Google Labs in India has launched Google SMS channel

Google Labs in India has launched Google SMS channelmessage footer, so group publishers get full 160
Google Labs in India have launched their latest mobilecharacter messages to post. But Prasad is not ruling
service named Google SMS channel. Google SMSout monetary opportunity from embedded
channel service is designed to enable users to sendadvertisements during the commercial launch. "Banner
free group SMS messages. Currently, in a pilot phase,advertisement and contextual marketing can be
Google is testing the product in India and intends toamong many ways to monetise this channel."
launch it to global audiences later. It supports English,At present, Google allows publishers to create
Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannadaindividual channels and publish content that other
languages. No commercial date for the launch hasusers can subscribe to after registering with valid
been announced.mobile numbers. Google expects non-governmental
The SMS channel was fully conceptualised by Googleorganisations (NGOs), corporates and schools among
India Labs. Prasad Ram, head (R&D), Googleothers to create groups over SMS for communication
India, says, "The SMS channel is in line with ourand regular updates.
endeavour to connect the 250-million mobileSubscribers to this service can currently join as many
subscribers who have no access to information."as 30 channels. He would however not receive more
The service currently does not use any form ofthan 10 SMS messages a day.
advertising in the messages but it might be addedMessage senders can deliver the message using a
after the commercial launch.web based interface and the subscribers can set the
Unlike other group SMS providers, Google's SMStime when they want to receive the messages.
channel does not add any advertisement on the