USSD And How It Is Used
The market rapidly embraces USSD, which is expected news. The technology offers clever ways for implementation of mobile services that can be available on any basic mobile phone or top tier smartphones. USSD is similar to SMS in its simplicity, but offers more interactive experience and no delay time by providing menus similar to basic applications. All that is achieved without installing any additional software. USSD based service can be accessed just by calling a dedicated number in any GSM network around the world.
Visit our Global USSD website to see how some of our clients used the technology. That’s just a few examples of creatively applying USSD. More people are becoming aware of it and we expect it to continue gaining momentum in the next year. It has a wide range of application, from polling and self-care services to more sophisticated usage like mobile banking. USSD can be used in logistics, it can be used to order tickets and book flights, and basically there are no limits to how it can be applied.
One thing that significantly distinguishes it from other modern technologies like NFC and the like is that it available on ALL mobile platforms. This includes not only mobile operating systems like iOS, Android, Symbian and Blackberry but cheapest mobile phones that were produced ten years ago. That makes USSD based services available to any person with any mobile device.
That’s why it’s getting more and more employed by mobile operators and various businesses and governments. The biggest mobile operator on the territory of CIS, Mobile TeleSystems with 100 million subscribers reported that the number of monthly payments via their service “Easy Payment” has grown more than three times over the past year. Member of the “easy payment” can pay for the services of about 400 suppliers, including services of mobile operators, utilities, traffic police fines, cable television, long-distance and international calls, Internet access and many other services. The most popular way to pay for goods and services is USSD command * 115 #. In August of this year, more than 90% of users used that payment method. This is just one of the successful examples of service implementation using USSD.
The alert through mobile phone about the visit to the doctor is now available to all patients of Moscow clinics. The service allows booking a visit to the doctor. This free feature of informing about all the actions in the system, related to making an appointment, its cancellation or postponement, is connected by default to all patients who entered their mobile phone number.
These are just a few examples to give you an idea of how USSD can be used. Contact us for more information at info@eyeline.mobi.
More to come.
Global USSD – guaranteed delivery of traffic?
Our customers frequently ask whether mobile operators can block traffic, which they deliver through Global USSD platform. This post will give you information on what you can expect when using the platform and what delivery commitments come with it.
The main purpose of Global USSD is to lower costs associated with development and deployment of a mobile service, and drastically shorten time required to roll out new services, starting from initial stages of development and ending with the launch of a service in a country of interest. The whole process can take just one day!
The platform comes with monitoring tools, which gives detailed statistics on traffic. In fact, Global USSD is the only platform that informs about the status of each sent message, so you not only know how many messages you sent, but also how many of them actually reached a subscriber. You can also use our universal API and deliver already developed services in any network in the world without re-developing it numerous times.
What about delivery of traffic? As a basic offer the service is provided “as is”. We partner with major mobile operators and have direct connection to SS7 worldwide network. Thus Global USSD can deliver services to ANY network in the world. There is a chance that operator may close the channel or change configuration. In this case the platform offers alternative ways of delivering a service, such as SMS or WAP. They work automatically all the time, so if the system receives notification that USSD messages is not delivered, it sends SMS and so on.
Providing the service “as is” we don’t differ from any aggregator in the world. Very few, if any of them, give guarantees on delivery. Alternative ways of delivery and detailed reports of Global USSD will in fact help you to reach more subscribers than any aggregator even with this basic offer.
If you want to guarantee delivery of your services to specific mobile operators we can install local point of presence. The installation of our software is free. If you have connections with operators and want to ensure delivery this is the way to go.
For details on aforementioned offers and more, contact us at info@eyeline.mobi.
There is more to come. Stay tuned.
