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TECH

Mobile gets smarter

Inforev builds trouble-shooting software for Nokia

Md Hasan
The mobile phone, a statement of lifestyle, has completely taken over every sphere of daily life. Inforev Limited, a local value-added service provider, has developed software that will act like a guide, directing customers to the nearest customer care location, at times when the mobile set gives trouble.
Such an application will come free of cost and by default with any set by Nokia, globally renowned handset makers, and anyone can trace the nearest customer care location for availing services.
"If everything goes according to plan, the application will be launched by early next year in the Bangladeshi market," says Md Sharif Uddin, technical director of Inforev.
Say, for instance, you are at Farmgate and you are looking for Nokia’s nearest customer care location. Customers can just go to their Nokia's application option and click on the 'Nokia Care Locator . The care locator option directs customers to the nearest Nokia customer care centre, Sharif explains.
The programme is a J2ME (Java language) based application and it will be built into every Nokia handset, starting from the 60 series.
In Bangladesh, three out of four people are using a Nokia handset. The company has so far set up 28 care centres in Bangladesh, six of which are in Dhaka.
This is not the first project Inforev has conducted for Nokia. The company has previously provided several short message services by holding Nokia's short code number '5555'.
In the 2006-07 period, the company helped Nokia to replace the BL-5C model battery in Bangladesh. The global handset makers found that some decomposed BL-5C model batteries entered Bangladesh witli different Nokia model sets. Later, through a SMS service developed by Inforev, the global handset giant replaced all of its affected batteries and ensured customers services.
Established in 1999, Inforev became a private limited company in 2002. Other than some founder shareholders, the government of Bangladesh has share holding as equity participator of the company. The Central Bank of Bangladesh (EEF Venture Capital) funded the company as it proved to be a potential solution proving company.
A few young and enthusiastic entrepreneurs set up Inforev as a classical software solution provider. The company eventually diversified into a platform for telecom value added services, application, and content aggregation for the obvious essence of telecom convergence.
Nokia PTE Ltd Singapore has chosen Inforev Limited as their exclusive strategic SMS, MMS, GPRS, WAP and J2ME content and application solution provider, for their Nokia Bangladesh chapter.
"We have an agreement with Nokia. On behalf of Nokia, we are maintaining the Nokia Branded Short Code 5555 for all the operators,” says Sharif.
It is not new that local firms work with global giants. The local software makers and content providers are now getting huge orders from the global market. But they are compelled to deny those due to money transfer issues.
Talking to The Daily Star, a leading content provider says: “We have received orders for providing SMS based services from neighbouring countries. But we have to deny them, as we are not allowed to share revenue outside the country."
Coming back to the 'care locator' application, Sharif says the application would be developed in both English and Bangla so that all customer groups can use it comfortably.
He says even an uneducated person
can use the application. The software can direct them through the map. The Nokia Care locator option will provide not only content-based directions, but the person can also find the service centre by the map.
The map that pinpoints the location is also accompanied by the care locator phone numbers, so that customers arc-assisted by all possible means, Sharif says.
He says a few teenage computer engineers developed the software within three months. The application is now under scrutiny by RelQ, a global software testing company.
It is not easy to work with a global market leader, Sharif says. "There are no compromises on quality."
Inforev singed a deal with Nokia Singapore to launch the service. After certified by RelQ, the care locator application will also be verified by Nokia's own lab in Finland. "If Nokia is satisfied with our application and is suitable for their handsets, the company will finally take our application," says Sharif.
Since 2003, Inforev has been providing various content services to the all six mobile operators. The company, which was primarily initiated for launching the e-commerce site in Bangladesh, later applied to become Nokia's global partner.
"Yes, it was tough to become Nokia's global partner. But what we have been developing for Nokia in the last few years will definitely help us reach our goals."
In terms of handset sales, Nokia has around 40 percent market share globally.
Asked how he feels working with the global giant, Sharif says: "We definitely feel proud as a local company to be providing services to a company like Nokia.”
hasan@thedailystar.net