Unstructured Supplementary Services Data (USSD) is a GSM service that allows high speed interactive communication between the subscribers and applications across a GSM Network. A sample USSD service is the bill status service accessed by dialing *141# or similar numbers in between * and #. USSD applications can be thought of as an IVRS (Interactive Voice Response System) with out voice.
Some of the USSD applications that we use regularly are
- Alerts About special offers, services and news
- Balance enquiry
- Changing tariff plan and subscribing to various VAS services.
- Recharging using prepaid vouchers
Other than these many interesting services can be given using the USSD platform. One such service is the “call back” service. The user will use USSD to send a USSD message to his friend asking him to call back. This is done by pressing the USSD service number and the number to which the alert needs to be send. Assume 14 is the service number and you want me to call you back. Press this on your mobile and press dial.
*14*9846831128#
I will receive a message, “XXXXXXXXXX wants you to call him back” where XXXXXXXXXX will be your number.
USSD supports interactive sessions where a service can be provided by using a menu. Micro payment market gets a real boom with the USSD technology in place. Users can transfer money from their mobile prepaid and post paid account to other mobile accounts. There will be a service number associated with it. When the user presses the number and dials, he will be presented with menus where he has to enter the amount and the mobile number to which the money needs to be transferred.
USSD is a session oriented technology and hence it supports menus and transactions. The state of the interaction between the user is tracked by the USSD server. Response times for USSD messages are shorter than SMS because SMS is a store and forward technology. All USSD services are accessed by dialing numbers between * and #. The handset recognizes those numbers and forwards the request to the USSD server instead of initializing a normal call or a data call. No additional application, phone menu or sim menu is needed for USSD to function as USSD is supported by every GSM handset.
Thanks, that is the simplest and clearest explanation I found of USSD on the web.
Comment by Ria — June 29, 2007 @ 1:24 am
It was really easy to understand .thanks indeed
Comment by negar katebi — July 18, 2007 @ 6:15 pm
As USSD is a session oriented technology
Q1.) on the handset, how can we know the sesion end?
Q2.) Can we send the 2 service in one time command, such as *141#*14*9846831128#
Thank you for the answer from anyone.
Comment by Prompol — August 1, 2007 @ 7:21 am
I’m interested in developing an USSD menu driven applications
I’m currently sms content provider and I would want to intergrate sms content with USSD technologyhow do I go about it.
Thanks
Comment by Andrew Mwesigwa — September 3, 2007 @ 4:45 pm
Cool one. Please add more information on how Service Provides done USSD applications & about there APIs.
Thanks
Thiwanka
Comment by Thiwanka Manamendra — September 12, 2007 @ 1:01 pm
I’m a service provider (sms), i would like to know the way to develop USSD services gateway (documentation, website …)
Thanks
Comment by Mbiga Emmanuel — September 24, 2007 @ 6:54 pm
Interesting piece !!. Thanks
Comment by Adedeji Adedamola — October 15, 2007 @ 8:00 pm
In a USSD session, will I be allowed to enter characters (or) can I enter only digits?
Comment by Girish — October 18, 2007 @ 6:41 pm
Where can I find those service number, and do they work in the Netherlands? I want to transmit lager messages to my employees, what do I need to do that. It has to be based on USSD, like cell broadcasting. Thank you.
Comment by Thomas Loven — November 21, 2007 @ 2:37 am
Thanks…for such a nice explanation of USSD…very interesting and useful information indeed…In fact i keep looking for new technologies in field of telecommunications for my seminar.
Comment by Daneshwar Dutt Dubey — January 20, 2008 @ 1:54 pm
It’ s good overview of USSD, I would like to know more about its implementation. Thanks
Comment by Karaze Johannes — January 24, 2008 @ 1:48 pm
Nice piece, Do we have any FOSS USSD Servers?
Comment by Morris — February 2, 2008 @ 1:53 pm
the way u have given the overview for USSD is really nice one and easy to understand.
Comment by Amit Kumar Atap — February 21, 2008 @ 6:39 pm
I am vas on IVRS provider. Now we are looking to provide VAS on USSD. Can u give me more information on USSD.
Comment by Rodricks — March 19, 2008 @ 11:29 am
I’m service provider in sms. Now i wan’t to improve my services using USSD. Can u tell me how to interact with the Operator USSD application server.
Comment by Gabriel — April 25, 2008 @ 7:04 pm
very interesting
Comment by me — May 8, 2008 @ 3:40 pm
what abt for USSD application server ? whether these are in built in HLR and IN ? or do we have a seperate server for these ? If we have seperate server, then how it’s connected to MSC ?
Comment by Manjunath Bhide — May 28, 2008 @ 11:38 am
Hi! I wanted to know whether the session on USSD can be generated from the customer end and what would be the approx cost if the session time is increased. Why is this facility lying underutilised.
Comment by mrinal — July 6, 2008 @ 1:26 am
I want to know whether a consumer can add an extra menu in USSD service? If yes , then plz write what are the criteria that will have to be followed and if not the what is the alternate method to do so.
Comment by Afzal Imam — July 8, 2008 @ 9:12 pm
I want to know whether a consumer can add an extra menu in USSD service? If yes , then plz write what are the criteria that will have to be followed and if not then what is the alternate method to do so.
Comment by Afzal Imam — July 8, 2008 @ 9:13 pm
I’m interested in developing an USSD menu driven applications. Currently I’m working with service provider provider and I want provide different services by intergrating sms content with USSD technology. Where I can get information (documentation, website etc.)regarding the same
Thanks
Comment by Ganesh — August 18, 2008 @ 12:08 pm
[...] The registration is pretty simple just enter your mobile number and after that you will receive a USSD push from mchek. USSD push is a simple session oriented SMS push(similar to session oriented login [...]
Pingback by The Ultimate Mobile Payment Solution :- mChek | I am a Techie — August 18, 2008 @ 8:47 pm
[...] But still, majority kept themselves away from this, just because of cost of sending a message. 3Rs for GSM networks, 2 RS for CDMA networks and 1Rs for BSNL. But now USSD promises to change all of that. Read my earlier post on USSD here. [...]
Pingback by USSD is Going to Change the Short Code Business | Disruptive Technologies and Education — August 20, 2008 @ 12:35 am
latest tech. thanks for bring up with easy way kindly provide us all the Compatibility devices and communicationes.
Comment by Maher — August 30, 2008 @ 7:10 pm
please prescribe technical workflow in mobile banking services using ussd platform.
Comment by a.kanwal — September 3, 2008 @ 4:48 pm
Hey really nice and a short description of USSD….thnx
Comment by vikrant — November 18, 2008 @ 2:41 pm
Bonjour comment implémenter le protocol USSD et peut on l’utiliser sans dépendre de son opérateur GSM
Comment by erpan — November 24, 2008 @ 10:03 pm
Pretty cool stuff and interesting too…
Comment by Aaron Princely Ekol — November 25, 2008 @ 3:28 pm
USSD is a nuisance for a mobile owner. It does auto registration in most of the cases for the services we do not need. Like in BSNL we have cricket score auto registration on cells like LG’ Secret 750
Comment by Professor — February 10, 2009 @ 11:37 am
nice article.Would you please write a follow-up which answers all the good questions above? and tell us where ussd is being creatively used.
Comment by sadique — May 21, 2009 @ 7:55 am