Develop and start mobile services in Tanzania
Mobile penetration in Africa is rapidly increasing and Tanzania is one of the continent’s countries, which takes the leading position in application of mobile technologies. While Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana and South Africa were considered capitals of telecommunication boom, Tanzania recently surpassed them, becoming top African mobile money user, according to research by Eirccson. Tanzania is leading by 67% in the mobile money services market against Ghana (9%) and South Africa (24%). It also leads by 67% in mobile payments, such as salary payments, merchants and airtime top ups.
Tanzania’s population is estimated at 43.7 million, with 75% of people living in the rural areas. About 40% of the rural population lives on less than the amount needed to cover basic needs. The main function that people of rural areas of Africa need is simply transferring money. For a typical worker in Tanzania it is more convenient to use a mobile phone than travel for hours to give money to his/her family. Only 7% of rural population is using banks, which leaves a huge market to cover with mobile banking. In Tanzania most people do not use conventional banking and prefer mobile phones as a wallet. It offers people lower cost transactions and the ability to perform basic banking operations anywhere and at any time.
Specifics of rural areas allow offering mobile services, which can help people to improve their lives. For example, Tanzanian operator Tigo will launch service that will enable smallholder farmers access information about market and prices for their produces as well as weather forecasts. “According to Ndjore famers will be able to display information on daily weather forecast, comprehensive details on soil management, pest control methods on more than 20 common vegetable, fruit and grain crops, and information on livestock care and life-cycle.”
Mobile services like this can be easily created and launched in Tanzania using our Global USSD platform. Global USSD is specifically aimed at simplifying two stages: development of a mobile service and launching it. It works all around the globe and your service can be launched almost in any in any GSM network. You can create mobile services from scratch, including financial services, and deliver them to operators in Tanzania. If you already developed a service and face a problem of adjusting it for each operator, our universal API can help you to solve the problem.
Contact us at info@eyeline.mobi for more information.
What is USSD?
It’s 2012 and many people are still unaware of what USSD is and how it can be applied to their businesses and mobile services. So here is some information about it.
A good example of USSD application is balance check. In order to check your balance you need to dial a short code like *100# and press “Call”. You will then immediately receive information directly on the phone’s screen. This service is avilable in almost all networks around the world.
Just like SMS, USSD is a protocol for sending text messages with the difference being that USSD messages immediately appear on the screen of the phone, and are not saves in SIM card. Just like SMS, USSD technology is easy to use, accessible from any phone and requires no special configuration.
Ease of use
USSD interface is intuitive and accessible to any user. Any person, who has a cell phone, can easily use USSD. No special skills, no need to learn new technology. Using the USSD is no different than dialing standard telephone number for establishing the connection, so USSD is equally accessible to people of all social groups and ages.
Accessible from any phone
Despite the emergence of new technologies and new devices, millions of people continue to use the most ordinary GSM phones. USSD technology works on all existing GSM standard phones, regardless of manufacturer and date of manufacture, so the mobile services that are based on USSD are available to all subscribers, regardless of the cell phone model they are using.
No special phone configuration
To use USSD a subscriber does not need to download or install any special applications on their phone. All GSM phones are ready to work with USSD by default.
Interactivity
The main difference between SMS and USSD is that USSD has interactivity, which makes it far more superior. Interactivity occurs when recepeint receives not just USSD message but USSD menu with a choice of possible answers. USSD technology allows you to have a dialogue with a customer in real time! This is achieved by the combination of two factors: First, in contrast to SMS you always know whether USSD message is delivered or not. Secondly, USSD-menu allows subscribers to send a new request by selecting one of the options.
USSD technology is ideal for creating:
- Services that involve interactive structure: reference information services, banking services, the current customer service, etc.
- Mobile payment services: obtaining pin codes, passwords, confirmation of authorization of the transaction.
- Service polls: polls, quizzes, market research, etc.
We specialise in USSD technology and provide platform for easy development and delivery of USSD based mobile services. If you want have questions contact us at info@eyeline.mobi for more information.
