Fixed Mobile Convergence

Several new technology services have been announced by Air2Web (News - Alert). Air2Web is a mobile technology company. Personalized brand experiences and complete customer relationships are created by Air2Web through SMS, mobile web and applications. Dissemination of indecent content via standard-rate and premium text messaging will be prevented with the newly introduced technology services.

Air2Web is focusing only on messages originating from third-party content providers. Compliance with standards set forth by the Mobile Marketing Association (News - Alert) (MMA) will be ensured with the roll-out of a more robust message auditing process from Air2Web. Enhanced SMS profanity filters which are a URL filtering program will also be rolled-out by Air2Web. Users of Air2Web's AirCARE Mobile Gateway (News - Alert) can avail these services for free.

In a release, Harvey Scholl, chief technology officer for Air2Web said, "While there were an estimated 1.56 trillion text messages sent last year, just one transmission of unsolicited, indecent content can have a long-lasting negative impact on a consumer's mobile experience -- with our carrier partners paying the ultimate price. We want to help carriers keep the mobile airways clean and clear of inappropriate content. The combination of our three new services will provide carriers the most extensive level of screening and auditing available, without infringing on the privacy rights of mobile users."

Content contained within the text of a mobile-terminated message will be scanned and analyzed by Air2Web's automated profanity filtering service. The service will then block transmission of offensive messages over the carrier network. Potential links to suspect mobile website content will be determined by Air2Web diving deeper into URLs contained within a mobile-terminated message. A random sampling of URL links traveling over its SMS delivery network will be analyzed by Air2Web’s URL filtering. Senders of content that is not compliant with MMA and carrier guidelines will be notified that their messages have been blocked from the carrier network. Compliance with MMA standards for mobile-terminated SMS messages will be ensured with the enhancement of Air2Web’s auditing process of message content. This service is in addition to audits conducted at the carrier level.