MAM
Hutch, Fastmobile bring ‘push2talk’ mobile service to India
MUMBAI: Reiterating its leadership in providing innovative services, Hutch has now launched ‘push2talk’ mobile service that combines a walkie-talkie experience with instant messaging, Short Messaging Service (SMS), Multi-media Messaging Service (MMS) and voice messaging.
The push2talk service was first introduced in the US last year, by Nextel Communications.
Hutch has partnered with international technology partner Fastmobile for the service and will be available to all Hutch and Orange users nationally.
Hutchison Essar director Asim Ghosh said, “Push2Talk further expands the utility of the mobile phone. It opens up a new channel of communication. Push2Talk benefits the value-conscious consumer as much as the enterprise user. It is unique since it uses existing infrastructure to deliver a unique, new user experience. “Over 150,000 Hutch and Orange users will be immediately able to use the service in India.
Fastmobile senior vice president Adam Sewall said, “Bringing fastchat to one of the world’s fastest growing mobile phone market represents a significant step for the company. We’re very pleased to achieve this milestone with our partner Hutchison Essar. Hutch is one of the leading brand names in India and also has the vision of expanded VAS to both its consumer and enterprise customers.”
Hutch has been running trials of this service over the last three months. The push2talk service will be available at a price of Rs 99 per month. Users will also be able to send unlimited push2talk messages.
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Uidai partners with Google to help users locate Aadhaar centres
Verified Aadhaar centres to appear on Maps with services and access info
MUMBAI: Finding an Aadhaar centre may soon be as easy as finding your favourite café. In a move aimed at making public services more accessible, the Unique Identification Authority of India has partnered with Google to display authorised Aadhaar centres on Google Maps. The feature, expected to roll out in the coming months, will allow residents to locate verified centres quickly and confidently.
More than 60,000 Aadhaar centres, including state of the art Aadhaar Seva Kendras, will be mapped. When users search on Google Maps, they will be directed to authorised facilities rather than unverified listings, helping curb misinformation and confusion.
The listings will do more than drop a pin. Users will be able to see the nature of services offered at each centre, whether it is adult enrolment, child enrolment, or limited to address and mobile number updates. Details such as operating hours, parking availability and divyang friendly infrastructure will also be shown wherever applicable.
Uidai CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar, said the collaboration is part of the authority’s continued effort to improve ease of living for Aadhaar holders by making authorised centres simpler and faster to navigate.
The partnership will deepen in its next phase, with Uidai using Google Business Profile to manage information and respond directly to public feedback. Looking ahead, the two organisations are also exploring the option of enabling appointment bookings through the Google Maps interface, potentially allowing residents to plan their visits with greater efficiency.
Google India country head, strategic partnerships Roli Agarwal, said integrating verified Aadhaar centres would help millions access trusted services with confidence, bringing essential government infrastructure closer to the people who need it most.
If all goes to plan, a routine Aadhaar update may soon begin not with a queue, but with a search bar.