What differs Global USSD from others
In this post we look into why Global USSD is a must-go option if you want to deliver mobile services and why it is unlike any other solution on the market. The image below represents where the platform stands in the big picture. It serves as a go-between point between Mobile Operators and Service Providers and allows delivering services to any network in the world.
Global USSD
The platform operates under Eyeline Service Delivery Platform, which is completely unique solution in the telecom industry. It provides complete report system, such as information about the state of message delivery at any stage. If delivery fails ESDP presents the exact reason, whereis other platforms send messages into oblivion and nobody really knows how many of them reached customers. All in all, with Global USSD it is possible to thoroughly monitor your services by getting any possible statistics.
Next up is a rule engine that ensures delivery of messages in numerous ways by using different scenarios. For example, if USSD message is not delivered either from user to service or vice versa the platform automatically detects that and sends SMS message instead. Even if that fails too the system calls a receipient and uses voice to dictate information. Such features are what makes your service reliable and provides great user experience. Again, this is something not to be found in other offers.
When it comes to development of mobile services many people have no idea how to integrate into operators infrustructure, let alone develop a service. Even experienced developers faced with a problem of developing the same service for each mobile network over and over again. For them we provide our API, which allows developing a service once and delivering it to any network in the world. You can use it also to develop using any programming language and then integrate with the platform.
For developing simple services or for people who completely unformiliar with development Global USSD comes with a special WordPress plugin that allows creating static services using a WordPress blog engine. Creation of a service resembles adding a post in your blog. Blog categories represent the service menu, and blog entry is the information seen on a mobile device. You can easily change or add information and blog automatically generates the service.
Another way is to use XML language in a special Global USSD environment, which comes with documentation. The work logic of a service is realized in the form of a website. Each page of the website is one page on a mobile device. Global USSD comes with documentation so it will require minimum effort from your side to master this way of development.
Global USSD can save money and time at all stages of realizing a mobile service project. It is a new level of simplicity, functionality and affordability, which makes it the best choice on the market. Contact us for more information at info@eyeline.mobi.
Why USSD Is Still Relevant In Smartphone Era
How popular are smartphones, really? With technology websites reviewing the latest quad-core smartphones everyday it may seem that nobody uses regular feature and “dumb” phones. That’s why many companies think that it is a must to develop iOS and Android mobile app but they somehow forget about billions of people who use old devices just for calling and texting.
Even in the USA, the country where iPhone was invented, where your grandma is playing Angry Birds, only 50.4% of mobile subscribers own smarphones, according to Nielsen report. That’s only half of 340 million population of the country. What about developing countries, like Africa and India and many others? Not many people there are watching 720p videos on 3.5 retina displays. As a matter of fact, regular dumb phones are here to stay for a long time. Not many people need functionality of a smartphone. Not many people are up to date with technology, and to many people mobile phone is just essentially what it is – a mobile phone for making calls.
If you have a local business in California, iOS and Android apps might be enough. It’s still “might” because there are old demographic and people who still prefer using Nokia from 2003. If audience is global and you are looking for reach there must be some offer for people with regular phones.
Companies like Google and Twitter understand that and now bringing their services to low-end feature phones. Gmail SMS Brings Email to Dumbphones In Countries With Crappy Internet and MediaTek to Preload Twitter Into Feature Phones to Tap Emerging Markets.
Socialized.mobi is a service that allows a GSM mobile phone user to access his social networking Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ accounts without having to subscribe to any data plan or be in a presence of a Wi-Fi network. This is achieved by using USSD technology, which is supported by most carriers around the world.
USSD is the best technology to develop mobile services on as it works on 99% of GSM mobile phones in any GSM network. The benefits are countless: price, ease of implementation, accessibility from all mobile phones, simple to learn for users, and interactive. Global USSD is now the easiest way to develop and deliver mobile services to any country in the world.
Visit www.globalussd.com or contact us for more information. Stay tuned.
