Enterprise USSD An evolving messaging technology with

a potential to reduce SMS dependency

Business Services

Table of Contents

• What is USSD ?

• Need for USSD

• Components of a USSD Solution

• The Solution Architecture

• Enterprise USSD Solutions from Tata Docomo • USSD Connectivity

• USSD Applications

• Tata Docomo Value Proposition

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Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD)

• It is a GSM technology used to send text between a mobile & apps in the network.

• Similar to SMS, but USSD transactions occur during the session only.

• Enables session based communication between application server at the network side and the mobile user

• USSD messages are up to 160* alphanumeric characters in length

• The connection remains open, allowing a two-way exchange of a sequence of data

• The messages sent over USSD are not defined by any standardization body

*For Messages in English

Have you ever typed a code starting with an asterisk (*), number set, and hash (#) on your

mobile? If yes, then, knowingly or unknowingly, you have already been using USSD service.

USSD is an evolving messaging technology which has the potential to reduce SMS dependency

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Need for USSD in an Enterprise

Easy Access

Smoother info flow

Responsiveness

PEOPLE more

PRODUCTIVE

PROCESSES more

INTELLIGENT

CUSTOMERS more

SATISFIED

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Use cases

USSD Apps for closing

service calls

USSD Apps for sales

processes like order

booking & lead updation

VAS services – Balance

check , service activation

(CRBT etc.)

Market research surveys

conducted on real time

basis over USSD

Subscription Services –

Cricket score , news etc. Social Media access over

USSD – Facebook ,

Google etc.

Tracking of important

information over USSD by

students/parents –

Attendance etc.

Mobile/Other Recharges

over USSD

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USSD can do a lot more !

• Access to subscribed

information

• Interactive Services

• Market Research Surveys

• Voting/Contests

• Service Requests

Customers

• Real Time updation of

operational information–

delivery/service status

• Task allocation

Partners /

Suppliers

• Enable interactive

employee communication

• Access to imp. information

– Salary etc.

• Travel/Leave /Attendance

Mgmt

• Leads/Collections Mgmt

Employees

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Benefits of USSD

• Unlike major challenge for most VAS services, USSD has no dependency on handset & OS types

• Easy to navigate, no need to remember any keywords, URLs, etc

• Real-time and instant messaging service capability - up to seven times faster than SMS for two-way transactions

• Cost-effective and flexible mechanism for offering various interactive and non-interactive mobile services to a wide subscriber base.

• Supports menu-based applications facilitating more user interactions.

• USSD services available on the home network are also accessible while roaming. Unlike SMS, there are no charges for this.

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Components of any USSD solution

Connectivity Application/Menu

Workflow

SIM Card

• Multiple components and multiple entities to deal with – no one stop shop solution

• Multiple Mobile Platforms and the costs associated with mobile apps development across Platforms

• Application development costs and the ongoing updates and modifications

• Remember keyword , mobile number etc. in case of SMS makes it inconvenient for users to have interactive communication

Challenges in

current

interactive

Communication

Solutions

GSM Mobile Phone Reporting /MIS

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The Construct of a USSD Solution

• Customizable

Applications/Workflows – Employee

Mgmt , Recharge Mgmt , Service

Ticket Mgmt etc.

• Web Based GUI

• Reports & Analytics

• GSM network only

• Interactive Menu based

services

• Mobile initiated via

dialing of codes like

*717#

Network Infrastructure Mobile Phone Enterprise Application Server

(Menu/Workflow)

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USSD solutions from Tata Docomo

