After a year-long pilot program with start-up company CommuniTake, Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE:CEL; TASE:CEL) has launched a free remote support service. The support is provided by service representatives who can see the screen of the subscriber's handset and offer assistance with breakdowns and directions on operating the handset, without the need for the subscriber to go to a service center.
During 2011, Cellcom promises, the remote support service will be expanded to 24-hour a day self-service on its website.
The new service will offer subscribers the ability to receive explanations from service representatives directly onto their handsets through remote operation, and to receive instruction through graphic illustration on the handset screen and execution of menu commands.
The subscriber receives an SMS message with a link to download the application to his or her handset, and confirms the connection to the service representative, after which the handset becomes available for remote operation by the representative. When the service session is finished, the connection to the handset ceases, and the subscriber receives an update to that effect in a separate message.
Cellcom stresses that the service is given while preserving the subscriber's privacy throughout, and with their full consent.
The devices that the new service currently supports are the BlackBerry 9000, Curve 8310, and 9700; a wide range of Nokia devices; Sony Ericsson Vivaz, HTC TyTN; Imate Jasjar; Motorola Q9; and Samsung Galaxy and SGH-i900 (Omnia).
"Today, many customers have advanced handsets and don't know how to exploit their technological capabilities," says Cellcom VP service and sales Meir Barav, "and the assistance in operating the device remotely will enable them to do so in a friendly way, conveniently, at a time of their choosing."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 1, 2010
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