Ask HN: What business domain needs SMS/USSD based UI the most?

1 points by senthadev 12 years ago | 6 comments

Hello HN,

Last few years I have been developing SMS (binary SMS)-as-a-Service applications, in python and java eco stack, where I've learned the internals of SMS (3GPP TS 23.040) and SIM cards security(3GPP TS 23.048).

Now I've allocated 30% of my work week to work on something new, something challenging on my own by mixing this hard earned knowledge with other different domain. According to technology radar 2013 (http://www.thoughtworks.com/radar), there is a need for SMS/USSD UI for applications. Problem is that its very hard to choose a domain where I can apply SMS/SIM knowledge.

I need a different perspective from you guys. Please do share your different views of applying it. Maybe I could find a business co-founder here. (Currently I live and work in Norway/Trondheim)

toonster 12 years ago |

-banking is probably the best shot. (check balance/transfer/pay/etc) -business applications (booking leave/expenses in a consulting environment where the USSD message ends up in an SAP backend.) -business applications (project management. dynamic task for the day & then quality control) -consulting (find these guys http://www.groupsystems.com/ and integrate into them so you can increase remote usage of the vote systems) -it operations (remote triggers for starting/ending jobs on servers)

when you build the app on the SIM, are you able to store more data on the SIM so that when USSD messages are sent, they are send encoded & then decrypted on the device rather then sent plain over the air? - tons of banking/payment applications here.

senthadev 12 years ago | |

Bank sector and USSD are good combination, but banking sector doesn't interest me. Thanks for the input.

jasiek 12 years ago |

Two-factor authentication using USSD. I've integrated a system like that with OpenLDAP. When you attempt to authenticate, a code gets displayed on your cellphone screen. You could also prompt the user to enter a code, etc. From what I gather it is cheaper to use than SMS, and there's no trace on the phone after the modal dialog is dismissed. Also - works with every handset.

senthadev 12 years ago | |

Yes, this looks interesting. thanks.

alberto_rico 12 years ago |

Two key points, IMHO, for a service to be fit for a SMS UI:

* Interaction sparsely needed.

* Usage where Internet access is either way too unreliable, and/or expensive (roaming? maybe offering different international numbers?)

Offtopic: Wait, Trondheim? Heihei, nabo :). Gløshaugen is killing me with exams, but let's have a beer some time.

senthadev 12 years ago | |

Hello nabo :), definitely we should have some beer. My contact email is in profile.