Info2cell.com launches first SMS pull information services in the UAE

Info2cell has drawn on its own experience with similar services launched with Batelco Bahrain, MTC Kuwait, Fastlink Jordan and the technological expertise of its Italian partner Acotel, in its service offering.

"UAE mobile subscribers need no longer wait to read a newspaper, listen to the radio or watch TV in order to find out the latest news, financial summary or entertainment information," said Bashar Dahabra, Founder and CEO Info2cell.com. "Instant updates of headlines or financial and leisure information can now be pulled at will anytime on mobile phones by subscribers, by simply sending a specific command message to a preset number."

"Info2cell.com's SMS push information services have already registered a record 100,000 subscribers in the Middle East region proving that there is a growing demand for the SMS information services. By introducing smsME, we are building on our earlier success to offer more enhanced services, where the customer can not only receive the information of his choice of category but also decide the receipt time for the service. The pull information services gives our customers a much greater control on the inflow of information into their mobile sets and gives them more freedom of choice," said Dahabra.

Info2cell.com's tie-up with Acotel has further strengthened its leadership position in the regional telecommunications industry. This collaboration has also given it access to Europe's leading Wireless Application Service Provider (WASP) technology as offered by Acotel. The Acotel Group also offers enabling platforms and applications, which deliver messaging services for Network Operators and enterprises to the personal, wireless world of mobile devices.

"The mobile phone has evolved considerably from being just a voice connector between two people and much of the credit for this goes to SMS messaging. We at Info2cell.com aim to ensure that the mobile phone is utilized to its maximum potential while at the same time guaranteeing that users are not bombarded with unwanted information. The pull services are remarkably suited to this idea because they allow users to decide independently the quality of information they would like to have, in addition to being in control of the time when the information is received," he added.

"The smsME service is being offered exclusively to UAE subscribers and is available both in Arabic and English," said Dahabra. "With the launch of Arabic enabled phones, GSM operators have witnessed a growth in Arabic SMS messaging, increasing traffic by up to 60 per cent and with the peak hours of SMS traffic being between 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm in the evening,"

smsME currently offers a choice of four categories of information via channels grouped under the titles Headlines, Financial, Fun and Women. Each of these further sub-divide to offer specialized and particular topics so that subscribers can fine-tune their choices appropriately and obtain exact information according to personal choice.

Subscribers interested to know the latest news, business, IT & telecom or sports headlines, cricket information or the top rated breaking news of the moment can simply send an SMS message with the dedicated code to the number 4402 to receive an instant update. Subdivisions on the financial channel also enable a subscriber to query active stocks and indices or get stock and currency quotes by means of a coded SMS message.

smsME is designed to offer something for every mobile subscriber and hence Info2cell.com has introduced two lifestyle and entertainment channels. Women constitute a significant population of the UAE and they are often on the lookout for instant kitchen tips, and beauty or fashion advice. All this information is now instantly available on the mobile simply by sending the dedicated coded SMS message to the number 4401. The latest fashion tip for instance, could be about the trends for Spring 2003 or ways to highlight one's best features. In addition, advice on managing relationships, horoscopes and a listing of leisure activities in the UAE are also available on the women's channels.

Jokes, fortune cookies, horoscopes and Time out are some of the issues being dealt with in the lifestyle and entertainment segment designated fun. Launched under a dynamic system, the pull services are designed in such a manner that each time subscribers pull the content it will enable them to get a different joke or fortune cookie. Future enhancements to the SMS pull information services will include the ability to download ringtones, picture messages and JAVA games to mobile handsets.

Info2cell.com has also launched a website www.smsme.ae in order to allow subscribers to get extensive information on the various channels available through the pull service. The entertainment channels can be accessed for UAE Dh 1 per pull while the financial and News channels cost UAE Dh 2 per pull.