aimm News

Over £12.9m raised for BBC Children in Need appeal through SMS donations

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

Mobile payment specialist Fonix has announced that it processed over £12.9m worth of text donations for this year’s BBC Children in Need fundraiser.

Fonix said that the £12.9m that its payment platform processed surpassed the 2016 total of £7.64m and contributed to an overall total of £50.1m raised for BBC Children in Need on the night of the 2017 Appeal show.

Across a number of campaigns such as the Countryfile Ramble and the Rickshaw Challenge, as well as through a specially created fundraising campaign on the night of the show (Friday 17 November), mobile donations were gathered using a choice of three charity donation price points: £5, £10 and £20.

Karen Bass, Chief Operating Officer at BBC Children in Need said:

“We’ve been delighted by the response to this year’s Appeal and are grateful to everyone who has helped raise this amazing sum to support disadvantaged children and young people across the UK.  We want to make it as straightforward as possible for our supporters to make a donation and our ongoing relationship with Fonix has enabled us to achieve this through text-to-donate.”

Rob Weisz, Chief Executive of Fonix commented:

“When it comes to donating to charity, SMS has proven itself to be an ever-growing donation channel. Our solid working relationship over the last 3 years has really focused upon increasing the money raised from mobile, whilst making it as easy as possible for consumers to donate to this fantastic cause.

“For this year’s campaign, text-to-donate was promoted throughout the whole night to cater to growing demand.”

Children in Need is the BBC’s UK corporate charity, which raises money for disadvantaged children and young people around the country.

 

BBC Children in Need’s vision is that every child in the UK has a safe, happy and secure childhood and the chance to reach their potential.  The charity will realise this vision by supporting, promoting and publicising work that addresses the challenges that children and young people face and work that builds their skills and resilience.

 

BBC Children in Need is currently supporting over 2,600 projects in communities across the UK that are helping children and young people facing a range of disadvantages such as living in poverty, being disabled or ill, or experiencing distress, neglect or trauma.

 

Further information about BBC Children in Need can be found at bbc.co.uk/Pudsey 

 

Women in Tech Awards – O2 nomination

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

We are delighted and proud to see that one of our members, Ana-Rosa Broster from O2, has been shorted listed for a major award for Women in Tech.  For those of you who know Ana-Rosa and would like to add your support you can vote for her using the link below:

https://wearetechwomen.wearethecity.com/ana-rosa-broster-o2/

Free seminar on investigations and enforcement

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

Insights into PSA regulation: investigations and enforcement

Do you find our investigations and enforcement procedures confusing? Not sure what to do when we contact you about your service?

Then this seminar from PSA is for you.

 

It will take you through informal and formal investigations, the distinction between the two, the supporting procedures and our Code enforcement procedures.

So that if PSA enquire about your service, you’ll be clear on what you need to do.

There will be plenty of opportunities for questions too.

 

Spaces are limited so book yours now to avoid disappointment! BOOK HERE

Time: 29 November 2017, 13:00 – 16:00
Location: PSA, 40 Bank Street, London, E14 5NR

Chief Scientific Adviser, Dr. Mike Short appointed by Department for International Trade

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

We are pleased to provide the following press release from the Department of International Trade. Dr. Mike Short has been a strong supporter of aimm’s activities in the charity text environment.

Leading industry expert Dr. Mike Short brings over 40 years of technical expertise to the department

The Department for International Trade (DIT) continues to bolster its team of experts with the appointment of Dr. Mike Short CBE as its new Chief Scientific Adviser.

With over 40 years’ experience in the Electronics and Telecommunications sectors, the former Vice President of Telefonica will take up his post next month.

As Head of the Science and Engineering Profession at DIT, Dr. Short will play a key role in ensuring the department’s policy is informed by the best science, engineering and technical advice and will advise on the technical aspects of future trade deals.

He will also work closely with the UK’s research, development and academic communities to promote British scientific and engineering exports around the world.

Science and technological exports are key sectors for UK trade, with, for example, Pharmaceutical products accounting for more than £25 billion (or 8.3%) of UK goods exports in 2016 alone, making it the UK’s 4th largest goods export.

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox said:                                                

“As an international economic department, having the best people with the right expertise will guarantee we create and deliver a world class trade policy, whilst at the same time deepening our existing trade relationships around the world.

“An industry leader, Dr. Short’s many decades of experience in technology, innovation and public policy will ensure that cutting-edge scientific and technical know-how is firmly at the core of DIT’s work.”

 

Chief Scientific Adviser, Dr. Mike Short said:

“Joining the department as Chief Scientific Adviser during a period of such great global opportunity is tremendously exciting.

“I look forward to working closely with businesses, research institutions and industry to drive UK economic growth, through a trade policy which champions the best in scientific research and innovation.”

 

Permanent Secretary, Antonia Romeo said:

“Dr. Short brings an impressive breadth of technical and commercial expertise to the department.

“The UK’s science, technology and engineering sectors generate billions in exports and inward investment per year, and I look forward to working closely with Dr. Short in the promotion of our outstanding scientific industries across the globe.”

 

Dr. Short possesses a rich knowledge in research collaboration, global business and international technical standards. Vice President of Telefonica for 17 years, Dr. Short managed the launch of 2G (GSM) and 3G mobile technology in the UK and is a leader in 5G innovation research.

In recent years, he has led business development and university collaborations on technological innovations including Smart Cities, digital healthcare, cybersecurity and driverless vehicles.

Dr. Short’s announcement follows this summer’s appointment of internationally-recognised expert Crawford Falconer, who joined the department in August as Chief Trade Negotiation Adviser and Second Permanent Secretary, with over 25 years of trade and foreign policy experience.

