U2opia mobile implements USSD gateway on cloud with Tigo group

Singapore-based mobile technology start-up, U2opia Mobile, has added a USSD gateway on cloud to their existing USSD platform, to improve their bouquet of value added services. This will help make implementation of social and content VAS possible in a single day.

USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) is a session-based technology that enables access to social and content services on mobile without an Internet connection. Among its most popular implementations is Facebook for USSD, which allows users to access Facebook on mobile, without internet. Its other implementations include access to Twitter, Google Talk and a host of content services.With this innovation, any telecom carrier can implement USSD services on its network, as it removes all dependency on the carrier’s own USSD gateway.

By deploying the USSD gateway on cloud, implementing USSD services becomes a plug-and-play process for any operator, vastly reducing the time and resources required. It also successfully removes all hardware dependency from the process.

The first deployment of USSD gateway on cloud has been with the Tigo Group across El Salvador, Paraguay and Bolivia and the service has already racked up close to 70,000 users in the space of two weeks, claims U2opia.

Commenting on the innovation, Sumesh Menon, CEO, U2opia Mobile, said, ‘While services powered through Fonetwish was a success, deploying services through the host carrier’s USSD gateway did present a layer of complexity. There would invariably be issues relating to hardware, bandwidth and so on, thereby increasing the time needed for implementation. By deploying the USSD gateway on cloud, that complexity is removed and the process is practically plug-and-play. It opens up a world of opportunity for every carrier globally, to provide value added services to their non-smartphone user base.’

U2opia Mobile pioneered the implementation of social and content services through their USSD platform Fonetwish in 2010 and now have operations in 25 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe, catering to millions of users in 6 global languages across 40 telecom carriers.

The mobile technology start-up creates applications catering across the handset spectrum – from basic/feature phones to smartphones. With financial backing from Matrix Partners, they have offices across Singapore, India, Dubai and San Francisco.

U2opia Mobile is a global provider of mobile applications that enable ubiquitous and customised access to the social internet. U2opia recognizes a distinct opportunity in consumer networking and social mobility and collaborates with global internet giants and telecom carriers across the globe to create solutions.