUBM | For activation of weekly or monthly subscription, respectively. |
| UNSUB | To unsubscribe from the service. |
| HELP | To get usage information for the service. |
| ADD / DEL | To add or delete a friend from your friend-list. |
| FIND | To get the location of a friend. |
| LIST | To get a list of various friends in the friend-list. |
| NICK | To assign a nick-name to a friend (for easy reference). |
Tariff In Details-:
There are no additional charges for adding, deleting, finding etc. apart from the weekly/monthly subscription charges. The customer can have as many friends and use as much as he/she can.
| Tariff Type | Tariff Amount |
| Weekly Subscription | Rs.7/- |
| Monthly Subscription | Rs. 25/- |
| SMS to 52323 | FREE (Unlimited) |
For More Information just call 1503 / 9869012345 (toll free)
There are many chances of mis-utilizing this facility. This may also cause break up between friends. Not accepting / permitting the request may also lead to mis-understandings.
On the whole, this is nothing but interfering into the privacy of someone.
Very TRUE and is much cheaper than going for a private detective…
The idea of Friend-Finder is very nice. You can stay updated about the location
of your friends and family. Even the tariffs are not high. The service is easy to use.
totally agree with max…it is indeed useful for someone new to the city and wants to locate people in the new environs. also is useful when going around in groups….to keep in touch lest someone is lost….