Geeks sign up for Bharti's software network

Joji Thomas Philip & Deepshikha Monga, New Delhi
The Economic Times
India’s largest telecom operator Bharti Airtel has taken a leaf out of the book of global technology majors such as Apple, Google and Nokia.

Recognising that the future of mobile technologies lies in the hands of independent developers, Airtel has become the first telco in India to have an independent developers community. Close to 1,000 developers have already signed up for the Airtel Open Developers Community (AODC) that will develop applications and services for its 110-million plus subscriber base, including its mobile, landline, Internet, IPTV and DTH customers.

Bharti provides a software development kit, the main set of tools needed to write applications, to AODC members, as well as, training to build applications across the three screens — PC, mobile and TV, Bharti Airtel’s consumer services and technology director Jai Menon said. “Applications need not be device-bound. As a service provider, we are aiming to provide different applications to consumers, regardless of the device they own,” he added.

Global tech firms are actively tapping independent developers to offer more applications and services to their consumers. Players such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, Nokia and RIM (makers of BlackBerry) have their claws deep into potential mobile developers, analyst Tony Cripps at Ovum said in a note recently. Apple’s iPhone, in particular, has shown how vital applications can become to the success of a device.

Over 50,000 applications, such as those for working out and managing finances, have been developed for the iPhone and these have been downloaded more than a billion times by users.

In comparison, applications for handset maker Palm’s new smartphone Pre, touted as an iPhone-killer, have been downloaded over a million times. “Developer support, as much as an ingenious user experience, will make or break these high-end device offerings going forward,” Cripps said in his note.

Google’s mobile phone operating system Android is an open source platform designed to allow independent developers to write their own programmes for devices using it. Microsoft has Windows Marketplace for mobile where independent software developers can monetise applications built for its Windows Mobile operating system for mobile phones.

Among telecom operators, Bharti Airtel has a precedent in Vodafone, the world’s largest private telecoms company, that has a developer community called Betavine to make applications for the telco, as well as, for handset makers such as Nokia and Samsung. India is home to one of the largest developer communities in the world. For instance, open source major Sun Microsystems has about 8 lakh independent software developers in India, while Nokia has over 1.5 lakh developers.

“As our numbers grow, we will definitely look at roadshows and conferences and may also consider branding our developers community,” Menon said.