Virgin Mobile India today announced the commercial launch of its GSM Mobile services in Mumbai and Maharashtra telecom circles, post the successful launch in five southern circles and Orissa. As India’s only national youth focused brand, Virgin Mobile has entered the GSM market with the definite objective of helping youth leverage and use the power of their network of friends.
To this end, they have launched with a plethora of unique products and services designed to strengthen their brand promise to the youth of the country. The company’s pan-India service rollout will be completed by the end of this financial year.
For now, consumers across Maharashtra and Mumbai circle will be offered a differentiated tariff proposition of 20p/min for STD and local calls to any Virgin Mobile number without any pack. Virgin Mobile customers calling any other network will be charged at 40p/min for local and 50p/min for STD calls again without any packs.
As another initiative to inch closer to the youth and take the brand to the next level, Ranbir Kapoor and Genelia D’Souza have been appointed as the new brand ambassadors for Virgin Mobile in India.
At the time of launch, Virgin Mobile GSM services will be available in 105 towns through more than 29450 RCV and 25929 SUK outlets which will cater to 77% of the urban youth population across Mumbai and Maharashtra.
Announcing the launch of Virgin Mobile’s GSM services, M.A. Madhusudan, Chief Executive Officer, Virgin Mobile India said, “The launch of Virgin Mobile’s GSM services is yet another leap for the brand to target a wider reach in the mobility market. With the launch of our services, we intend to stir the GSM space with another ten firsts. As the only mobile service brand designed for youth, we aim to provide them the most innovative and differentiated offerings with the experience of a world class network. All our offerings encapsulate the benefits of ‘network for friends’ leveraging the fun quotient of Virgin Mobile brand on the mobile communication platform. This launch will help us further consolidate our position as the favourite mobile services brand for India’s youth. I am confident that the brand will garner 10% market share in the urban youth segment, through differentiated service to the consumers.”
Virgin Mobile with its foray into the GSM segment has announced ten industry ‘firsts’ for the youth of India, clearly looking forward to garner a significant market share. The ten industry ‘firsts’ include the innovative VAS offerings like ‘Friend circle’, vBelong’, ‘vGenie’, ‘WOW’ ‘vJingle’ and many more to follow with music, infotainment and social networking as the key areas of focus. Virgin Mobile will also be the first mobile service brand to offer its users a full bill guarantee on prepaid. In case the billing complaints of users are not addressed within 48 hours, bill shall be paid for by Virgin Mobile. Virgin Mobile consumers will also get to choose numbers that fit their attitude even in prepaid. Apart from this, Virgin Mobile’s another industry first - of offering all its prepaid customers an itemised bill without any extra cost which they can access on the Virgin Mobile website. A unique brand ambassador initiative in colleges called ‘vTurks’ has been rolled out with the aim to create Virgin Mobile champions to tap into specific communities.
Introductory SMS packs: At the time of the launch, company will offer two SMS packs priced at Rs. 33 and Rs.69. The special pack priced at Rs.33 is available nationally and comes with 2000 local and national SMSs free for 30 days. The friendliest pack priced at Rs.69 will offer 500 local and national SMS free daily. It comes with a validity of 30 days.
