Ericsson pitching SMS payment system at online newspapers

According to The Guardian, Sweden's Ericsson is expanding its SMS-based Web Pin Opt-in mobile payment system as a platform to drive payments for web content.

With IPX, when customers encounter a paywall, they enter their mobile phone number on the web page and are sent an SMS text message with a four-digit PIN code. The PIN fee is taken from users' mobile carrier bill and, when entered back on the web page, gives them either one-off access to individual articles or longer-term access as part of a subscription deal.

There's no pre-registration of banking details or anything, the only information you need to give is your mobile number.

Swiss daily Le Temps used a similar system for years. It was just great, fast and efficient.

M-Commerce's Big Moment

Business Week has a lengthy report on mobile commerce and how it's gaining momentum, as consumers get comfortable with ordering all sorts of products by cell phone and companies such as Papa John's watch sales climb.

... In mid-2008, Papa John's International pizza chain began letting customers order food and drinks on a Web site tailored to a cell phone's small screen. By December, customers had used their cell phones to order $1 million in Papa John's products. Papa John's says mobile sales now are rising at an annual tenfold pace.

Read full article.

Amazon Announces Mobile Payments Service

Amazon launched a new service yesterdaywhich brings the company's payment processing tools to mobile devices. ReadWriteWeb reports.

Called the "Amazon Mobile Payments Service," the technology includes a set of APIs (application programming interfaces) for mobile developers which will allow them to provide payment options to their customers within mobile websites and mobile applications.

The new service also allows for integration of Amazon's "1-Click" checkout, the feature that lets customers make purchases using their credit card information stored within their Amazon.com accounts.

A Small Business Guide to Text-Message Marketing

The New York Times has published a Small Business Guide to Text-Message Marketing with quick tips, recommended reading and case studies.

Additional resources missing from this guide:

-- SMS and Business category on Textually

-- SMS Marketing and Advertising category on Textually

-- 101 Business Uses for SMS, a report published by Clickatell, recipient of the Moby award in the "Best Mobile Direct Response" category for its industry-first SMS campaign working with the US State Department, which sent 'live' text messages to global citizens during President Obama's Cairo and Ghana speeches this past summer.

Intuit unveils mobile phone credit card processing

Software maker Intuit is announcing a new service today, called Intuit GoPayment, that will put credit-card processing technology into most cell phones, paving the way for electricians, tow-truck drivers or any other mobile workers who normally depend on sending a bill, collecting a check or sticking to a cash-only model to collect immediate payment.

[via ZDnet Blogs]

101 Business Uses for SMS

Clickatell's 37 page guide reviews 101 innovative ways to use text messaging in your business (You have to give your details to access the pdf document) or view directly as html:

-- Sales, Products and Marketing
-- Customer Services and Relationship Management
-- Business Process Management and Internal Administration
-- Information Technology and System Administration
-- Transport and Logistics
-- Travel and Tourism
-- Financial Services
-- Social Networking

And just for fun, check out a 2003 Year in Review on some of the more unusual ways of using text messaging.

Cents-Off Coupons and Other Special Deals, via Your Cellphone

The cellphone industry hopes customers will want to receive deal alerts at the store, or simply use the phone as a virtual coupon at the cashier.

[via The New York Times]

Cell phone boarding passes coming to an airline near you

American Airlines announced today that it was introducing mobile boarding passes for passengers taking domestic flights, which it hopes will not only cut down on paper waste, but also make things a little more speedy and convenient for travelers.

[via ars technica]

Consumers to be notified of power cuts through SMS

According to The Nation, the Kenya Power and Lighting Company will introduce a text messaging alert service to inform customers of impending planned electricity supply interruptions.

“The system will also be used to alert customers to avoid disconnection a day or two before their bills payment deadline among other uses,” said the firm’s managing director Joseph Njoroge in an interview."

Christie's Sends Art Auction Alerts

Art auctioneers Christies is using Clickatell's SMS platform to inform customers about soon to be released auction items of interest-such as masterpieces by Picasso and Van Gogh-and pricing updates prior to and during auctions.

Clients can track specific lots that they are interested in, and receive email or text alerts before those items come up for auction, so that they can bid.