USSD Connectivity Service USSD Applications

• Get Customized applications/menu based

workflows created for your existing

processes

• API Integration

• Run interactive services using USSD

apps – menu/workflow based

• Reports & Analytics

• Interactive Communication -USSR/PSSR

• Access to USSD network infrastructure

• Run interactive services using your

existing applications

• SMPP/HTTP connectivity

• Interactive Communication

• USSR – Application initiated

• PSSR – Mobile initiated

Offering 1 Offering 2

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USSD Connectivity

• USSD connectivity offering enables you to

integrate your USSD based applications/menu

workflows with our network using SMPP or

HTTP connectivity options

• Run interactive services

• USSR – Application initiated

• PSSR – Mobile initiated

•You need an application along with an internet

enabled PC to get started. No additional

investments in hardware

Interactive communication plays vital role across various business processes and is used by most organizations . Tata Docomo' USSD connectivity services allows Enterprises to USSD

enable their applications and hence run interactive services with employees/customers/affiliates

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USSD Applications

• USSD applications allows you to define your existing workflows/processes in the form of USSD menus

• Tata Docomo also offers APIs that enable integration with your existing applications for information exchange over USSD

• Applications can be enabled to run interactive services • USSR – Application initiated

• PSSR – Mobile initiated

• You just need an internet enabled PC to get started. No additional investments in hardware

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A few Use Cases – USSD Applications

• Interactive employee

communication

• Access to Salary/imp.

info

• Travel Mgmt

• Leave Mgmt

• Attendance Mgmt

Run services for

farmers regarding

important

information –

• Farming tips

• Mandi prices

• Weather

• Automate

dealer

recharge

process for

mobiles/DTH

subs over

USSD

• Attendance Mgmt •Tracking of efforts & achievements •Sports performance • School Fee status

Employee Management

Subscription Services

Recharge Mgmt Education

FY 2014

With this offering Tata Docomo can create workflow/menu based customized USSD applications as per your existing processes. While there could be numerous

processes/activities which you can mobilize using USSD applications , a few indicative ones are listed below

Most simple Business Processes

can be mobilized using USSD

workflows ;

• Collections

• Delivery

• Tracking

• Support

• Lead Mgmt

• Feedback

• Surveys

• Customer Services

• Employee Services

• Vendor Services

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How USSD works?

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The Application

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Illustration 1 – Recharge app snapshot

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Illustration 2 – Service app snapshot

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Reporting/MIS

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MIS Reports

• Daily mobile number wise transaction reports (standard) over automated emails sent EOD. Captures customer specific all transactions in a day

• Customized reports can be developed – surveys , questionaires etc.

One of the sample survey report is depicted below

MSISDN DATE QUESTION ANSWER REQUEST_ID STARCODE KEYWORD

919623794053 26-07-2013

Do you or anyone in your

household work in any trade

related to consumer products or

research /advertising agency? No 1622407929 8898 NOQ1

919623794053 26-07-2013

Have you received any XYZ

Creams Sachet from the Beauty

Parlour you visited recently in

April,or May 2013? Yes 1622407931 8898 YESQ2

919623794053 26-07-2013

What brand of Skin Cream were

you usually using beforeyou

received XYZ the Beauty

Parlour? ABC 1622407933 8898 FLQ3

919623794053 26-07-2013

What was the pack size of the

<ANSWER> that you usually

purchased? Tube 21-50gm/ml 1622407935 8898 T50Q4

Survey Report

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Key features

• SMPP / HTTP connectivity options

• Initiate multiple sessions in one go

• Exclusive user account with secured authentication

• Dedicated Capacity

• 2-way communication support via USSR and PSSR

services

• Customized applications/menu based workflows

created on your existing processes

• API integration

• Reports and Analytics

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Value proposition

Pricing End to end ownership

• Integrated solution

• Single point of

contact – sales to

service delivery

• Connectivity +

Application + back

end integration

Servicing capability

• Ability to diagnose

the problem –

application or

connectivity

• Platform based

approach

Technology

• Flexibility in terms of

offering different

pricing models

• Integrated

Application and

Connectivity

charges

• Session based

Billing

One stop shop

• Ability to integrate

telecom

technologies with

applications –

Location

information, SMS,

voice

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Thank You

For further details, please contact us at

mktg@tatatel.co.in