USSD Centre: Unlock The Power of Interactive Messaging
The USSD Centre implements full USSD phase 2 functionality and provides the Mobile Network Operator with the ability to define menus and applications associated with the menus. The graphical user interface enables quick and easy application definition. The USSD Centre includes a USSD redirector that enables SMS based services to be offered over USSD instead.
Logos Solvo’s Unstructured Supplementary Service Data Centre (USSD Centre) is an application platform targeted at Mobile Network Operators who are looking at offering interactive messaging services. The USSD Centre allows delivery of Unstructured Supplementary Services Data (USSD) messages of up to 182 characters between mobile stations and applications.
Services based on the USSD Centre can be viewed as an alternative to the Short Message Service (SMS). Because of its inherent nature of being session oriented, USSD is fast compared to SMS. The USSD service can be accessed by simply dialling a USSD string.
Features
The key features of Logos Solvo’s USSD Centre are:- Create menus and sub menus dynamically. The system allows for new service menus to be created and deployed at any time;
- Menu provisioning per MSISDN. Each subscriber can have customized menus, which are linked to their MSISDN;
- Each leaf node of the menu can be interfaced with an external application;
- The user can be prompted to enter data such as User ID, password, etc.;
- Easy to interface with the existing SMS based content providers;
- SMPP/CIMD/HTTP/XML interfaces towards the third party applications;
- The response message can be sent as an SMS or USSD message in the same session;
- Customer Care Interface;
- Unicode Support – Multiple languages are supported.
Advantages To Mobile Network Operators
The USSD Centre offers several advantages to the MNO and its subscribers:- User friendly. It is easy for a subscriber to key in a USSD digit string. USSD strings can be attached to the quick dialling keys and can be stored on the handset which further simplifies the use of the USSD service.
- Session Oriented. SMS is store-and forward oriented, while USSD is session oriented making it very fast compared to SMS.
- Interactive Sessions. Due to the inherent nature of being session-oriented, interactive sessions can be established with the subscriber. This can work as an alternative to IVR in some cases.
- Roaming Support. USSD commands are routed back to the home mobile network’s Home Location Register (HLR), allowing for the virtual home environment concept.
- Wide Terminal Support. USSD access does not need any modification to the handset. All existing mobile phones support USSD.
- Unicode Support. The system can support multiple languages.
- In-roamer Support. The USSD service can be provided to in-roamers.
