Mobile contestants rake in moolah

Yogima Seth / TNN / Mar 5, 2006, 23:31 IST

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Paras Rayththa, 27, has two mobile phones and spends the better part of the night sending SMSes.

AHMEDABAD: Paras Rayththa, 27, has two mobile phones and spends the better part of the night sending SMSes. Pankaj Sanwal, 33, thinks nothing of frittering away time and money on his cell phones.
Rayththa and Sanwal are no high-flying millionaires. Neither are they having illicit affairs. While the former is a small-time businessman from Somnath, the latter is a self-employed youth from Ahmedabad.
And they both make their fortunes out of participating in mobile contests. If Rayththa has already won a trip to London, a Rs 1 lakh cash prize as well as a Ford Ikon, Sanwal has a Rs 1 lakh cash prize, a Rs 1.5 lakh prize on a business channel quiz contest and a shot at the hot seat in a celebrity game show.
"I spent Rs 12,000 to make 2,006 calls in 20-25 days to win my dream car," says Rayththa, whose wife Nehal won a Mauritius trip during Navratri last year.

"I did end up spending around Rs 10,000 for the mobile contest and much more for the game show, but I don't mind it as the benefits far outweigh the costs," says Sanwal, who keeps himself updated by badgering his cellular operator.
As contest mania hits, telecom operators are doing their bit to keep people hooked with in-house contests and tie-ups with TV shows.
Even the premium charged on such SMSes and calls has failed to dampen spirits of such enthusiasts, many of whom come from smaller towns.
"There is a spurt in usage thanks to such contests. Even the Rs 3 to Rs 6 per SMS or call does not deter such participants from spending large amounts regularly," says BP Singh of Airtel (Gujarat).
Explains Sunil Sood of Hutch (Gujarat): "Earlier it was postcards, today participation is instant with mobiles."

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