Messaging International Plc (‘the Company’)EMBARQ launches Text-to-Landline service
November 21, 2007 (PRLEAP.COM) Business News
Messaging International Plc, the AIM traded provider of innovative messaging services, has, through its 100% owned subsidiary, TeleMessage Ltd, signed an agreement with USA based EMBARQ, to launch a Text-to-Landline service, which enables EMBARQ™ Wireless subscribers to send a text message from their wireless phone to a landline phone. The Text-to-Landline software converts the text to a voice message and plays it to the recipient. The recipient can reply using their own voice. The reply is sent back to the original sender's wireless phone as a text prompting the retrieval of the voice reply. Importantly, the service understands a dictionary of shorthand text messages such as ‘LOL’ that can be translated into full wording (‘laugh out loud’) for landline recipients. EMBARQ™ Wireless customers who use the service will pay standard text message costs.
Messaging International CEO Guy Levit said, “EMBARQ is in a great position to take advantage of this application because it is in tune with both the wireless and wireline phone markets. It has millions of fixed line customers that can now hear text messages and respond with ease.”
Senior Vice President of Wireless and Product Development at EMBARQ, Dennis Huber, said, “The new Text-to-Landline service is another way that EMBARQ is integrating its portfolio of services. As the line between the home phone and wireless phone becomes blurred, and as convergence takes on new meaning, EMBARQ wants to give customers simple, yet effective ways of communicating that fit into their daily lives.
“With more than 158 billion text messages sent in 2006, “LOL” and other acronyms like it were sent in text messages 300,000 times per minute, according to the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association. That figure could increase now that the EMBARQ™ Text-to-Landline service allows its wireless customers to send text messages to any landline phone across the United States.”
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For further information visit www.telemessage.com or contact:
Guy Levit Messaging International Plc Tel: + 972 3 9225252
Isabel Crossley St Brides Media & Finance Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 7242 4477
Mark Percy Seymour Pierce Limited Tel: +44 (0) 20 7107 8000
Notes
Messaging International Plc
Messaging International joined AIM in August 2005 with the objective of becoming a leading provider in the rapidly growing multimedia messaging market. Its 100% owned subsidiary, TeleMessage Ltd (www.telemessage.com), provides cross-platform media messaging management systems and applications. These are designed to enable PC, browser, mobile phone and wireline telephone users to send, receive and manage voice messages, email, SMS, IM and MMS across various media platforms. It supports multiple languages, text to speech conversion, e-mail notification, unlimited SMS length, and direct reply to SMS capabilities, all illustrating the uniqueness of the service. The Company has a number of contracts with major blue chip companies including Rogers Wireless, the largest wireless provider in Canada.
About EMBARQ
Embarq Corporation (NYSE: EQ), headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, offers a complete suite of common-sense communications services. The company has approximately 19,000 employees and operates in 18 states. EMBARQ is included in the S&P 500.
For consumers, EMBARQ offers an innovative portfolio of services that includes reliable local and long distance home phone service, high-speed Internet, wireless, and satellite TV from DISH Network® — all on one monthly bill.
For businesses, EMBARQ has a comprehensive range of flexible and integrated services designed to help businesses of all sizes be more productive and communicate with their customers. This service portfolio includes local voice and data services, long distance, Business-Class High Speed Internet, wireless, enhanced data network services, voice and data communication equipment and managed network services.
EMBARQ believes that by focusing on the communities the company serves and by employing common sense and practical ingenuity, it is able to provide customers with a committed partner, dedicated customer service and innovative products for work and home. For more information, visit embarq.com.