Wireless carriers are always looking for ways to retain customers. The most common retention method is to offer services that customers like to use so much that they are willing to stick with the carrier simply because they offer the service. With such desirable services, carriers not only reduce customer churn, they get those customers to use their wireless devices more.
IVB Network Solutions’ Omvia product line is designed to help in customer retention and revenue generation by enabling network service providers to offer subscriber access to personalized communications and e-business services from any device. The service allows providers to generate additional revenue as their users access and reply to voice, fax and e-mail messages, manage their payment accounts, get news and other live information and purchase products and services all in a single session.
“Subscribers are changing,” said Ray Naeini, president of iVB Network. “Dial tone is no longer the only requirement. These younger, more aggressive subscribers demand communications services that reflect their personalities, including personalized information services, personal organizer features, video games and location-based messages.”
IVB said Omvia can change the way people use their wireless devices by its incorporation of speech- recognition technology, eliminating the limitations of manually inputting complex data. IVB’s experience in speech-recognition technology dates back to1984 when the company’s parent, Brite Voice Systems Inc., was formed as a supplier of IVR systems and enhanced service solutions.
Even with its history in speech recognition, for Omvia, iVB uses the latest speech recognition technology from its recently spun-off subsidiary SpeechWorks International Inc. and Nuance Corp. Omvia also incorporates services from MasterCard, Mondex, IP Cell Technologies, Sun Microsystems/ iPlanet and Telecom Technologies Inc.
Omvia services include messaging, portals, payment and m-commerce. The messaging application allows unified messaging and unified communications including voice, fax, e-mail, short messages, image, content, video and music. Omvia Portals is a communications portal application and gateway to content providers of games, stock quotes, voice-activated services and Web access. Omvia Payment provides a secure billing service for prepaid and postpaid requirements, including messaging, content, games, Internet and pay-per-view. Omvia m-Commerce is iVB’s next-generation secure payment service.
According to Stanley Jasinski, vice president of network services marketing and business unites global network business, together the service allows consumers to place calls, check messages, access Internet content and purchase services using only voice commands.
“Omvia will help carriers keep customers on the networks and drive up the amount of minutes those customers use while on the network,” Jasinski said.
Omvia is available as either a packaged, drop-in application or as an outsourced service via its iVB Network Solutions’ communications and e-business application service provider group. The outsourced approach is designed to reduce time-to-market and minimizes capital investment and risks for network operators.
