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Submitted by Mike Grenville on Fri, 01 Apr 2005 11:15 |
Canadian operator TELUS Mobility users of the Fastap keypad are sending twice the number of text messages. Developer of the Fastap keypad Digit Wireless also announced completion of $6 million in Series C funding.
If one looks at how dificult it actually is to compose a text message using the traditional phone keypad, one is led to conclude that the phenonemal growth of SMS is 'in spite of' and not 'because of' mobile phone design. I have often thought that if it was not so hard to enter text many more people would send text messages. Now this seems to be borne out with the first results from users in Canada.
TELUS Mobility launched the Fastap LG 6190 phone in December 2004 and is the first carrier to take up the Digit Wireless keypad.
Double Data Usage
The Canadian carrier’s analysis found that new clients who purchased the phone sent almost 120% more text messages than those with other phones. Existing TELUS Mobility clients who upgraded to the Fastap LG 6190 from other phones increased their already-high texting volumes by almost 60%. Similar increases were also seen in the use of picture messaging (the Fastap LG 6190 is a camera phone), Wireless Web access and other data services.
“Market studies conducted by ourselves and a number of operators around the globe indicated
that the Fastap keypad would dramatically increase messaging and data usage among non-, low-
and moderate users - those anxious for a truly simple and intuitive way to enter data on their
mobile devices,†said David Levy, founder and chairman of Digit Wireless. “Having live market
data shouw the validity of these market studies is extremely rewarding. With the LG 6190 from
TELUS Mobility, the answer is clear – consumers like the Fastap technology and it does
significantly drive usage.â€
The Fastap keypad provides direct-entry one-touch alphanumeric input, which Digit Wirless claim enable mobile phone users to create text and multimedia messages at least twice as fast as with a standard phone keypad. Users are able to select letters, numbers and basic punctuation with the press of a single button, instead of "triple tapping" keys or relying on predictive text software.
“TELUS Mobility is very pleased with the results delivered by the Fastap LG 6190. It’s clear the
technology’s ease of use can greatly accelerate usage of data applications, especially text and
other messaging services,†said Robert Blumenthal, TELUS Mobility’s Vice President of Products
and Services.
More Funding Raised
Hot on the heels of these findings Digit Wirless announced that it has raised $6 million in Series C funding. Led by Venrock Associates, this funding round includes the participation of current investors QUALCOMM Incorporated and TELUS Ventures.
Funding will be used to grow the company’s business development and marketing efforts worldwide in order to secure additional mobile device manufacturer and wireless operator deployments of devices enabled with the company’s innovative Fastap™ keypad solution.
“With Fastap keypads, there is finally a replacement for the 50 year old numeric based keypad which has been a huge obstacle for mobile phone users wanting to access data applications" said Michael Tyrrell, general partner at Venrock Associates. The results of the first commercial deployment will send a clear message to wireless operators around the world that Fastap keypad enabled phones need to be an essential part of their product line-up across all price points.â€
www.venrock.com
www.digitwireless.com
www.telusmobility.com/
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