OpenTV Launches Chat and Mobile Phone iTV Messaging Services

by Alan Sheckter, Smart TV & Sound news editor

OpenTV recently announced two new interactive television applications: OpenTV Chat and OpenTV Short Message Service (SMS).

Making the most of the mobile phone text-messaging boom, SMS, the company said, will allow users to send short messages from their televisions to any SMS-capable mobile phone in their region.

Aside from user-generated greetings and messages, the SMS service also facilitates broadcasters with the ability to send pre-set messages, such as the latest news, sports, or time and tidbits about popular TV shows.

The OpenTV Chat service will add to the TV experience, the company said, by allowing viewers to share to opinions as they watch programs via dialogue-box displays on their TVs. The service also allows cable operators, according to OpenTV, to connect TV-based chat dialogs to Internet chat-room environments.

The services are intended as revenue builders for cable TV outlets. OpenTV encourages cable operators to charge SMS and OpenTV Chat users on a pay-per-usage basis.