Around the globe today there is no shortage of clever SMS ideas translating to smart business.
Look no further than India for evidence of the power of SMS in mass transportation.
According to the Times of India, train passengers will soon be able to use their mobile phones to book tickets through a simple text-messaging-based facility or a menu-based dialing service.
The two non-internet systems developed by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) can be used with even simple feature phones.
“The bookings can be made from anywhere and at any time in a secure manner,” explained an IRCTC official. “There is no need to log onto the internet or stand in a queue. Any mobile user can operate this system using handsets ranging from feature phones to smartphones.”
“A dedicated telephone number will soon be provided to carry out the transactions,” the official said, noting that customers wishing to capitalize on the service only need to register with their banks to generate a Mobile Money Identifier (MMID), which is a seven-digit number.
The SMS-based ticket service is expected to launch July 1st.
