O2 joins voice short code bandwagon

By Giselle Abramovich

September 19, 2008

O2 have voice short code...

British mobile network operator O2 is launching voice short codes Oct. 1.

This means that voice short codes will be offered across all British wireless carriers for the first time. The benefit is transparent cross-network pricing for premium rate calls.

“O2 is the last of the network operators to do this,” said Alex Moir, managing director of MX Telecom, London. “They finally managed to make adjustment in the network.

“They are going to be to drive new revenue for the industry, as a lot of content providers have been waiting for them,” he said.

MX Telecom works with wireless carriers, content providers, Internet service providers, corporations, data vendors and Internet companies around the world, implementing wireless services.

The company offers a gateway to voice and data messaging services, including 2-way SMS and premium SMS, multimedia messaging, interactive voice response services, video short codes, location services and Internet and television services.

O2 is a provider of mobile and broadband services to consumers and businesses in Britain. The company also provides non-voice services, including text, media messaging, games, music and video, as well as data connections via GPRS, HSDPA, 3G and WLAN.

O2 UK is part of the Telefónica O2 Europe group which is comprised of offices in Britain, Ireland, Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

There are obvious advantages to voice short codes.

End users only have to call a five-digit number, which is easier to remember than a standard phone number or premium rate number.

Voice short codes can be integrated with MX Telecom’s Interactive Voice Response, creating customized call flows and uploading of recorded content.

MX Telecoms’s Voice Chat System, when integrated enables callers to create profiles and chat live with other callers.

voice short codes can also be used to complement MX Telecom's mobile content management platform, CMX2.

"Premium rate call channels for voting and competitions should significantly benefit from this improved pricing clarity and the simplicity of using short codes for voice,” Mr. Moir said. 

MX Telecom is accepting orders for voice short codes now, for cross network activation from Oct.1.

“This removes all the challenges in the many premium rate problem and voice short codes are often subject to extra charges it removes challenges for users in terms they know exactly what it is going to cost them.”