This is an interesting one- a company called Go800 has developed an SMS marketing system that uses the traditional keyword-to-shortcode concept, but returns voice calls instead of SMS-based content and calls-to-action.
Known as “keyword navigation” for mobile devices, Go800′s patent-pending technology enables consumers to directly connect to brands via the Go800 short code (46800) without the need to research phone numbers. For example, if you want United Airlines, text “United Air” to 46800, connect with an operator and check the status of your flight. Text “Pizza” and you may get you Ray’s pizza down the block, depending on your area code.
In terms of marketing, Go800 grants businesses a better channel by which to advertise by eliminating the need for toll-free numbers in advertisements. Merchants only need to provide their “keyword” and simple instructions to text the word to Go800.
It’s an interesting concept, and one that I’m surprised is just now seeing some traction. The company looks to have signed some pretty big brand names, and is even going after publicly traded companies interested in registering their stock symbols for direct market data via SMS. The concept is just now taking shape, but it’s one that we’ll definitely hear more about.
well done. Great and clear representation of Go800 (46800) concept!!
GOIP Global Inc might be big. I can envision a stock car @ daytona driving round the track with a big GO800 painted on the hood. Wonder if the service works and is for real ? ty joe fyi: adabu.com photo/music is not up yet
try GO800 and text hello
or try Go800 Lakers
I tried Ford and Chevy last night and it worked. Got callbacks in 2 seconds.
Intresting concept they could even market sports teams.
Can someone explain to me what is patent pending here?
This seems to be a simple text messaging platform with very simple software on the other end, nothing patent worthy…
Unless I am missing something.
Some of the greatest inventions were and are simply. The patent is so that nobody can steal there ideal. No matter how simply it may appear, the patent prevents another from copying.
Maybe I did not make myself clear.
I know what a patent is.
I was expressing my opinion that nothing within what was mentioned in the article indicated to me that they have anything patentable…
I was asking if someone could explain to me what is so unique (a requirement for a patent) and new (a requirement for a patent) in what they are doing…
You are missing the point here. This service is a brilliant idea.
When I heard about it at first, I was certainly confused as to why people think this can become widespread. I mean, so you have internet on your phone, why would you want to text somebody to get a number or whatnot, until I actually tried it.
Now picture this, you’re about to buy a car, you want a quote from Geico, FAST….
What would you guess Geico’s phone number is ? 1-800 Geico? 1-888-Geico? Maybe 1866 Geico? Let me help you its 1-800 42 Geico… go figure….
All you do is text the keyword Geico and within 3 to 4 seconds your phone rings with Geico on the other line.
Now I did some testing to actually see which one is easier, I timed myself browsing to Geico’s website through my iPhone browser, than I had to browse to a specific page, because Geico does not have the phone number listed on the home page and the result was hands down GO800 was much faster and much more convenient.
This is a simple example of major brands and corporations which can benefit from this easy to remember feature.
Now think of all the other gazillion small and mid-size businesses who can advertise their specific ads to specific phone numbers.
I have tested this with coworkers and friends and they just think this is too cool, I am yet to hear a negative comment regarding this.
GO800 will become a household name in my opinion in a very very near future.
A name which you will see appear almost everywhere, just like twitter and facebook.
The service works, its convenient and the best part its FREE!
As to answer your question why patent? As far as I can see they are the first ones to do a text to voice connection, so good luck to them!
That is great I can look for businesses and make inquiry with just a text. I would wish to have that in my cell phone.
Agree… this is great. However, is the patent on the software or the idea/service? Does anyone know? Reason being that ideas/services are pretty much no longer patented — I know from experience :-/
@Gencho, It is a CUTE idea but that’s all it is, a cute idea.
Here is the problem for the GO800 people, their business model and software is too easy to replicate.
I would suggest that my company, or for that purpose, any software company with little knowledge in mobile marketing can program this entire software within 10 days to a month. I would even add to it an advertising system that will send an ad text message every time you search for a phone, the ad will be context driven.
To make a point, go to eLance.com and post a project to develop this application and I bet you dollars to donuts you can have this entire system replicated within $5000 budget. If you know how to negotiate, I bet even $2500 should be enough.
My point: Cute idea for sure. However, as a business, it has ways to go before I would crown this a success.
My question remains: What is the patent they are applying for? From what I read nothing here is new. There are VAR systems that respond to text messages, search engines that work via text messages etc etc… what is new and unique?
who else is doing this? if the answer is nobody, then I would say it is new and unique.
@Ron, the fact that no one is doing it, doesnt mean that it is patentable… maybe no one is doing it for a reason? But that is not even the point, the fact that the technology presents nothing new, not does the business model (companies have been doing search over text messaging and Call back from text message process for a while now) confuses me in regards to their PATENT PENDING claim.
Good Luck to GO800!
@Ron, we can do this and have been able to for years.
Nothing here that should be patent-able, but you never know. In the late 90′s a patent emerged for “tabs” on a web site. You know, the buttons you click on to navigate a site? Crazy.
46800 will be just as difficult to remember as 800-Geico or 888-Geico. They’ll spend a ton of money in consumer advertising and awareness. Ask yourself tomorrow if you can remember the short code.
This new Go800 is gonna change the way we do things. Its gonna be like the 1980′s when the internet first came out and we all had to learn a new thing. It also changed the way we now live and do business. Remember when cell phones came out??? no everybody had one. Technology and our way of live ….changes every day. GO800 is just a prime example of how we will now get info as we need
Go Goig woo hooo weeeeeeee Big
sms and brian are pretty dumb. just want and see how big of a success go800 is. and it is very very easy to remember……if you cant remember go800 you have a problem
i cant wait to try go800 taxi next time i get stuck somewhere. very cool idea
IS it just me or all the positive comments here seem to come from semi educated people OR the owners of GO800…. This is not that exciting people. As SMS Software and others wrote before, there is nothing special about this service.
ok i just tried textng Hello and Ford to GO800 and I got nothing…. umm isnt someone supposed to call back? how do you know this works/ is it out in the market yet?
This smells like a spin to capture unsuspecting investors. Use some buzz words like Mobile Marketing, Patent Pending Technology; Pad every article with excited “feedbacks” like what we see up here and hope some fool will open his wallet.
I wish Mobile Marketing Watch would screen their content more carefully.
Here's a buzzword for you, "Subway"
@SMS, the fact that you text a keyword, and then get a PHONE CALL back (opposed to a text message like goog411) is where the patent comes in. Quit playing stupid, this is genius. First to market, it will take-off whether YOU believe it's worthy or not.
If anybody would like to test their own Voice Keyword for their company, please text ABC to 46800 and you will get a call from me in 4 seconds.
Glenn
GO800 is expanding world wide.. they are looking past the united states, into china and germany. for those of you who are fimiliar with the service you will reap great rewards in the future
Very stupid idea… just like FaceBook… right?