Singapore-based StarHub has partnered with Tropo a provider of real-time communications APIs to launch new SmartFoundry voice and SMS API using which coders can build powerful new communications apps easily. StarHub is a fully-integrated info-communications company that offers information, communications and entertainment services for consumer and corporate markets.
John Elliott, Vice President Sales at Tropo, said, “I am very excited and encouraged by StarHub’s SmartFoundry initiative that helps entrepreneurs from the region to bring the next generation of voice and SMS applications to the market. Tropo is honored to work with industry leaders, like StarHub, to help deliver innovation and new business opportunities to developers in Singapore and the broader region.”
SmartFoundry is a platform which is expected to help software developers, enterprise customers and institutes of higher learning to produce and deploy products and services for businesses and consumers in Singapore.
Developers were able to build apps integrating the SmartFoundry platform with financial services APIs so as to receive up-to-the-minute pricing data via text message. Also CRM platforms like SugarCRM were used to enhance customer experience. In addition Google GMail API was used to check E-mail via SMS using a phone in the absence of Wi-Fi and data channels.
Using the solution an app was developed that allowed consumers to overcome customer support phone menu trees and to receive a phone call when a live customer support agent is ready to talk to them. This will reduce on hold times for consumers enhancing their experience significantly. These practical uses of SmartFoundry API improve customer service experiences and create potential value-added services.
The Tropo telephony API will greatly benefit software developers who can leverage the voice and SMS functions and the common programming languages in their own applications. They need not make huge investments nor do they require expertise in SIP. Carriers like StarHub can onboard software developers and develop an ecosystem for application development, pointed out Stephen Lee, StarHub’s Head of i3 (Innovation, Investment, Incubation).
In October, 2013 InterDigital a wireless research and development company partnered with StarHub to evaluate and try Wi-Fi over dynamically managed unlicensed spectrum. InterDigital’s dynamic spectrum management (DSM) technology will help evaluate the suitability of Wi-Fi and UHF (TV White Space) spectrum for both indoor and outdoor applications such as video surveillance and small cell backhaul.