Etisalat's Voice SMS, launched in November 2007 before Eid festival so that mobile customers could send greetings, has been a success with over half a million Voice SMS messages having been sent within 5 days of Eid holidays. This phenomenal adoption of Voice SMS service by Etisalat UAE subscribers demonstrates its success in multilingual mobile markets. The Kirusa Voice SMS service does not require any handset specifications or settings for using this service. To send a message, simply dial * (star) followed by the recipient's phone number, and press the call button then record your message after the tone and disconnect or press any key to hear more options. The recipient gets an SMS message and can retrieve the message by dialing *0*. Old messages can be retrieved by dialing *1*.
Etisalat has a customer penetration of 150% per cent, a remarkable figure regionally and internationally. The availability of Voice SMS will help Etisalat to leverage the service to maintain its leadership position. The Kirusa Voice SMS platform enables Etisalat to cost effectively deploy additional revenue generating services that seamlessly combine voice with text, graphics, and video to deliver dramatically enhanced end user mobile experiences. To deliver the Voice SMS solution to Etisalat, Kirusa has deployed its Voice SMS application and multimodal platform, integrated with HP OpenCall Media Platform, in the Etisalat network in Abu Dhabi. Kirusa has partnered with Emircom, an ICT solutions company based in Abu Dhabi, for the delivery and support of the solution.
Commenting on the announcement, Khalifa Al Shamsi, Vice President Marketing / Consumer & SMB, Etisalat said, "Etisalat has always been a pioneer in identifying new ways for its customer to reach out and experience the best services and technologies across the globe. Our focus has always been to create a great customer experience. This is why we announced the launch of the compelling Voice SMS service. We are sure our customers will find it easy to use and enjoy the benefits of voice communication without the sense of immediacy that tends to go with a voice call."
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Inderpal Singh Mumick, Founder and CEO, Kirusa said, "The Kirusa Voice SMS application has been very well received by mobile users in South Asia, and we are delighted that the leading carrier in Middle East has chosen to work with Kirusa to bring the benefits of Voice SMS messaging to people in UAE. Etisalat will also be able to benefit from our large installed base in South Asia, enabling the entire expatriate population to have cost effective communication with their friends and families back home."
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