SMS is set to make a comeback on TV screens as part of the interaction process, following many months of investigation, best practice guideline development, internal restructuring at broadcasters and regulator approvals.
While regulator Ofcom has turned its attentions to problems with SMS competitions on radio, fining GCap a record £1.11 million in June for a series of consumer trust breaches: the largest ever fine for a radio company, the TV industry, which came under similar scrutiny 18 months ago, is now poised to make something of an interactive comeback. PRS telephone lines have been open on a number of high-profile TV competitions, but thus far time sensitive SMS competitions and voting have been shunned as delays in delivery can mean that viewer entries and votes don't get counted but get charged for.
While the broadcast industry has undergone a huge restructuring and developed a set of much more strident rules, text services were still off the agenda. But not for long. In answer to some of the concerns around using SMS on TV, MIG has launching Refund Manager™ to enable consumers who interact with mobile competitions or votes, outside the campaign timeframe, to self-serve refunds. The product has been designed specifically in-line with PhonepayPlus regulations to give broadcasters the confidence, and the toolset, to run fully compliant premium rate mobile interactive services.
"The new prior permission licences that companies have to apply for, we will ensure that there is a strong framework to make SMS work with PRS on TV," says MIG's CEO and founder Barry Houlihan. "Our technology allows companies to work within the regulations and Refund Manager™, allows broadcasters to easily enable refunds to anyone who may has interacted outside the official campaign timeframe."
"We are very confident that mobile will be back on our screens soon and in a big way," says Houlihan. "PTV is now a very compliant business and the whole industry has put in a lot of work to protect customers going forward."
The opening up of PTV services also looks likely to see the long awaited re-introduction of SMS voting as well as the long awaited introduction of voice shortcodes next year, which will open up some more exciting opportunities for the industry.
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