The South African operator Cell C has announced the launch of a new service named “MyTools”, a cloud telephony service built on global technology firm fonYou’s OMT-9000 platform.
The new service will allow operators to offer their end customers over-the-top Web 2.0 services such as an online activity register, smart address book, advanced call control features or visual voicemail, accessible through web and mobile phone browsers as well as smartphone and Facebook applications.
Through these services, customers can take total control of their mobile number. Service features include the ability to blacklist unwanted calls or SMS, set up different voicemail greetings for different callers, manage contacts and messages online, forward voicemails as emails, or set up call forwarding services at different times of the day.
fonYou’s OMT-9000 is a carrier-grade technology platform that enables mobile operators to compete with the new generation of cloud-based models such as Google Voice, Skype or WhatsApp.
Fernando Núñez-Mendoza, CEO and co-founder of fonYou, said he believed the OMT-9000 platform would help mobile operators launch “sticky” services and protect their network investment by boosting customer retention.
“Operators need to build sticky services around their most valuable asset – network access. Our platform can help operators build valuable and popular services that are unique to that carrier and can form a key part of the concept of the “network as a service” [NaaS] business model,” he said.
Núñez-Mendoza explained that these services are designed for the Web 2.0 generation who are used to managing their finances, travel and shopping online and will now be able to do the same with their mobile accounts.
“Our platform gives the operator’s customers more control of their mobile service – who can call them and at what times, who is allowed to leave voicemails, or when is it appropriate to simply ask callers to send a text and not leave a message,” he said.
The launch of MyTools is part of Cell C’s strategy to strengthen its positioning as innovation leader in this highly competitive market. In September 2010, Cell C launched Africa’s first HSPA+ (high speed mobile internet access) network in the 900 Mhz frequency band. The network, which is live in 13 cities across the country, has already won several awards, including the 2010 Mobile Broadband Service of the Year. Cell C is ranked the number one Internet Service Provider in South Africa according to Ookla’s netindex (Ookla is the global leader in broadband speed testing).
