MAM
Cellebrum.com partners with three cellcos to offer users customised background music
MUMBAI: Music is one of the few features, which is being pushed aggressively by various mobile operators. Himachal Pradesh based integrated telecom VAS solution provider Cellebrum.com Pvt. Ltd has launched a customised background music (BGM) solution as its latest offering, allowing users to play music in the background during a call.
Cellebrum.com has tied up with leading operators like IDEA Cellular, Spice Telecom and Reliance Telecom at the national level and is offering BGM to its existing subscribers.
The VAS solution provider is also running a pilot programme for Airtel for its landline services in the Madhya Pradesh Circle.
It is upbeat about its BGM, which is played by the operator in the background of a call. The background music is a value addition to mobile peer to peer calling wherein a subscriber is allowed to create his own ambience during a call by playing music in the background.
This customized solution in which, a call, when answered, is accompanied by music in the background. The caller can choose his music from a variety of sounds provided.
This solution is different from CRBT solution, where music is played
before the call is connected. In BGM, music is played after the call is connected. Technically, it is a conference service, which involves the calling party, called party and the music playing entity, which is also, part of the conference. This entity is responsible for playing back music
during the conversation.
BGM has the ability to boost the ARPUs of cellular operators due to the low cost at which it is being offered. However, this cost varies from operator to operator. There are three kind of charges — the activation charge, the chosen background song and the per minute cost of the song.
Today, over 170,000 mobile subscribers across the network of IDEA Cellular and Spice Telecom have tried using the BGM service.
In order to use the service, the user needs to dial a prefix (say 234) before the phone number, for the call to be connected with the Music M-vironment (BGM). Without the prefix, the call will be connected as a normal phone call. Users can always change background sound at will by dialling provided IVRS (Interactive Voice Response Services) Interface.
It is important to note that the caller has to be within the coverage area of the home network. It is an IVR based service which will not be accessible outside home network.
Brands
Himanshu Khanna joins CKA Birla Group as group chief marketing officer: report
Former Raymond lifestyle CMO to lead group-wide brand and marketing strategy
MUMBAI: According to a media report citing industry sources, senior marketing leader Himanshu Khanna has joined CKA Birla Group as group chief marketing officer.
Khanna moves from Raymond Limited, where he served as chief marketing officer for the lifestyle division since August 2021, overseeing the marketing transformation of the company’s nearly $1 billion lifestyle business. His tenure featured a sharper consumer focus, a digital-first operating model and large-scale retail and brand modernisation.
At Raymond, Khanna led brand strategy and growth across a broad portfolio including Raymond suiting and shirting, Park Avenue, ColorPlus, Parx, Ethnix by Raymond, ready-to-wear, Raymond Home and Raymond made-to-measure. His remit also covered retail marketing, digital marketing, consumer insights, visual merchandising and brand protection.
Before joining Raymond, Khanna was business head for the FMCG division at RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, with full P&L responsibility. During this period, he scaled the snack brand Too Yumm!, drove rapid revenue growth, led the integration of Apricot Foods following its acquisition and executed a business turnaround.
Khanna’s career spans over three decades across global consumer companies, with senior leadership roles at Beam Suntory, Wrigley, PepsiCo, Cadbury and Nestlé.
Widely regarded as a seasoned marketing operator, Khanna is a familiar presence at leading industry forums and is considered among the most in-demand marketing leaders in the country.
