Matrix focuses on international data roaming

Matrix Cellular, known for its international SIM cards for travellers, is now increasingly focusing on data roaming business. As smartphone users grows, the company hopes that such users who would buy international data roaming plans would also go up. "A large number of people are hooked to smartphones, and their number in business travellers is high," said Arun Batra, chief executive officer of Matrix. Almost 60 per cent of business travellers use smartphones.

Currently, data roaming accounts for 10-11 per cent of its sales. Matrix expects this number to go up to 40 per cent in the next 12 months. The growth, Batra hopes, would come from corporate houses which would insist on roaming cards instead of roaming bills. "The awareness among business houses is growing," he said.

The consumer trend that would work for the company is that many international consumers carry handsets like BlackBerry and other Andriod phones that have among other things a push mail option.

"One cannot control the number of mails one receives, and international data plans in roaming for Indian numbers can become very expensive. Many experience bill shocks after they come back," Batra said.

The company offers SIM cards along with dongles for mobile phone users as well for laptops. It is planning to launch more plans on the data side, tailoring to different usage patterns for those who use only mail, or those who like to upload holiday pictures or even those who are hooked on social networking sites.

Added to that, many big hotels, especially in the United States, have started charging guests for Wi-Fi services inside the hotel room which were earlier free. "We see an opportunity there too," Batra said.

Matrix offers data services on 3G networks in countries where the service is available. "We always tie-up with biggest service providers in the countries," Batra said. Matrix already has agreements with operators and offers international SIM cards in 40 countries. The data services pan across 18 countries. The company, which has a counter at international airports for last-minute purchases, also launched its forex services with a card which works across one lakh establishments.