Leading industry expert Dr. Mike Short brings over 40 years of technical expertise to the department

 

The Department for International Trade (DIT) continues to bolster its team of experts with the appointment of Dr. Mike Short CBE as its new Chief Scientific Adviser.

With over 40 years’ experience in the Electronics and Telecommunications sectors, the former Vice President of Telefonica will take up his post next month.

As Head of the Science and Engineering Profession at DIT, Dr. Short will play a key role in ensuring the department’s policy is informed by the best science, engineering and technical advice and will advise on the technical aspects of future trade deals.

He will also work closely with the UK’s research, development and academic communities to promote British scientific and engineering exports around the world.

Science and technological exports are key sectors for UK trade, with, for example, Pharmaceutical products accounting for more than £25 billion (or 8.3%) of UK goods exports in 2016 alone, making it the UK’s 4th largest goods export.

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox said:                                                

“As an international economic department, having the best people with the right expertise will guarantee we create and deliver a world class trade policy, whilst at the same time deepening our existing trade relationships around the world.

“An industry leader, Dr. Short’s many decades of experience in technology, innovation and public policy will ensure that cutting-edge scientific and technical know-how is firmly at the core of DIT’s work.”

 

Chief Scientific Adviser, Dr. Mike Short said:

“Joining the department as Chief Scientific Adviser during a period of such great global opportunity is tremendously exciting.

“I look forward to working closely with businesses, research institutions and industry to drive UK economic growth, through a trade policy which champions the best in scientific research and innovation.”

 

Permanent Secretary, Antonia Romeo said:

“Dr. Short brings an impressive breadth of technical and commercial expertise to the department.

“The UK’s science, technology and engineering sectors generate billions in exports and inward investment per year, and I look forward to working closely with Dr. Short in the promotion of our outstanding scientific industries across the globe.”

 

Dr. Short possesses a rich knowledge in research collaboration, global business and international technical standards. Vice President of Telefonica for 17 years, Dr. Short managed the launch of 2G (GSM) and 3G mobile technology in the UK and is a leader in 5G innovation research.

In recent years, he has led business development and university collaborations on technological innovations including Smart Cities, digital healthcare, cybersecurity and driverless vehicles.

Dr. Short’s announcement follows this summer’s appointment of internationally-recognised expert Crawford Falconer, who joined the department in August as Chief Trade Negotiation Adviser and Second Permanent Secretary, with over 25 years of trade and foreign policy experience.

aimm launches a new UK call to action for society lotteries

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

26Sept 2017, Farnham.

The Association for Interactive Media and Micropayments (aimm), launched a major new call to action initiative for society lotteries on 22nd September 2017.  This exciting new channel could transform results for society lotteries if it performs anything like it has for charities.

Society lotteries are lotteries and raffles run for charitable benefit, licensed through the Gambling Commission or via local authority licenses. These lotteries and raffles provide a vital income source for charities.

Text short codes, which are 5 digit number starting with a 70 prefix, have been used with phenomenal success by charities over the last three years.  Short codes generate over £115m in donations per annum.  In many cases texting to a short code has become the most popular call to action for donors due to ease and simplicity. They have shown to generate incremental funds rather than cannibalisation from other, more mature, methods to donate such as online or by phone to a call centre. It also attracts a new, often younger, audience.

aimm has been working across its members to develop a similar facility for society lotteries. It works in the following way:  The society lottery manager or charity uses an advertising campaign to draw attention to its lottery with the call to action being text a word (such as WIN) to a short number starting 72 (e.g. 72123).  The advertising will include the price of the entry and the lottery terms.  A consumer sees the campaign and texts their entry using their mobile phone to gain entry into a lottery or raffle.  The lottery manager or charity uses its procedures to check the consumer is over 16 and then the cost of entry is charged to the consumer’s mobile phone bill.  It’s simple, quick and immediate. An efficient communication channel is now established with the consumer for follow up in-service messages and winner information.

With the near 100% penetration of text capable phones in the UK every British consumer over 16 can participate in a society lottery or raffle.  No other engagement and payment product has this penetration.

The launch conference was kindly hosted by Cancer Research UK and sponsored by Dynamic Mobile Billing (both of whom are aimm members), whose sponsorship enabled complimentary tickets to be given to those charities and lottery managers who wished to join us. It was extremely well attended by external lottery managers (ELM’s) and charities with excellent presentations from charity Oxfam, campaign enabler Cymba, Charity Funding and Promoter (CFP), Global’s Make some Noise, regulator Phone-paid Services Authority, payment intermediary Dynamic Mobile Billing (DMB) and mobile network operator EE.

Kevin Dawson, CEO of DMB said “It was great to talk to an audience who were clearly so excited about this new opportunity.  Based on our successful experiences in operating mobile payment lotteries in others markets across the globe, I am totally confident the UK market will be as successful for society lotteries as it has been for charities and giving campaigns, so DMB hope to work with the markets key players and share our experiences to deliver a mutually rewarding commercial partnership. The UK is getting more and more familiar with short code based services. It is positive for the whole ‘charge to mobile’ industry, opening up a new market for everyone up and down the value chain whilst being great for consumers who want to participate. It’s a win-win-win.”

The event showed that there were differing levels of understanding across the society lottery managers about how the text based call to action and mobile payment mechanism could be made to work. It is clear there is a need for enhanced education across this market.  aimm will be working closely with the Gambling Commission and the PSA on behalf of members to ensure that all regulatory requirements are covered.

Overall it is great to see a growth opportunity where the potential is being recognised. There is enormous enthusiasm across the board.  One lottery manager stated “This initiative has been the most exciting development in this industry since the postage stamp!” It is likely society lotteries will be trialling the new short code range before Christmas.