Unisys Africa has announced the launch locally and globally of its e-@ction Web Short Message Service (WebSMS). This will enable telecoms companies to bring the Internet to existing cellphones, and is the first output of a recently signed agreement between Unisys and South African-based Airborn, a technology innovation company in the JSE Securities Exchange-listed M-Cell group.
The agreement combines the first commercial implementation of Airborn`s Remote Interactive Voice Response (RIVR) concept with Unisys`s e-@ction Communications Application Platform.
RIVR requires low infrastructure investment and little data migration, which means telecoms companies get a quick and cost-effective way to offer new, competitive services to their customers and take advantage of the massive market potential in the cellular market. More than 15 billion SMS messages were sent around the world in December 2000, compared to 3 billion in December 1999.
Airborn was founded this year as an outflow of the e-business division of MTN Holdings, Mobile E @ MTN, a dedicated unit exploring global opportunities in the convergence of 450 million cellular and 250 million Internet users. It has major global aspirations, and its partnership with Unisys is the first step in this direction.
Ross Macdonald, CEO of Airborn, says: "RIVR allows mobile phone users to access information residing either on a corporate database or on the Internet, using existing technology. Our aim is to give every cellphone user in the world the quickest, simplest way to access personalised content and business productivity information, as well as the ability to transact on the move.
"Our focus is on the licensing of proprietary technologies and enabling communities. In other words, users get specific information to their phone, offering them a personalised experience rather than simply bombarding them with information in an information-overloaded world."
Unisys`s e-@ction Web Short Message Service is a "telco grade" development of RIVR, making it robust, scalable and able to cope with vast amounts of data traffic. It runs on the Unisys e-@ction Communications Application Platform (CAP). This lets existing Unisys CAP customers rapidly switch on an incremental revenue stream at low cost.
"The global SMS market is currently experiencing extraordinary growth," says Ian Milne, Area Sales Director, Telecomms at Unisys Africa. "The Unisys e-@ction Web Short Message Service gives mobile operators an opportunity to provide a mobile Internet service to their existing subscribers while exploiting the growth in SMS. Airborn`s core competence in concept development in this area, coupled with Unisys`s proven e-business expertise, is a compelling market proposition."
Milne adds: "Unisys`s strategic intent is to partner worldwide with innovative companies which add value to our customer base. RIVR has been productised in our labs in New Zealand, it builds on our strength in the telecoms market and we anticipate significant revenues for telco operators globally, who will offer RIVR services to their mobile clients.
"We view the partnership with Airborn as the first step in a long and mutually rewarding relationship for the provision of content-based services to the African mobile commerce market." Macdonald notes: "Unisys is a logical partner for us. Not only do they have the resources to take RIVR to market and support it as a commercial product, but they are a global organisation with extensive experience and standing in the global telecoms market."
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