Voice messaging for Uganda Telecom subscribers

To compose a voice SMS, a subscriber dials *88 followed by the number of the recipient, speaks for 30 seconds and disconnects. The recipient is alerted with a normal SMS text notification and can retrieve the voice SMS by following instructions.

A subscriber has the option to hear new and old voice SMSes, and can reply and forward messages. Recipients who are not on Uganda Telecom's network can also listen and reply to the voice SMS sent to them. This service has been made available by Kirusa, a vendor of voice SMS and a developer of mobile value-added services.

Hans Paulsen, chief commercial officer of Uganda Telecom said that Ugandans will find the new mode of communication much simpler to use. “Compared to standard text SMS, voice SMS is a more exciting way to deliver short messages as it eliminates the arduous typing and presents convenience of sending out a message to a friend or loved one,” he said.