Norway-based Opera Software provides web browsers for desktops, mobile handsets, and other connected devices. The company started its operations in India in 2005 and, as per company officials, accounts for 30 to 40 per cent of internet traffic in the country.

In an interview with tele.net.in, Sunil Kamath, Sales Director, India and SAARC, Opera Software, discusses the company’s business strategy in India and the challenges before it. Excerpts…

How has the company performed in the last two years in India?

We have had a fantastic two years in the country and have grown our user base by four times in this period.

Now, we are closely working with our partners to net the next 100 million users.

What is the company’s product portfolio in India?

For the desktop segment, we offer the Opera Desktop Browser, which is currently being used by over 60 million users globally. This is also available for download on our website.

For the mobile segment, our flagship products are the Opera Mini and the Opera Mobile browsers. These products are currently being used by 205 million users globally.

What major deals has Opera Software inked in the last year? Please mention noteworthy acquisitions as well.

In the last 12 months, the company has undertaken a number of acquisitions. These were significant, as they have contributed to changing the face of the company. Today, we are no longer a technology company which operates just in the browser business but are also a consumer company.

For example, we acquired two mobile advertising companies, Mobile Theory Inc. and 4th Screen Advertising Limited. With this, we can access both companies’ clients and can leverage their ad sales platform as well.

Who are Opera Software’s clients?

In India, the company has multiple lines of business. We operate in the country’s desktop business but do not have a distribution network in place. However, by end-2012, the company will have identified a few partners, who will be distributing the Opera Desktop product in India.

Meanwhile, our product - Opera Mini is distributed through multiple channels. The company has deals with operators like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone India, Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited, Uninor, Idea Cellular and Tata Teleservices Limited. These operators distribute the Opera Mini product from their networks.

We are also working with more than 25 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) as well as handset makers like Micromax, Samsung, Lavva and Karbonn Mobiles. Another area we are active in is the chipset business, where we are working closely with Qualcomm.

We are also doing a lot of work in the advertising space and are working closely with several Indian companies who are either content providers or application developers. Besides, we provide services to companies which want to enhance traffic on their mobile-based sites.

What trends do you foresee in the telecom space?

Largely, the trends are already in place. The cost of devices has to decrease further, which will help promote uptake, as well as encourage the use of data services.

How does Indian telecom market compare vis-a-vis the global market?

Tariffs are fairly low in India. That trend might change with fewer players in the telecom arena after the forthcoming 2G spectrum auction. Moreover, a substantial amount of innovation is taking place in the country.

What are the challenges before the company?

The challenge is to establish a far-reaching distribution system that extends beyond tier 1 and tier 2 towns. Our aim is to reach tier 3 areas by providing a more relevant user experience for subscribers in these areas.

What is going to be the company’s business strategy in India?

We plan to focus on OEM distribution and to do this we will be examining the possibility of setting up on-ground retail channels.

As part of a promotional exercise, we regularly visit schools and colleges to talk to the students about the internet.