Mukesh Kumar works with the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) and belongs to the Indian Telecom Service (ITS), Government of India. His work background combined with his endeavour at XLRI resulted in his research interests into the world of technology based business modeling especially in mobile telephony. Presently he is working in the capacity of DGM in Kolkata Service Area (KSA), BSNL and has been overseeing wireline Broadband networks and services. He has also been instrumental in introducing Fibre To The Home (FTTH) service in KSA.

Ram Kumar Kakani is Associate Professor in Strategic Management and Finance at XLRI Jamshedpur. His areas of interest include Business Analysis, Business Groups, Corporate Finance and Strategy brought forth by the empirical work on the Indian corporate sector. He has co-authored many text books and other books including the popular Corporate Finance (8/e), Financial Accounting for Management (3/e), and Strategic Thinking. He has also published cases and papers in refereed publications including AI & Society, Decision, Innovation Journal, and Richard Ivey Case Bank.

Section I: Introduction

1. Introduction to Indian Telecommunications Industry
2. Unwinding of Telecom Technical Jargon
3. Mobile Economics

Section II: Mobile VAS Industry in India and Other Markets

1. Mobile Value Added Services (mVAS) Industry: Young offspring of Mobile Industry
2. India in a Global Context

Section III: Role of Technologies and Regulations

1. Role of Technologies in shaping the mVAS Industry
2. Role of Regulation in shaping the mVAS Industry

Section IV: The Analysis of Indian Mobile Industry with focus on VAS

1. Indian Mobile Industry: An Empirical Analysis
2. The Mobile VAS Industry: Structure, Value Chain and Stakeholders

Section V: Business Models and Scenario Planning

1. Business Models in the mVAS Industry
2. Future of the Mobile VAS Industry in India

‘Professor Ram Kumar Kakani is one of India’s most respected academics /researchers in the field of business. This is a well researched work. It starts with introducing the Telecommunications sector, then analyses all relevant domestic and global aspects, focusing on the impact of technological advancement and regulatory environment on mobile value added services (mVAS). Finally, it proposes possible business models and future scenarios of Indian mVAS industry. In fact to my knowledge no book from India achieved all this.’

- Professor Debashis Chatterjee
Director,IIM Kozhikode

‘After reading this compelling work, the reader will appreciate the evolving linkages and associated uncertainties in the emerging Indian mVAS industry. The authors seamlessly
demystify the complex and evolving linkages of technology, regulator, and savvy entrepreneurship led models. The sections on Business Modeling and Scenario Planning lead the reader to appreciate the complicated maze of the mVAS sector. It is a must-read book for telecom professionals, policy makers and management studies students.’

- R K Mishra
Principal Advisor, TRAI