[photo: flickr/kittymghee]
India and China: Top Countries To Start A Mobile Service In
Global mobile penetration reached 85 per cent in Q4 2011 and mobile subscriptions now total around 6 billion with 4.1 million being the actual number, as some subscribers have several subscriptions. India and China account for 35% of 4.1 billion of that worldwide phone user base, according to report by Ericsson.
In both countries mobile Internet surpassed that of personal computers – 388 million subscribers in China visit Internet via mobile phones and 80% of users in India used their phones for some type of mobile e-commerce. All that means that people are ready to embrace mobile technology, they are no longer learning it, and they are actually using it.
Either of these countries can be a great place to launch a mobile service, as within just one country you get a huge number of potential customers. With Global USSD you can cover both (!) countries without the need to be physically present there and deal with mobile operators. All you need is Internet connection and you can create mobile services from the comfort of your home.
Global USSD is all-in-one platform, which provides all required tools to develop and deliver mobile services. It is as easy as launching a web site in the Internet.
Before:
- Creating a mobile service required lengthy negotiations and integration with operators.
- Non-standard protocols and integration.
- Developing a mobile service required deep knowledge of programming languages and telecommunication industry.
- Physical presence in countries of interest.
- Lots of money and time.
After:
- All you care about is the actual development of your service. Global USSD handles delivery. No contracts with mobile operators.
- Global USSD API allows you to develop your service once and deliver it to any network in the world.
- XML based SDK makes service development as easy as making a simple HTML web page. Even simpler route – using our special WordPress plugin. Creating a service this way is like adding a blog post, no technical knowledge is required.
- You can be in the US and launch services in India, China, Africa, etc. All around the world.
- We can set up your account in one day and get it going. Global USSD might be the most affordable way to start a service.
Visit www.globalussd.com and sign up to a service developer account to test the platform. Stay tuned.
Carriers, OTT Services, and Falling Revenues
Carries are approaching stagnation point for the first time in their history. According to Informa Telecoms & Media, operators will see their share of mobile content and commerce revenue drop from 44% in 2011 to 31% in 2016 globally. The operators’ market share will shrink in areas such as mobile music, mobile games, mobile TV/video, mobile messaging, location-based services and chat/social-networking over the next five years.
The reason for that is OTT (Over-the-top) service providers. These are major Internet corporations, such as Google and Apple, who offer services through their app stores. In most cases they do not require operators’ network and duplicate functionality of basic communication services.
The Ovum report states that voice will drive mobile operators’ revenues and is expected to account for 60 per cent of total mobile revenues in 2016. However, this is also an area which can be threatened by such services as Skype. Microsoft’s recent purchase of Skype which offers free video and voice calling over the Internet is something that can affect operators’ revenue long-term. Granted, now it is not reliable to make a Skype call from a train but operators are improving their networks to meet the demands of smartphone market for high speed internet connection.
Improving speed of mobile internet will only make things worse for carriers. The speed will improve, prices will drop and people will be able to consume OTT services more conveniently. Carriers got in a trap, where they have to reduce prices for data to attract subscribers. Ironically, data is the reason why their revenues are falling off.
Eyeline developed solution called Cloud Mobilizer for mobile operators. It helps to be present in value chains, such as advertising, financial and commercial mobile services, which are now mostly controlled by Apple and Google.
Cloud Mobilizer is a cloud-based platform that enables MNO to aggregate, deliver and charge mobile USSD services that are ran both by local in-country Service Providers, and those hosted abroad. Both kind of services are made available commercially to MNO’s home subscribers and (optionally) foreign users.
Eyeline Cloud Mobilizer resolves three basic tasks:
- Putting through a service request made by a mobile user in any network in any country.
- Connecting the user and the service provider by setting up a USSD dialog between the two, wherever they are geographically, or whatever their “home” mobile networks are.
- Charging users/Service Providers for USSD traffic.
