NEW ORLEANS-Wireless industry leaders have agreed to implement universal short codes, and wireless users could see cross-carrier short code applications within the next few months.
The board of directors for the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association voted Wednesday to go ahead with the plan. The board comprises the vast majority of the industry’s wireless carriers. As RCR Wireless News has previously reported, a group of the nation’s largest carriers has been in discussions with CTIA to create universal short codes. Wednesday’s vote essentially solidifies those short code plans, as well as lays out the technical and business details needed for industrywide short codes.
“We’re moving as quickly as we can,” John Windolph, CTIA’s senior vice president for business development, told RCR Wireless News.
CTIA will act as the administrating agency for short codes. The trade group will manage the list of available, agreed-upon codes, and will ensure revenue settlement. CTIA will also act as the lead negotiation agency for media companies and other businesses that want to develop short code applications.
Specifically, media companies and other businesses will deal with CTIA to set up short code applications such as interactive TV voting or branding campaigns. That the short codes will be able to work over all carrier networks is essential, so that media companies will be able to interact with all of the nation’s wireless users.
Short codes are 4 to 6 digit numbers that can be used to offer content and information through text messages. For example, AT&T Wireless Services Inc. is now offering a short code voting service in conjunction with the Fox TV show “American Idol.”
Viewers with AT&T Wireless phones can send text messages to a short code to vote for the show’s contestants. However, today only AT&T Wireless subscribers can participate in the voting. Under a universal short code setup, subscribers from any carrier would be able to send a text message to the same number and register their vote.
Windolph said the financial details of the short code plan were not disclosed. He said the specific short codes that will be used have not yet been decided.
