From as little as BD1, InfoME now offers even more ways to increase the fun of owning a mobile and ensure that, whether your interest is business, sport or leisure, you are always informed of the latest news.
InfoME keeps customers informed and entertained through its range of channels, which they can choose from to create their own personalised service. Options include breaking news, general news, weather and headlines from the worlds of business, sport and entertainment. Other services include jokes, horoscopes, famous quotations and dedicated channels giving topical tips for everyone. News and information are sent as SMS messages, which are received during the hours that customers decide. Users can also select whether to receive messages in Arabic or English.
Customers can share the fun with others by using InfoME's Web2SMS service. This lets them use a computer to send SMS messages across the Internet to GSM phones worldwide using the InfoME portal. Web2SMS is also available in Arabic and Engish.
To make their phones as individual as they themselves are, customers can download special ringtones from the InfoME website, choosing from a library of over 2,000 tunes, with 20 new ringtones being added each month. The website also offers over 5,000 graphics and images which can be downloaded to customers' mobiles or sent to others as picture messages.
Customers can also use their mobiles to obtain information from various WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) sites, such as Yahoo! and Bahrain Cinema Company, which are accessed via the InfoME WAP site.
Among the InfoME services that will be introduced in the future are flight and travel information, investment portfolio management, mobile games, mobile chat and email notification.
Customers can easily manage their spending, as InfoME's services are priced using a simple system of Points. Each time customers receive an SMS alert from one of their selected channels, or specifically request information such as the latest weather update, they are charged only one Point. Downloading a ringtone is worth 15-30 points, while a picture message is charged at 10 points.
There are three InfoME subscriber packages to choose from, enabling customers to find the combination of price and service that is right for them. The Basic package costs only BD1 and provides 60 points and 100 Web2SMS messages. The Silver package, costing BD3, offers 240 points and 300 Web2SMS messages. The Gold package, priced at BD5, provides 450 points and 500 Web2SMS messages. Packages expire after 60 days or when the allotted points are used up. Customers can renew automatically or do so manually through their mobile or the InfoME website, and can upgrade or downgrade between packages as they wish.
To sign up for the service, customers should simply visit www.infome.com.bh. Those without Internet access can instead dial 881188. While at this stage InfoME is only available to postpaid customers, Batelco intends to offer the service to SimSim prepaid customers in the future.
Receiving information from InfoME's channels requires an SMS-enabled phone, while accessing WAP sites requires a WAP-enabled phone. Both are already widely used in Bahrain.
Commenting on the improved service range, Manager Senior Product Development at Batelco Esam Zainal said, said: “In redesigning InfoME, we listened to our customers and looked at the best services on the market. We have come up with a range of features that we are sure people will love, whether for pleasure or business. InfoME unlocks the potential of the mobile phone as a tool for staying better informed.”
"Making these information services available on our customers' mobile phones is a significant milestone in Batelco's quest to build an 'intelligent Kingdom' for Bahrain by using modern info-communications technologies,” he added. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
