Technology Cell Broadcast Cell Broadcast (abbreviated as CB, is read as "CBS") long and is widely used by operators worldwide. As a rule, to inform you of the entrance to a specific service area. In hard times ever-dwindling ARPU operators had to get revenue from additional services, now the turn to technology CB. The new service "Chameleon" was proposed by an Israeli company Celltick Technologies, which VimpelCom entered into an exclusive agreement. 
Info-interactive on-screen
The new service is organized in the form of direct delivery of content on the phone five channels. Channel, "Infomania" (not to be confused with "nymphomania") is enabled by default, the remaining four channels ("Timeout", "Cosmo", "Vedomosti" and "Sport"), you can connect yourself. Columns list, indicating the broadcasting time is here. Promised news of politics, business, economy, culture and entertainment world, anecdotes, suggestions to participate in the contest, upload a new tune, image or game. On-screen handset comes free of charge or actual content (weather forecast, the anecdote), or the kind of menu from which you can choose, order and immediately get a vending "dish." Already, of course, for the money. You can not choose anything and, accordingly, pay nothing. Ie we get a dose of free useful and / or entertaining information mixed in with "teaser" (loan translation from English. Teaser - "teaser"), invites for a fee to download the picture / sound or read the note in full. According to representatives of about 40% of VimpelCom's information content will be provided free of charge, but there are some doubts about the methods of counting. For example, a list of proposed pay-view notes will almost certainly be regarded as free content and go down in the 40%. For some reason, it is suspected that the proposal and upload to your phone toll melody also considered "free content". But there's nothing you can do, advertising - the motor trade.Begs comparison with the once-popular SMS-newsletters BeeOnline. There also existed a basic free package and paid the extended version. The principal difference is that for paid newsletters BeeOnline have to subscribe (or unsubscribe) "wholesale", and Chameleon paid content is delivered in small pieces through the "teasers" and we can only buy what we are really interested.Back in the Chameleon promised some intelligence (hence the name), the service should eventually "adapt" to their specific needs and to actively offer exactly the content, which was already expressed interest.
Price issue
Detailed pricing information on the chameleon-services is available here. Indeed, most requests are estimated at 5 cents (hereinafter - VAT). While looking into what category. For example, the materials of "Vedomosti" and news of rubric "Sport" hand out on the cheap (5 cents), and all requests under subsections Cosmopolitan (a special channel for all women and girls) will cost twice as much. Sexism? Although only a single name column "Cosmo-sex" extra 5 cents to pay quite a pity. 95 cents for the Ringtones or colored picture - even a relatively humane manner against the backdrop of draconian price of similar content, but $ 3 for java-games still a bit too much. Some interesting figures have managed to obtain a solution provider company Celltick Technologies. In particular, the summer of 2004, the Chameleon has been tested for several weeks at a specially selected group of 2000 subscribers of Beeline, 40% of testers used the extra pay "cliques" and their communication costs have increased on average by 15%. The good news is that each proposal is indicated price, so that the probability of a random purchase of a pig in a poke is minimal.But put the chameleon into the phone is completely free. Change the SIM-card can be in the office or the Beeline Mobile center, the whole procedure takes one and a half to two minutes and comes to fill a standard apply for the card replacement "for the loss." True, the question remains compatible phone Hameleonistaya Simca does not work with everyone. Any further trouble is not threatened, but when trying to activate the INFO-channels on the mobile phone receives a message "Your phone does not support this service." In principle, when replacing the card is supposed clarification of the model vehicle, but I no nothing said, but in vain: a very modern SE P900 smartphone to be friends with Chameleon flatly refused. So just in case self-acquainted with the list of "approved" phones here.
Important - to entice
A lure the best gifts, lotteries, and all sorts of jokes. Chameleon was no exception, here provides a variety of quizzes with prizes. Will be raffled off mobile phones and payment cards, for the answers to the quizzes will be awarded so-called "click-bonuses" (the ability to request free content). But let's not forget the flexible pricing of tempting activities: if you believe the price list on the site Beeline, every answer to the question would cost $ 0.25.This "elusive Joe
The main advantage of consumer mobile technologies - the principle of "here and now." At any moment can make or receive calls, send / receive SMS, extract necessary information from the mobile Internet. CB technology in this sense is more like an ancient loudspeaker: information is transmitted in a strictly defined points in time, once displayed on the phone screen and displays only a couple of minutes. Not had time to notice and respond to - are to blame, wait for the next session. At least provide a sound confirmation of the arrival of information (soft plaintive squeak). How chameleon will be in demand - it's hard to say.Poor man can imagine, Exciting alarm for some time and sit down in front of the phone in anticipation of the appearance of the weather forecast on your screen. However, wait and see.Some technical details
On the new SIM-card Chameleon not enabled by default, you must do yourself. Section INFOkanaly in SIM-menu, select "Activate" will be the only one. Proper activation of the seemingly lead to nowhere, but we will not hurry up: 5-10 minutes there will be a list of all five channels with a plus sign on "Infomania". Put pluses on the other channels can be perfectly calm, the additional costs it will not lead, but look interesting. The concept of "monthly subscription" exists in the Chameleon, but this is not a connection of the channel, and to request periodic information services. For example, over $ 3 a month you can receive your own daily horoscope.In conclusion, a few answers to the questions specifically for our readers.
Where can I download to replace the SIM-card to a new one?Our offices and offices of Mobile Center ready to receive and serve all interested customers, our employees set to work overtime. We're going to promote this service on the market evenly throughout the year and we expect that by the end of 2005 the penetration rate of new cards will be about 45%.
How many there are not sold-out package B + with old cards? Will Beeline withdraw them from sale?
Cards supporting services are on sale in December 2004 and to date has sold over a million such cards. Thus, our recent clients do not have to change the map. Second, our exclusive clients (members of the Hi-Light Club) in Moscow offered to exchange cards with the maximum convenience, is not approaching our office.
Can not work, the new map, and if so, whether procured a supply of SIM-cards with a new logo, but without Chameleon?
All the new cards support the service without exception. For registration in the network, they are not way not affected. The service can be disabled if there is no interest to her. Its main feature - the resemblance to the broadcast channels, ie it can be any number of connected and disconnected as a radio or TV.
Will the chameleon effect in other regions (intra-network roaming)?
The service is available to all subscribers of the network, the SIM-card will be sold in other regions too.