Submitted by Mike Grenville on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:03

Vodafone Essar has launched voice messages using the Kirusa Voice SMS platform.

With the launch of this service using the Voice SMS solution from Kirusa, any Vodafone Essar customer can send a Voice SMS message to a mobile subscriber, anywhere in India, for a fixed price of 75 paise (approximately USD 0.01) per minute.

The Voice SMS service is available to both prepaid and postpaid subscribers and special handsets or settings are not required to use the service.

To send a message, the subscriber simply dials * and the mobile number of the person to whom he wishes to send the message to, speaks for 30 seconds and disconnects.

If the recipient is a Vodafone subscriber, he will receive a text SMS notification and can dial *0* to hear the Voice SMS. Old Voice SMS can be retrieved by dialing *1*. He also has the option of replying, forwarding, saving or deleting the Voice SMS messages. Subscribers who are not on Vodafone network will get a text SMS notification with an embedded DirectListenâ„¢ number which, when dialed, takes them to the message directly. The message recipient can select to reply after listening to the Voice SMS.

Vodafone subscribers will pay 75 paise per minute (approximately USD 0.01) to send a Voice SMS. Listening to the Voice SMS for the first time is free of charge. Subsequent retrieval of a Voice SMS is charged at 75 paise per minute. Replying to and forwarding a Voice SMS will also be charged at 75 paise.

With operations in 21 operating circles with over 56.70 million customers in India, Vodafone Essar has launched Voice messaging service in 16 circles across the country.