(26 June 2009 10:25 pm)

MUMBAI: BBC World Service has rolled out live audio service through Reliance's R-World value added services (Vas) platform. Reliance subscribers can access the service through the medium of mobile phones by dialling 51234378.

Through this new partnership, aggregated by Worldwide Records, Reliance subscribers will be able to listen to BBC World Service news in a choice of five different languages, seven days a week. News will be offered in English which will switch to Hindi at 6.30 am, 8 am, 7.30 pm and 10.30 pm; Tamil at 09.15 pm; Urdu at 7 am, 8.30 pm and 11 pm and Bangla at 5 am, 6 am and 6 pm.

Reliance Communications head -business & marketing value added services Krishna Durbha says, "Radio is a very popular medium in rural India. Through this service we wanted to offer same experience to our customers in their preferred language. Introduction of this service is part of our strategy to provide innovative services in local languages."

"We want to reach out to the widest possible audience across India, both linguistically and geographically, and this deal is part of that strategy. We're delighted to offer 24/7 live streaming radio on Reliance mobile phones; this new platform will help us provide even more for our listeners," says BBC World Service India business development manager Indu Shekhar Sinha.