Innovative use of SMS by public utilities
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Article Summary
February 23, 2006 As mobile phone penetration approaches ubiquity, the potential for technology to make our lives more productive grows daily. Two glowing examples of this have just been launched in Australia from organizations intent on changing public perception of them from low-tech utilities to high-tech service organizations. Mobile phone penetration in Australia is expected to reach 94% by mid-2006, enabling personalised information services to be delivered at new levels. Connex Melbourne operates 15 rail lines, 300+ trains, 200+ stations and carries 145 million passengers a year. Transport users can now register for SMS updates via the Connex web site, providing details of their travel patterns. When a train is delayed or cancelled, a personalised SMS message is sent advising of the delay and next scheduled service. Interactive SMS queries are also possible. Similarly, " target="_blank">Australia Post’s new 'Mail2Day’ service is a notification service that lets Post Office Box customers know when they have received mail either by SMS or email.