[via 160characters.org]

Inazip targets mobile marketing to restaurants

Inazip.com offers affordable, easy-to-use mobile marketing software that helps businesses increase campaign response and effectiveness.

They mostly target mobile marketing solutions to restaurants. Letting them send VIP offers to their clients, letting patrons use their phone to be notified when their table is ready, or to instantly check how long UNTIL the table is ready, etc.

From one of their clients: We sent 431 people a text message on Tuesday, January 29th and had a total sales day of $3,500.00. The week before, our sales were only $1,500 for the day. Unbelievable!!!" - Mike Cheves, Owner, Kristies Bar and Gril

Penguins Sell Tickets via Cellphone Alerts

Several major marketers have found themselves stonewalled when it comes to measurable and effective uses for mobile technology, but . Advertising Age reports.

"Faced with persistently unsold tickets and a bevy of would-be attendees priced out of the action at area colleges, B>the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2006 started sending news of available, severely discounted seats to college kids on the mornings of home games.

The messages noted how many tickets were unsold, letting students know if they needed to camp out all day to get one of a few available, or if tickets were ample enough that they'd be available at the booth just before the puck was dropped.

... Messages went out to 2,000 subscribers, and 1,800 replied for a shot at the signed puck within the first hour. "That response shows that we're tapping a fan base that's just rabid," said Michael Cahan, Vibes' director-sports and media.

Avis incorporates SMS technology into rental process

As of this summer, Avis customers will be able to add mobile internet access to their rental, as well as a GPS navigation device, without ever having to speak with an Avis agent.

And Avis will be sending renters a quick SMS while in the road, to get heir feedback and comments.

[via Carrentals.co.uk]

'Tokyo Girls' match cellphones with fashion

The biannual Tokyo Girls Collection show, the brainchild of Tokyo start-up Xavel, targets both the popularity of mobile devices and the fashion frenzy of this nation's trendy youngsters. USA Today reports.

"Xavel runs Girlswalker.com and fashionwalker.com, sites designed to be accessed from mobile phones as well as personal computers. And it welcomes retailers to sell their wares through the sites. About 200 companies, mostly smaller local brands, sell through fashionwalker.com.

Some 7 million people regularly read the Girlswalker.com magazine site, while 3 million shop at fashionwalker.com each month, according to Xavel.

Xavel won't disclose its sales commissions or the fee for taking part in the Tokyo Girls Collection show. But its 2007 revenue was $130 million, mostly from advertising and direct sales. Sales at this month's one-day show in Tokyo totaled about $350,000, Xavel officials said.

Xavel's success grows from marketing what it has dubbed "real clothes" — functional, everyday apparel — through cellphone communication and the fashion show, in contrast to the more arty design statements that make up the conventional fashion world's shows, said Ayako Nagaya, chief producer of Tokyo Girls Collection.

Xavel peddles off-the-rack women's wear for the season in progress, carefully selecting affordable brands like Japan's new Titty & Co. and Spiral Girl. Most items cost $50 to $100, though some are pricier."

New York Times Mobile Real Estate Listings

The New York Times has made it easy to get information about properties on your mobile device, regardless of whether you are looking in the newspaper, on the Web site or searching directly from a mobile device.

From the newspaper: To get more information about a print ad, text the property ID from a real estate classified to a mobile device.

From the Web site: To send a listing from www.nytimes.com/realestate to yourself or someone else for offline viewing, just click on the mobile icon in the "listing tools" area of a property.

From your mobile device: To search for properties directly from your mobile device, go to m.nytimes.com/re and enter your property criteria (such as location and price) or find a specific property by listing ID.

Sending gifts via text message helps break down social barriers

Sending gift coupons via text messages has become a multi-million-dollar business for South Korea's largest mobile carrier, SK Telecom, since its launch in December 2006, reports dpa, seeing year-over-year growth of 700% from 2006 to 2007 according to Web2.0 Asia.

" Kim Mi-ran, a 20-year-old co-ed, smiles at a text message that she has just received on her mobile phone. It says, "Enjoy an Ice Caramel Macchiato coffee at Starbucks." It was from a male student whom she had met socially, but seldom talks to her.

