Innoz touches one billion mark on SMS queries

Innoz's 55444, also known as SMSGyan, is an offline search engine that allows users to search the web by sending an SMS.

With the support of 120 million active users, 55444 has managed to reach the billion mark in just 18 months.

Founded by a group of four engineering students then students at the LBS College of Engineering in Kasargode four years back, Innoz developed a novel idea of giving internet to the offline world.

Users will receive a specific answer of 480 characters within seconds with an option of retrieving further information on the query, if required.

Consumers can choose to get charged a rupee an SMS or an avid user may opt for a monthly or daily subscription.

Speaking about the reason behind the rapid growth of Innoz, CEO Deepak Ravindran said India has over 900 million mobile phone users making it the second largest in the world.

"Though being the second largest, India has a dearth of users having access to internet via mobile phones. Innoz identified this huge gap and has successfully addressed it by bringing the web to everyone. In short, we make all phones think smart," said Ravindran.

The queries predominantly come in from the South zone which accounts for 40 percent, followed by the West zone at 25 percent and the rest accounted for by the East and North zone.

Location based queries such as location of ATMs, restaurants, petrol pumps topped the list of most searched on 55444, movie reviews and movie timings came in a close second followed by search for music information and lyrics.

Surprisingly, the platform is also largely used as a calculator for complex mathematical problems and dictionary.

Ravindran further added that this milestone puts at rest all doubts and proves yet again that SMS is definitely not a dying tool of communication.

One billion and counting, Innoz is planning expansion.

It recently launched its services in Dubai through the Du Network and is in talks with operators in the United States, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Africa.