Submitted by Mike Grenville on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:18

Users can block bullying messages with the O2 Ireland new Block It service using Anam Smart Services platform.

Telefonica O2 Ireland’s has launched a Block It service running on Anam’s Smart Services platform.

The free of charge service allows O2 customers to block unwanted SMS and MMS messages from other mobile phone numbers from any Irish mobile network.

The Block It Service can restrict text messages that are sent from standard mobile and landline numbers and up to a maximum of 100 specific numbers can be blocked at any one time.

The service does not restrict the receipt of marketing and PSMS from five digit short code numbers and O2 advises users to use the STOP command to stop those. Voice calls cannot be blocked with the service.

Set Up Block It

To initially set up the service, a customer texts BLOCK IT START to 50216. Once registered, to block a number the customer texts the word BLOCK and the mobile phone number to 50216. This will stop all text, picture and video messages coming from this number. Sending UNBLOCK and the number reverses the process.

To get a reminder of the numbers blocked, sending the text BLOCK IT LIST to 50216 will generate a list of all the blocked numbers.

“Bullying is unacceptable behaviour which we all have a role to play in trying to combat" said Damian Devaney, Marketing Director - Telefónica O2 Ireland. "While the problem of bullying is not a new one, the ways in which it happens are changing. In recognition of this, we have launched Block It which has been specifically designed to empower our younger customers, allowing them to get on with their lives without the fear of receiving unwanted hurtful or mean text, video or picture messages.”

“Instances of text bullying have increased rapidly, not only in Ireland but globally. It is a big problem and has caused a lot of distress for many young people,” said Gerry McKenna, CEO of Anam.

More Countries Being Considered

Anam recently provided the technology to launch a similar service in Norway in conjunction with Telenor, Red Cross and ChildMinder. In addition, Anam recently won a Mobile Messaging award. The Bully Filter service, launched with Telenor, was voted the Best Application: Social Use at the 2009 Mobile Messaging Awards.

Bullying is something that does not just affect young people and giving users the ability to manage these messages is an important customer service. "While we are certainly considering launching a similar service in the UK, we have no firm plans to launch the service yet in the UK or any other markets" said onny Shipp, Head of Content Standards & Policy, Telefónica O2 UK. "Roll out plans will be formed based on O2's experience of the service in Ireland."

In the search for ways to reduce churn and generate extra revenues from messaging, there are a number of value added messaging services available to operators. However operators have been slow to take them up and we hope that the lauch of this service in Ireland is followed by others soon.