"I like this way of letting her know my interest in her," grins the male student who sent the gift coupon by phone."I would be a little too nervous to call her and say 'hi," he adds.

SK Telecom says that the carrier has almost 300,000 young users a month sending about 1 million dollars' worth of the "gifticon" brand coupons, which are good for sending small gifts like coffee and ice cream via their friends' cellphones.

The service is meant to nurture human relationships, explains Kim Hye-Jin, a spokeswoman for SK Telecom.

... Small sum gift items top the list of more than 100 gifticon items offered by about 40 franchisers, including Mr Pizza, Baskin Robbins ice cream, Burger King hamburgers and many Korean-branded snacks".

TimesJobs.com launches SMS Xpress Hire

n the pursuit to provide the best and the most efficient recruitment solutions to its clients, TimesJobs.com presents XpressHire. A service that enables recruiters to send SMS to targeted or even multiple candidates at a single click and receive their responses and applications.

Using XpressHire recruiters can send SMS to selected multiple candidates with a single click through TimesJobs.com. The recruiter can also send SMS to candidates from their own databases i.e., even to non-TimesJobs.com registered users.

[Press release]

Dutch supermarkets trials grocery shopping by cell phone

The Netherlands will be the first European city to try out grocery shopping via cell phones. Pocket Picks reports.

"The six-month pilot, run by LogicaCMG at a branch of Dutch chain C1000, involves 100 customers paying for their shopping on their mobiles, using an existing online PIN payment system. Each customer has an online account with Rabobank.

The users’ phones are equipped with technology supporting wireless information exchange – e.g. payments – over a short distance. The phone is held next to a reader at the checkout and after the customer enters their PIN, a chip in the phone transmits a unique ID linked to the shopper’s bank account. Hence they pay with their bank account, not their mobile phone bill."

Markets: Rumour SMS creates panic

Thursday an SMS went out to thousands of market players across India. It said that the left had withdrawn support from the government and the news will hit the headlines in 45 minutes.

It immediately sent the Sensex into a nosedive and in just seven minutes the index lost about 160 points slipping deep into the red. Buying came in immediately and within another four minutes the Sensex regained about 170 points.

[via NDTV Profit]

PayPal launches mobile-checkout service

Eyeing the small but growing number of consumers using their cell phones to make purchases, Paypal has launched Mobile Checkout, writes DMNews.

"The new service from the ebay division enables consumers in the US, UK and Canada to visit a merchant’s Web site and purchase items by clicking on the PayPal button, all from their mobile device.

The mobile Web service joins a text-message-based payment service that PayPal introduced in April 2006, which allows consumers to buy, donate or send money using a text-message-based service from their mobile devices."

Workers Use Cell Phones to Submit Data

Paperless data exchange between field workers and their offices is not new. But Florida startup JumpStart Wireless is bringing it to regular cell phones with software that bridges incompatibilities among handsets. The AP reports.

"Using artificial intelligence, the Delray Beach-based company's application fits most business software, and works with nearly every cell phone brand.

"Any phone you can play a game on, you can run our software on," said Jeff Bonar, who started JumpStart in 2000.

... Companies customize forms that organize the information they want sent to a field worker. Data bounce from the office to JumpStart's servers to the worker's phone and back.

It helps eliminate paperwork and reduces the need for employees to perform data entry for client billing and in-house accounting. It can help speed up billing and track staff productivity."

Business Model Innovation

Is it possible to profitably provide consumers with cellular connectivity for 2 or 3 dollars a month? Everyon'es favorite Jan Chipchase describes one way on future perfect.

"WIreless Village takes an existing and well known service setup - providing cellular connectivity and re-designs the task process signing-up customers, billing, invoicing, service support to suit local conditions.

If, as expected the trial benefits all the parties involved (consumers, local entrepreneurs, micro-finance organisations, operators, my employer) this could have significant impact in connecting the next billion."

And why the photo of a tree? The eagle eyed amongst you will have spotted the extended cell phone antenna between the branches - Jan Chipchase

Vet students trial mobile technology

Students at UK's Royal Veterinary College are using smartphones to take video, view diagnostic images and access research while in the field as part of a new project called MyPad. IT Pro reports.

