Fast Search & Transfer, the provider of search technologies, has announced that MTS, Russia's largest mobile operator, has launched the first and only operator-branded, Russian language mobile search solution using FAST Active Mobile. Based on the FAST Enterprise Search Platform (FAST ESP), FAST technologies has enabled MTS to create its own mobile search portal to meet the unique needs of the Russian market. The enhanced portal has resulted in a substantial boost in traffic and a 60 percent increase in queries (searches), leading to increased download of digital content in the first three months.
Designed with the unique needs of the mobile subscriber in mind, the MTS mobile search solution takes advantage of FAST Active Mobile's proven search capabilities to provide a superior user experience. The solution delivers highly relevant results in a format appropriate for the user's device, improving ease of use and customer satisfaction. This not only helps to reduce churn and increase revenues, it gives MTS a distinct competitive advantage, as well as allowing them to explore the new business opportunities that the mobile web provides.
"The FAST-powered MTS mobile search solution enables us to deliver on our commitment to innovative the mobile experience," said Pavel Roytberg, director of products and services department, MTS. "We wanted to leverage FAST's expertise to build our own competitive advantage in mobile search that will be unmatched in the Russian market. MTS will continue to innovate on FAST's solution by introducing new search capabilities that will enable MTS to sit at the center of the user's digital lifestyle."
MTS will also be offering an entirely unique collection of WAP sites with its own search relevance and ranking rules. This will allow for boosting of specific Russian content for certain searches and creation of unique drill-down capabilities that are missing from standard third-party search engines. The MTS strategy and FAST search technology is designed to facilitate rapid launch of new business models around social networks and user-generated content by creating a platform for the search, storage and retrieval of all forms of digital content (e.g. ringtones, games, pictures, videos, real music, blogs, etc).
"FAST's heritage is to work with industry visionaries to design the most innovative search solutions in specific markets, and it is particularly exciting to have such a central role in this new and booming trend of establishing best practices for digital content on the mobile device," said Bjørn Olstad, CTO of FAST. "MTS has shown a keen understanding of search's ability to deliver significant strategic and financial benefits, and we are looking forward to expanding the features of the existing the portal. We have worked with mobile search solutions for almost 10 years and are excited to see our customers now being able to fully leverage our capabilities."
With mobile adoption rates higher than PC rates in most markets, the mobile phone is well on its way to becoming the dominant global Internet platform. The race is on to deliver value-added services to the mobile subscriber that will attract and retain them. Leading mobile operators understand that by distributing and monetizing digital content, they can drive new advertising models and enhance customer interaction.