Voice short codes
Encyclopedia
Voice short codes enable UK mobile phone
users to dial a 5-digit short code
(eg. 61500) as an alternative to a standard geographic (eg. 020 prefixed) or non-geographic (eg. 0800 prefixed) long number. The consumer
pays anything between 0p and £2/min. The short code is forwarded to a standard geographic number - typically an existing call centre
or interactive voice response
(IVR) system.
Voice short codes are available across all the UK mobile network operators - namely Vodafone
, Three
, T-Mobile
, Orange, Virgin Mobile
and O2. Voice short codes are provided by mobile aggregators - who have a commercial relationship with each of the mobile operators.
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
users to dial a 5-digit short code
Short code
Short codes are special telephone numbers, significantly shorter than full telephone numbers, that can be used to address SMS and MMS messages from certain service provider's mobile phones or fixed phones...
(eg. 61500) as an alternative to a standard geographic (eg. 020 prefixed) or non-geographic (eg. 0800 prefixed) long number. The consumer
Consumer
Consumer is a broad label for any individuals or households that use goods generated within the economy. The concept of a consumer occurs in different contexts, so that the usage and significance of the term may vary.-Economics and marketing:...
pays anything between 0p and £2/min. The short code is forwarded to a standard geographic number - typically an existing call centre
Call centre
A call centre or call center is a centralised office used for the purpose of receiving and transmitting a large volume of requests by telephone. A call centre is operated by a company to administer incoming product support or information inquiries from consumers. Outgoing calls for telemarketing,...
or interactive voice response
Interactive voice response
Interactive voice response is a technology that allows a computer to interact with humans through the use of voice and DTMF keypad inputs....
(IVR) system.
Voice short codes are available across all the UK mobile network operators - namely Vodafone
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
, Three
Hutchison 3G
3 is a brand name under which several UMTS-based mobile phone networks and Broadband Internet Providers are operated in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom...
, T-Mobile
T-Mobile
T-Mobile International AG is a German-based holding company for Deutsche Telekom AG's various mobile communications subsidiaries outside Germany. Based in Bonn, Germany, its subsidiaries operate GSM and UMTS-based cellular networks in Europe, the United States, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
, Orange, Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile is a brand used by many mobile phone service providers across the globe; its headquarters are based in the United Kingdom. Virgin Mobile has local operations in Australia, Canada, France, India, South Africa, Greece, United Kingdom and the United States. It briefly also had operations...
and O2. Voice short codes are provided by mobile aggregators - who have a commercial relationship with each of the mobile operators.
Advantages
- Memorable
- Price transparency (0800 / 090 numbers cost more to call from mobiles than their advertised rate)
- Can be free to the consumer (unlike 0800 numbers, which mobile operators charge for access to)