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2006 football World Cup will generate $6.35 billion in revenues for mobile companies: Study
MUMBAI: The 2006 football World Cup in Germany represents an opportunity to promote 3G.
However it will be established content, such as text-based services that will generate the most significant revenue. That is the opinion of a study World Cup 2006: Scoring with mobile content and services published by research company visiongain.
The study found that the one-month long tournament will generate $6.35 billion in revenue, with text-based services and downloads, such as ringtones and logos, the most significant.
After these services, the study found that gambling and gaming will be the next most profitable World Cup-related content. The industry will also look to generate revenue through interactive video messaging, video clips and even blogging services.
In India the event will air on ESPN Star Sports (ESS).
The report notes that the telecom industry has the potential to generate significant revenue from the 2006 World Cup. However, operators aiming to utilise the tournament’s popularity to push 3G at the expense of more traditional services will miss out. The key revenue generators will be tried and tested text services, ringtones and logos.
The dynamics of the market will also contribute to the strategy chosen. Nations that have qualified for the World Cup will have different strategies available due to the merchandising opportunities opened by having the national team on board. However, visiongain believes that there are still significantly higher than normal revenues to be generated in many nations that have not qualified.
Operators and vendors will push 3G technologies at the World Cup in an attempt to increase subscriber interest. They will also use it as an opportunity as a test-bed and showcase for new services, such as mobile broadcast TV.
The content of the World Cup lends itself well to highlights clips, which operators have been busy purchasing the rights for, as well as mobile gambling. In addition, the event presents a perfect opportunity for operators to promote ‘user communities’, which are in this case tied to a particular national team.
Video streaming will be pushed to promote 3G services, particularly in Europe where 3G operators are still looking to repay the vast sums spent on licences.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
