Re:Facebook’s New Message to WhatsApp: Make Money
by drspacemonkey on Wednesday August 01, 2018 @06:41PM
(#17667738)
Given their market penetration in India, it wouldn't surprise me if they went so far as to set up in-person payment infrastructure. Wouldn't have to be complicated - it could even be like the Steam or Hulu gift cards you pick up at BestBuy. Any shop or market stall could sell them, just ship 'em out en masse and charge the store when they activate, possibly via the app.
Re:Facebook’s New Message to WhatsApp: Make Money
by randomEntity22 on Thursday August 02, 2018 @07:29AM
(#17670659)
>If a service could integrate with telcos and let users pay through them, I'm sure a lot of Indian users would pay for a lot more services than they do right now.
Many of the telecos, however don't want their user's on WhatsApp, they want them to use SMS, I remember Airtel and other's complaining to the government about OTT services, and trying to force the government to introduce a licensing regime for them.
If WhatsApp has to depend on telecos, they for sure will screw it.
Re:Facebook’s New Message to WhatsApp: Make Money
by kamaal on Thursday August 02, 2018 @01:39AM
(#17669435)
Nothing can compete with 0 rupees.
Also unlimited SMS are free these days.
Re:Facebook’s New Message to WhatsApp: Make Money
by SmellyGeekBoy on Thursday August 02, 2018 @04:21AM
(#17670001)
How many rupees does the extra data for a year's worth of ads cost? Or are unlimited data plans common in India?
Re:Facebook’s New Message to WhatsApp: Make Money
by kamaal on Thursday August 02, 2018 @05:51AM
(#17670308)
Unlimited data plans are not common in India.
On Airtel, which I use- 4G data 2Gb/day, Unlimited SMS, Unlimited calls(Anywhere in India), for 90 days, comes to like $9(around 599 rupees).
This is a pre-paid plan.
Whatsapp is the only software I've seen Indians pay for without thinking twice. 60 rupees per year is very easy to shell out especially when it replaces SMS which would cost you many times more.
The problem in India is not that people won't pay for whatsapp, it's that majority of the people don't have a way to pay. Very small percentage of whatsapp users own credit/debit cards. If a service could integrate with telcos and let users pay through them, I'm sure a lot of Indian users would pay for a lot more services than they do right now.