Calls from USA to India at 1 cent per minute.

Bharti Airtel, Asia’s leading integrated telecom services provider, launched the never before calling rate of 1 cent a minute on its online calling card service www.airtelcallhome.com. This will enable NRIs in US to call friends and family back in India at the most competitive rates in the market.

Airtel has also launched a host of exciting new features for the US consumers including auto recharge, free SMS from the web and audio conferencing facilities. Subscribers will be able to buy the online calling card for just USD 10 by logging into the website www.airtelcallhome.com or through phone by calling toll free 1-877-247-5150 from the US.

After the successful US launch in December 2006, Airtel CallHome was introduced in three more countries – UK, Singapore and Canada in 2008. It offers NRIs hassle free, cost effective and reliable service even if the phone doesn't have international calling facility. (Via)

A startup idea - Free SMS sending portal.

When the conditions are in favour for some sector one should plan to penetrate. As the first function of an entrepreneur is to perceive opportunities.

A fact file on India Telecom sector -

• India is the fastest growing telecom market in the world.
• Around February last year, India overtook Russia to become the third largest mobile market.
• India's total mobile subscriber base now stands at 237 mn in comparison with China's 534 million, US's 257 mn.
• At current growth rate, India will cross the 264 million mark by May or May-end, overtaking the US.
• India is expected to have 450 million mobile subscribers by the turn of the decade, which means every third Indian will have his/her own mobile phone by 2010.

SMS in India is expected to grow from 59 billion messages in 2006, to 180 billion in 2010.

So a startup related to SMS service is really needed. Looking at the demand and suppy gap in this area. Here is a list of few free SMS providers in India.

PS - Being innovative is the key to success.

Sites to send free SMS in India.

Are you hunting to send free SMS in India your search stops now. There are many sites which provide this service. Their service may vary in form of the characters allowed in a single SMS and also a limit on SMS in a single day and even single hour.
Nevertheless they are free.

SMS Gupshup - A group SMS service which is free but the limit is 8 SMS in a day to a group.
160by2 - Another popular free SMS service provider but the limit is only 70 characters.
Google SMS Labs - Now is very popular. Don't forget to join SQUAMBLE SMS group. (A Bul SMS service provider. Only useful for bloggers) (Login using your Gmail ID.)
SMSLife.in - This is a unique one. You can also send vioce SMS.
SMSfree4all - This is ultra unique platform as one can also send free MMS across India and also SMS.
YouMint.com - YouMint is also a good platform to send free SMS across India. More over YouMint pays you to invite friends and to receive SMS promos!
IndyaRocks.Com and Ibibo.com - Just another free SMS service providers

Mobile Arena is growing and so is Web 2.0.
If you have any other site from where you can send free SMS , do comment.

*Image credits - IKF.co.in