Kerala's Malayalam news on mobile from etisalat's Weyak

Offered at an affordable price per month, the news will come in the form of SMS messages several times a day, depending on the frequency of news in the State of Kerala.

The Malayalam news service can be subscribed to by sending an SMS message with 'S KNEWS' via SMS to 1110. A link will be sent to the subscriber's handset, which allows him or her to download the free Malayalam application, which is free of charge, for receiving the news. This service in the Malayalam language is available for handsets, which are WAP/GPRS capable. Customers can (for free) enable their handsets for WAP/GPRS by sending 'A WEYAK' via SMS to 1010.

"The service is aimed at expat Malayalees in the UAE, who are the largest communities here in the UAE, and who have been valued customers over the years," Essa Al Haddad, Chief Marketing Officer, etisalat.

For customers who wish to receive the news in English instead of Malayalam or those whose handsets are not WAP/GPRS capable, can subscribe to the English version by sending 'S KNEWSE' via SMS to 1110. The same monthly charge applies.

The Weyak portal will also start providing the India News Service for mobile customers in the UAE. This service will cover the news of the whole of India and be available in the English language and is likely to begin operation by the middle of December 2006.

The Kerala News service is being offered in a tie-up with UAE-based Impact Media, which has set up hubs in Kerla and Dubai for the purpose of supplying news to mobile customers. "The fact that news in your mother tongue can now directly be received on the handsets from back home is likely to trigger a very strong interest among the Malayalee diaspora," says Jeemon Jacob, Content Manager of Impact's Kerla hub.

Etisalat is offering a number of value-added and innovative services in many languages to its customers through its Weyak portal and has tied up with many local, regional, and international content providers to serve the needs of the diverse UAE community. "SMS in your Language" service where customers can send and receive SMS's in Malayalam, Tamil, and Sinhalese were introduced to reach these different communities. Weyak also offers a rich portfolio of mobile content categories that users can browse or download on their handsets.