Reliance Communications today launched its first of its kind prepaid plan ‘Facebook Messenger Plan’ for all Reliance GSM subscribers across the country. Reliance GSM customers can now make unlimited usage of Facebook Messenger across the country at a nominal fee of Rs 16 per month without paying any extra data consumption charges. The “Facebook Messenger Plan” is available with a validity period of 30 days from the date of recharge and the plan is auto-renewed every 30 days unless unsubscribed.
The Facebook Messenger feature app works on a cross platform of smart and feature phones, and allows users to be able to reach anyone regardless of what device they are using. It also recently launched a new version of an instant messenger service where users need only their name and phone number to sign up for a new account, so they can send messages to their phone contacts instantly. Users can download the app at fb.me/msgr. The plans with Reliance will allow its GSM customers to use this new app at no extra cost.
Commenting on the launch of ‘Facebook Messenger Plan,’ Nilanjan Mukherjee, Wireless Chief Revenue Officer at Reliance Communications Limited, said, “We have always been at the forefront of offering innovative products with incredible affordability for our customers and the launch of Facebook Messenger Plan is yet another step in that direction. We are confident that ‘Facebook Messenger Plan’ with unlimited usage of Facebook without any extra data charges is set to provide a compelling new experience with incredible affordability to Smartphone users across the country on our superior network. We are hoping this offer to trigger a significant shift of youth customers using Smartphones to our superior network.”
Commenting on this association with Reliance Communications in India, Kevin D’Souza, Country Growth Manager at Facebook, said, “Facebook’s mission is to make the world more open and connected. And mobile is a big part of that. Reliance users are now able to take the opportunity with the free data access plan to Facebook services like our new free messaging app to connect with their friends and families.”
Reliance GSM subscribers can now subscribe to the ‘Facebook messenger Plan’ by sending a SMS “FB” to 53739 from their mobile phones.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Facebook has updated its Android app to embrace a wider audience base by removing the necessity to be a Facebook member to use the messenger service. It could help in enticing more non-members to use Facebook services while giving existing users a bonus by letting them chat with friends who are not on the social networking website.
At the Le Web Conference in Paris, Peter Deng, Director of Product at Facebook, said, “The SMS protocol has been around for 20 years. It’s designed for these old phones, and they don’t take advantage of the location features, the touch screen, the picture taking that today’s phones have and that’s why we invested in it.” He added that a lot of people have had to open email accounts just so that they could access Facebook, and the newer version of Messenger will allow more people to benefit from Facebook services without the hassles of signing up.
“As a result of focusing on mobile, for the past year and a half, we've been investing a lot in mobile messaging. We've noticed that people have wanted more than SMS can provide. We want to let people connect with each other and feel like they're in constant communication,” said Deng.
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