NTT Mediacross (NTT-MC)[J], an NTT group company specifically focusing on providing TV broadcasters with several solutions to make their programs more interactive with program viewers, introduced a new service enabling to navigate the viewers easily to a website that a broadcaster would like to present in synchronization with program broadcast. The service is scheduled to start next Monday.
Instead of shouting out a toll-free number to receive viewer calls on a infomercial program, a URL or QR code is usually captioned on your TV screen in order to encourage you to call and order. But the lack of screen resolution and unexpected flicking of the screen would cause difficulty in appropriate scanning of the code. No doubt pressing a long URL on your phone is weary as well.
The most models of cellphones used in Japan are “caller-id feature” enabled, which allows recipients to find who is calling. When you make a phone call to the number presented on a program, NTT-MC’s system will automatically detect your phone number if you enable the feature. Then the system will send you back an SMS message containing a URL to the program’s destination website. In order to comply with Japan’s anti-spam e-mail law, you will be requested to permit receiving an SMS message every time you make a phone call to the system.
A URL or a a phone number, which is easier to be remembered for you? As you see, it’s not for making a phone call, but for browsing a specific website.
Note: Japanese has no system like alphabetic phone numbers which are still easier to be memorized and well seen in western countries. However, we also have another method to do so by putting a sound on each digit of the number and making a meaningful word.
Masaru IKEDA