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text messaging. Playing games is of course the other biggie. Gaming in fact is going
to be a very hot application that will drive the SMS market. Generation Next in
particular will be open to using SMS to participate in a number of interactive games.
For Cupid lovers, SMS offers great opportunities. The Times of India, that has a very
active “Personal ads column” could additionally offer readers the option of sending
their message using the SMS. A dating service could be introduced, where people
subscribing to the site could be alerted via advertisements.
On the serious “business” side too, there are significant advantages related to SMS.
The next time you want to phone in for help at the call center of your DVD
manufacturer to check out a system glitch, SMS might prove to be the quicker,
cheaper way for you. SMS could in fact become a useful CRM (Customer relationship
management tool) enabling companies to offer SMS as another additional service.
The Times of India
readers for instance could be encouraged to send in their feedback
for columns such as “Letters to the Editor” using the SMS.
The advent of on-line services from sites such as Breathe, Excite, Lysoc and BTs
Genie which permit people to text across operators, has also shot up SMS usage
enormously. Companies such as BT of the UK, in fact have introduced a mobile
tariff which gives free SMS messaging for a nominal fee per month. Companies such
as Motorola are also closely eyeing the SMS market. The company has recently
come out with its capital V. box phone which is targeted especially at the 19-24
year-old market, one of the largest users of SMS messaging. The new phone folds
out to reveal a “qwerty” keyboard, which can be used to type out text messages or
e-mails rather than the numeric keypad that most phone users have at present. In
addition to the phone, Motorola has also created a website, xrtemetxt.com to support
the device. The highly popular site is being used by visitors to enter competitions,
play games and send free SMS messages. The news is that additional services such as
downloadable logos and ring tones may be added at a later stage.
Despite the growing usage of WAP phones, SMS will continue to ride the popularity
wave owing to its simplicity, ease-of-use and low cost appeal, to a broad range of
mobile users. In the future its potential is stated to be large, with services such as
advertising and purchasing of goods simply waiting in the wings. So, send your SMS
message with a smile.
n
