Submitted by Mike Grenville on Fri, 10 Nov 2006 14:46

News International publication The Sun has launched a User Generated Content initiative in the UK which allows mobile users to submit content to the 'newspaper' via a short code.

The Short Code 63000 provided by MX Telecom, is provisioned for SMS, MMS, Voice and Video on all of the UK networks, and is claimed to be the World’s first ‘Unified’ Short Code.

The Short Code will be used to gather breaking news and other content from Sun readers, who will be invited to use the code as a primary contact mechanism. SMS and MMS messages sent to 63000 are delivered directly to The Sun news team, whilst voice calls made to the number are routed straight to the news desk. An application built in the MX Telecom Video Gateway allows video callers into 63000 to also record and submit live ‘as it happens’ video clips.

The Sun says it is looking for readers who have snapped a celeb partying on their mobile, filmed a Premiership footballer getting drunk or been caught up in a breaking news story, like a terror attack to send in their pictures and even videos.

There is no surcharge through the shortcode and only normal network charges are applied to messages.

The Sun concludes that SMS now stands for Send My Story!