BPL Mobile is offering the two-way e-mail facility for free for the first three months, said KA Mohammed Saleem, head of business operations in Kerala. The company is also ready to launch its Internet service in Kerala within a fortnight, he added.

Saleem said that with the new service being offered by BPL, it is now possible to have two-way communication with the help of the handset. To send and receive e-mails no computer, modem or Internet connections is needed, he added.

The programme for mobilemail service has been developed by BPL itself, said Mohammed Saleem. All GSM mobile phones can receive e-mails and all phase II GSM mobile phones can send e-mails. The mobilemail address for a subscriber will be the mobile phone number@bplmobile.com.

BPL Mobile, one of the biggest players in the cellular market in the country, has invested about Rs 350 crore in Kerala building a microwave backbone and setting up other facilities. It covers 55 town in Kerala already and another 24 towns are being covered within this year making available mobile telephony accessible anywhere in Kerala.

Mohammed Saleem said that BPL Mobile was concentrating on uncovered areas on the MC Road and NH-17. BPL service will soon be available at places like Kanhangad and Kalpatta.

BPL is already offering global and national roamfree service which connects subscribers to several countries in Europe and the Gulf region. Switzerland, Singapore, Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka are some of these countries. BPL Mobile was the first to introduce MoT scheme and short message service, added Mohammed Saleem.

According to sources, BPL Mobile is eyeing small players in the field for possible acquisition as the war for the expanding mobile telephony market hots up. However, BPL Mobile officials here have denied these reports.

BPL Mobile has a total customer base of 3.5 lakh with Kerala and Tamil Nadu accounting for about one lakh customers. Mumbai metropolis accounts for about 1.8 lakh subscribers.