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Electronic Media
Interactive Television
A Computer Telephony system is programmed to receive calls from viewers who wish
to vote on issues raised by a television program; or, the outcome of a program
can be determined by viewer choice. 800 numbers, or a per-call charge, can be
used to generate revenue from these services.
Pay-Per-View Selection
Cable television stations can provide their viewers with an easy way to select
and purchase pay-per-view programming. Viewers call a number and are connected
to a computer that prompts them for customer information and takes their order.
This information is forwarded to the cable company's computer, which unscrambles
the signal for the subscriber at the proper time and prepares the bill.
Radio Contests
Radio stations can use Computer Telephony systems to handle the large volume of
calls generated by talk show formats and on-air contests. For example, listeners
dial into a system that asks them to record a joke of the day; or they are asked
to record their opinion on a topic of current interest. Personnel at the radio
station review responses when they have free time and the best answers are
edited for airing at a later date. Using a conference bridge, live talk can
include several callers along with the host.
Home Shopping
Televised home shopping programs can automate their order taking by using
Computer Telephony. Customers dial a toll-free number and enter their customer
code and the order number of the item they are interested in purchasing by
pressing touch tone digits. The system verifies their entry by playing a
recording that describes their selection. They can be prompted to enter a credit
card number and shipping information in the same way. Callers are given the
option of transferring to an operator at any time if they are uncomfortable with
the system or if they have any questions.
Video-On-Demand
Cable television systems are beginning to experiment with video-on-demand
services that allow viewers to order and watch selected movies from a library of
videos maintained by the cable company. The ordering, selection, and billing
procedures for such services can be automated via Computer Telephony. Viewers
dial a number and are presented with a menu of available movies. They can select
a movie by entering the appropriate touch tone digit or by speaking. Billing is
automated by identifying the calling party's telephone number (Automatic Number
Identification) and associating it with an existing account.
Electronic Yellow Pages
The traditional, printed Yellow Pages is a listing of businesses categorized by
products and services that is normally distributed by the local telephone
company free of charge to all homes with a telephone. Each listing contains the
phone number and address of the business and (for a fee) some information about
available products and services. Because these listings are updated annually,
they do not include time-sensitive information about sales or new products. A
CT-based, electronic Yellow Pages can provide this kind of information and be
updated much more easily, and can go a step further by placing calls out to the
advertiser selected by the caller. The two kinds of directories can complement
each other: Each listing in the printed Yellow Pages can provide an associated
telephone number. Callers who dial this number hear a customized message that
contains information about current sales or special events.
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