Khaleej Times

ABU DHABI, July 11: The handy aspect of cell phones has made for convenient short messaging services. Now, consider the scenario where one must send an urgent message but mobile signals are too weak.

Etisalat's new service for fixed line subscribers allows them to send and receive short messages with the aid of a specially-enabled instrument.

The new service allows for SMS contact among land lines and mobile phones, besides messages to fax machines and e-mail addresses and is being considered a step towards the convergence of fixed and mobile telephony services.

Essa Al Haddad, chief marketing officer, Etisalat, said, "The fixed line network has been propelled into a whole new generation with this launch and, soon, we will witness other innovative additions to boost the range of services offered on fixed lines.'

Subscription to the new service is automatic for fixed line customers. To be able to send and receive text messages, a fixed line SMS-enabled instrument, preferably with dedicated keyboard, is required. This set enables users to key in the text as in a computer.

These telephones are available in the UAE at various retail outlets and many models have been type-approved by Etisalat's UAELAB.

To be able to send a text message, 0/00 call barring must be de-activated and, to be able to receive text messages, the instrument should boast a calling number display (CLIP) feature.

One of the key elements of the service is that it is enabled for text-to-speech conversion. This means that users who do not have a special SMS enabled telephone with a screen to display the text can receive the messages as a voice message.

Etisalat's fixed line network is in for better add-ons once all users are migrated to the NGN (Next Generation Network). This would open up more opportunities for enhancing the fixed line user experience, with video calls and the like.

Tauseef Hasan Farooqi, a subscriber, welcomed the service. "I think this service could be critical in a scenario where there is no mobile signal or when the cell phone is switched off."