My two cents when it comes to USSD. USSD as we know is a protocol used to transmit information via a GSM network. This means it has a wide area of reach considering the 22M subscribers we already have. It offers a real time connection during a session in which information is sent and received. Most Mobile Operators set time limits for these sessions. Within a Mobile Operators network a USSD gateway (used to relay USSD messages) will have an interface with the MSC over SS7. From my basic understanding this means that its akin to making a connection for a call within the Network.

So the question is, how do you bill for USSD? Do you consider each session as a call on the Network and bill for this. Or do you bill for each piece of information sent via a USSD session. As far as I know Mobile Operators currently bill for USSD at the session level. This can either happen when a customer invokes a new session and is billed or the USSD service provider can agree to foot the cost for each session based on whatever agreement they have with the Mobile Operator.

Loki

On Thu, Feb 10, 2011 at 10:39 AM, Mbugua Njihia <mbugua@symbiotic.co.ke> wrote:

The fact that mobile is big in Africa is undeniable with more people seeking to understand how to derive maximum value from this channel. What most seek to know is how to generate revenue from the various services that they can offer. To generate revenue, one must have the ability to bill for services and there are various ways of doing this.

Will update USSD later

http://bit.ly/hLOtsg

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