Mobile phone configuration website Configuremyphone.com has released a free API (Application Programming Interface) that enables mobile content companies to offer over-the-air (OTA) configuration services from within their own websites at zero-cost. The service, which remotely configures a mobile phone for data services, uses Premium SMS to charge the end user directly, removing all costs for the content provider. The service supports OTA configuration of mobile Internet, Java, MMS and mobile email settings on more than 1,800 handsets across all major UK networks.
According to research commissioned by WDSGlobal, the company behind configuremyphone, handsets that arent correctly configured for mobile data remain a key barrier for the mobile content industry. The company says that one in five UK mobile users has experienced the disappointment of an error message when trying to access a web service via their phone, or when trying to download a mobile application or a piece of content.
Weve spoken to a lot of mobile content companies who are acutely aware of the configuration issue and the damage it does to service adoption, says WDSGlobal Vice President of Marketing, Tim Deluca-Smith. Unfortunately, OTA configuration services have traditionally been costly to run and have largely been the preserve of larger content companies and mobile operators. We looked to reverse this by passing the cost onto the end-user as a support charge should they require configuration assistance. Configuremyphone is a world-first, allowing the mobile content industry to combat the handset configuration problem head-on and without major financial investment.
Configuremyphone allows configuration support to be included within existing support pages or within a service or application download flow. The service quickly resolves connectivity problems and means users can get assistance without having to leave the content providers website for a resolution.
The API serves-up access to an onscreen wizard that collects the phone make and model, home network and users phone number before sending the necessary settings to the handset via a text message. Settings are automatically installed by accepting the incoming text message; the entire process takes less than 90 seconds.
Configuremyphone charges end users 1 (plus standard network SMS charge), for a configuration. The service has been approved by UK industry regulator PhonePayPlus and includes free support for end-users should they need it. WDSGlobal, which operates the service, last year configured more than 250 million mobile phones on behalf of major mobile brands.
Companies can apply for the free API here.