| Service: |
Interactive TV mobile messaging service |
| Portal: |
Sky Active |
| Launch: |
September 2002 |
| Company: |
Sky Interactive |
| Partner: |
Thus plc |
| Brief: |
To enable viewers to receive as well as send messages to mobile handsets |
| Result: |
Users increased threefold in first month |
| Result: |
Duration doubled |
© Sky Interactive Ltd. All rights reserved.
The existing Message 2 Mobile service enabled viewers to send an SMS message to a mobile handset. The service was popular with viewers but had the potential to offer more opportunities for both Sky Interactive and its customers.
Sky Interactive wanted to expand the functionality to enable a two-way system whereby the viewer could receive replies from the messages they sent. As it was uneconomical to assign a mobile ISDN number to each Sky set-top box, Sky Interactive needed to find another solution. It also wanted the service to be open to everyone with no need for registration.
Sky Interactive partnered with Thus plc to deliver the Message 2 Mobile service.
Sky Interactive worked with Thus to develop the functional specification, navigation and design of the service. Thus was responsible for the back-end functionality and connectivity into the network operator's short message service centre.
The hurdle of implementing a two-way system without registration was overcome using a mapping application developed by Thus. When a message is sent from the set-top box the application assigns it as an originating number (P1) from a pool of numbers and matches it to the set-top box ID. The dialled number (M1) is stored in the database with P1. When the recipient replies, the application determines that the message is from M1, pairs it to P1 and then matches it to the correct set-top box ID.
The application changed the proposition substantially. Users were not simply sending a text message but were waiting online for a reply. Sky Interactive adjusted the commercial model to suit and changed the consumer tariff for the service from a fixed rate (12p + local) to a duration rate (10p per minute).
During the first month of the service relaunch Sky saw unique users increase threefold and durations double. Message 2 Mobile is now the third most popular service on Sky Active.