New Delhi: Tagit, a Singapore based mobile commerce (m-commerce) company that has its development base in India, has announced that mobile phone users in India will now be able to book movie tickets in all movie/cinema halls owned by AdLabs by using a unique solution called Mobile Box Office, which enables users to book tickets, make payment and even select seats using their mobile phones.

An SMS to a predetermined number will download an application to a user’s mobile phone, which will run on GPRS, and guide the customer through the whole process. It allows users to seamlessly navigate content that is updated dynamically, in real time, from Adlab’s website.

The confirmation of the booking is sent directly to the user’s phone in text form.

According to a release by the company, the Indian movie theatre business is currently going through a phase where annualised growth rates are estimated at about 30 per cent.

In 2006, Indian films grossed around $2 billion, up from $1.5 billion in 2004.

According to the release, a Price Waterhouse Coopers forecast estimates revenues to leap-frog to over $4 billion over the next five years, with around 30 to 40 per cent coming from multiplexes, which in turn explains Adlabs eagerness with the mobile ticketing proposition.

According to Shankar Narayanan, co-founder and president of Tagit, “With the largest film industry and the largest number of mobile users, India is the ideal place to roll-out this solution. The mobile phone is probably the one product that has successfully bridged the digital divide and solutions like ours, help the mobile users benefit from internet services, which were till now the preserve of only PC users”.

Narayanan says that mobile ticketing has already been adopted by a fair chunk of movie goers at a competing cinema chain. “Our solution enjoys over 55 per cent market share in the burgeoning Mobile e-ticketing market”, he added.

Adlabs Cinemas plans to make this service available across its 110 screens spread across 26 cities.

Says Tushar Dhingra, COO, Adlabs Cinemas, “At Adlabs, we believe in innovation and customer convenience. The Mobile Box Office solution from Tagit empowers our customers and saves them time, effort and money, thus adding to the quality of the cinema-going experience. The response in the first week of its launch has been extremely encouraging.”

According to Ranjan Kapur, Country Head, WPP India and chairman of Tagit India, "Adlabs is a premier brand and we are proud to be associated with them for their mobile ticketing platform. This is yet another milestone in our global thrust to be the leading service platform for entertainment, travel, hospitality, commerce and finance."

Commenting on the future plans of the company in India, Narayanan says, ''Mobile internet usage in India will grow at a rapid pace and need-based services such as ticketing, bill payments and mobile government services will become the drivers for this growth, which will in turn lead to the growth of mobile advertising”.

The latest figures from TRAI state that India has already surpassed the 250 million user mark last year, way ahead of schedule, of which 25 million subscribers are in the city of Mumbai alone. Given the increasing adoption and ease of usage of GPRS, the community of mobile service users is bound to grow. Conservative estimates place the number close to 20 million in the next few years.

As part of its Diwali offerings, Adlabs Cinemas has come up with the Adlabs easyticket, which enables customers to purchase tickets, food and beverages or gift the entire movie-going-experience including popcorn, by using just their mobile.

Adlabs easyticket is a unique first-of-its-kind technology-led application, which allows customers a cashless, and even debit/credit cardless experience at Adlabs Cinemas.

Customers can visit the cinema and enjoy the entire experience including tickets, food and beverages carrying only their mobile, which also facilitates onward gifting of the experience to friends / colleagues, and other acquaintances.

The pay-per-use mechanism is being pitched as an enabler for corporates to use movie-gifting as an effective promotional tool without worrying about wastage.

According to Tushar Dhingra, chief operating officer, Adlabs Cinemas, “The Adlabs easyticket is a convenient and secure option that will revolutionalise not only the cinema-going experience, but also the retail industry. Corporates wanting to gift associates or employees will find it invaluable as a promotional tool, particularly with Diwali coming around the corner.”

Adlabs easytickets are available in denominations of Rs200, Rs500 and Rs1000 and can be bought in three different ways, through a scratch card at the box office, or via the call centre, or via the website.