Eyeline Cloud Mobilizer enables MNOs to provide value added services to subscribers without being involved with each connected Service Provider technically or contractually, which saves OPEX and administrative costs.
There are more functions than those mentioned above, that Eyeline Cloud Mobilizer runs in the course of its operation, like user identification and authorization, charging, logging and statistics, operation and maintenance, personalization and advertising.
Contact us at info@eyeline.mobi for more information. Stay tuned.
How To Become A Mobile Service Provider
Entering the telecommunication industry is now easier than before. Just visit Global USSD website and you can be on your way to launching a mobile service in a matter of weeks. That is if you are not familiar with mobile services. If you are, it is possible to launch a service today!
If you are still reading this, let me explain why Global USSD is a unique solution for people how are looking to start their own mobile service. All you need is:
- Idea of a mobile service
- Internet connection
- Some money (not much!)
To fully understand the benefits which the platform gives one needs to know what it usually takes to start up your own mobile service. It all comes down to time, money, and connections.
You need to either hire developers or learn how to program the service yourself. You need to contact with a mobile operator and negotiate and there is no guarantee that you will receive a pass, especially if its a small to medium business. More than likely, you will end up with aggregators, companies that operate independently from mobile operators and serve as intermediary. They handle all the issues with operators but you have to share the income. Also, service should meet carrier’s marketing strategy as users will recognize it as if its operator’s.
To initiate the service your customers need to dial some number. It usually takes approximately two month to obtain such number from operators or aggregators. Costs may vary from country to country, typical US costs:
- One-time operator setup – $1,000 to $2,000
- Random number – $500
- Aggregator fees – $1,000 to $2,000
Finally, launching services in different countries requires negotiation with each operator individually. To reach the whole population of only one country requires dealing with 3-4 different operators. Again, lots of money and time are required.
Global USSD allows to avoid such investments. Starting a mobile service with Global USSD is as easy as creating a web site. You can do it right from your home and deliver services to 80% of mobile networks worldwide.
Visit www.globalussd.com or contact us at info@eyeline.mobi for more information. Stay tuned.
Basic Mobile Technologies For mHealth
When it comes to mobile technologies there is nothing more straightforward and simple than SMS and USSD messaging. Many don’t even consider it as a way to provide mobile services because the content is limited only by letters. No fancy graphics of user interface and illustrations. However, the combination of these two technologies is more than enough to make services that not only serve entertainment function, but have true value to people.
A new study Emerging mHealth found that consumers have high expectations for mHealth, particularly in developing economies as mobile cellular subscriptions there become ubiquitous. In emerging markets, consumers perceive mHealth as a way to increase access to healthcare while patients in developed markets see it as a way to improve the convenience, cost and quality of healthcare.
While developed countries with its prevalence of modern smartphones can use custom built services, that is not the case for such regions as Africa. Affordability and ease of use are the main factors for countries where ubiquitous Internet access is not available and poverty is one of the main concerns. Despite lack of money almost everybody in Africa has a basic mobile phone. SMS and USSD is basically only technologies that are supported by such phones. What’s good is that they provide intuitive and interactive user experience for any person who used a mobile phone and supported by any network in the world.
An article “Technology for the greater good” mentions one case in Tanzania, where clinics in remote areas used SMS to check current stock of medicines at their facilities. “Having adequate supplies when and where they are needed is critical, because the medication isn’t fully effective unless patients take it within 24 hours of contracting malaria.
And there are much more cases of use which can help to save lives of people. Monitoring patients who are suffering from chronic conditions, reminders to take certain pills at certain time, getting information about symptoms from home, etc.
Global USSD can help you to create USSD/SMS based mobile services and deliver them to any GSM network in the world. It contains all the necessary instruments for building any type of mobile service and mHealth services in particular. Interactive interface of USSD and its ability to immediately show delivered message on a mobile screen perfectly fits the concept of mHealth services.
Write to us at info@eyeline.mobi for more information. Stay tuned.