"The pilot project, sponsored by Orange, which began in November 2006, has 30 students trialling M3100 SPV and 15 M500 SPV smartphones and a bespoke database platform, designed to help record and process information from their hands-on training.

...The internet-enabled phones also allow students to cross-reference their notes and check research right away while working with animals."

Bluetooth Test Marketing in Supermarket

Adverblog describes an Asian food brand called " Go-Tan" which is testing a Bluetooth marketing campaign in a Dutch supermarket.

"Custumers shopping in the supermarket (and anyone walking within a 100m distance) who has an open Bluetooth connection, receive a message indicating the discounted Go-Tan products available in the store.

The action will last until the end of the week, and it's still too early to look at the results.

... According to the Emerce article wehre the story initially appeared, over 25 percent of Dutch mobile users leave their Bluetooth with an open connection".

SMS As Business Tool on the Rise in South Africa

The use of SMS for business purposes shows widespread adoption within the South African market, according to a new study, reports Cellular News.

"95% of respondents reported receiving business communications via SMS while 75% received email communications for business purposes. The study compared the experiences of Internet savvy South African consumers who are also mobile phone users. The study was conducted by Webchek using their SMS channel to conduct the research."

Who's Who in mobile

Ewan MacLeod over at SMS Text News has put together a Who's Who in mobile. It's meant to be an easily accessible, searchable and comprehensive list of people and their companies.

Who's Who Categories:

* Bloggers
* Consultants
* Country Managers
* CTOs
* Developers
* Entrepreneurs
* Founders and Co-Founders
* Investors
* Managing Directors
* Mobile Communities
* Visionaries

If you'd like to be in the Who's Who, fill in the add-me request form. Anyone can be added -- as long as they're related to mobile. Your request will be reviewed and up online generally within 24 hours.

Mobile loan sharks start to bite Nordic youth

This is wild. Reuters reports that loan sharks in Finland and other Nordic countries are targeting ads to young people asking them if they need cash to pay their next bill and to send them a text message. They promise to send the money in just a few minutes. And there's barely a mention of the annual lending rates of up to 1,000 percent involved.

"Dozens of companies have started to offer short-term loans for up to a few hundred euros each through text messages in Finland, and similar offers are cropping up in Sweden, Norway and the Czech Republic in central Europe.

The most active Finnish text message lenders give out several thousands of euros in loans each month, with most going to people in their 20s, the survey showed."

Orbitz introduces mobile service

Orbitz has recently launched OrbitzTLC Mobile Access. Users will be able to check Orbitz travel itineraries, any flight status and real-time, last-minute hotel availability in 20 US markets from their mobile phone or other wireless device, informs Eyefortravel.

"The service is available 24/7 and free so it is accessible to anyone with the ability to search the Web via their mobile device (standard service provider fees may apply).

Randy Wagner, chief marketing officer, Orbitz said, “Wireless is today’s lifeline for leisure and business travelers, so we conceived OrbitzTLC Mobile Access to work with existing mobile browsers, adding one more extra that people get automatically when they book with Orbitz.com.”

Filipino workers abroad can SOS by SMS

Filipinos working abroad and who are poorly treated, can now send an SOS to their government by text messaging, according to SPAN.

"Government agencies and NGOs are now able to respond and/or intervene, in a timely, adequate and efficient manner, particularly where either the OFW’s life, safety or well being is a critical consideration."

High court daily list through SMS

A new SMS service helps Indian lawyers keep track of their clients' cases, reports The Hindu

"The Madras High Court Madurai Bench Advocates Association using the SMS facility on mobile telephones to inform lawyers regarding the "cause list", the daily schedule of cases in the respective courts.

Under the system, the mobile numbers of the lawyers of the association have been stored in a computer network available with the association. Once the cause list for subsequent day was made available by the registry, the association staff feed the details into the computer.

The software then would match the names of advocates on its rolls against the names in the cause list and would send an SMS to the concerned lawyers. "

Related:

-- Text messaging to cut witness time at court in Lincolnshire

-- Texting to get police back on the beat

-- Delhi State to offer court SMS services