With network operators worldwide treading carefully between expansion and squeezing more business from their existing resources, computer telephony systems specialist NMS Communications appears to have struck a profitable balance in supplying technologies to both camps.
The Massachusetts-based firm recently claimed an innovation that it expects to be adopted in existing second-generation cellular services and in new high-speed, Internet-ready, third-generation (3G) mobile-phone systems.
SK Telecom, one of the first cellular network operators to start 3G services, claims about 3.5 million subscribers and has signed up for a new, personalised service based on technology from NMS.
The ring-back service called 'Color Rings' allows users to choose what people will hear when they call their phone instead of the usual ringing tone.
Subscribers pay a small monthly fee for a limited selection of rings, and additional fees to select from thousands of ring sounds and melodies such as popular songs, classical music, and pre-recorded messages like 'Happy birthday to you' on SK Telecom's network.
Users can choose tones for individual contacts, such as one tone for their spouse to hear or another for their boss. They can even choose one tone for daytime and another for the evening.