USSD

[erc]

Hi all.

I don't know whether this is the right forum to ask this.
Sorry if not.

Currently, i'm developing an application that send ussd command.
I use NOKIA 6070 as the device and C# as the programming language. But this question is not about C#.

What i want to ask is :

1. What is USSD Gateway? is it kind of computer server?
2. Can we build our own USSD Gateway?
3. Can we faster the reply from USSD command we send? i notice
it took about 5-7 seconds to get the reply. Can we faster it up?
4. I'm developing an application that transfer prepaid voucher, sometime the reply from USSD command is failed but the voucher is get added. How can this happen? can we solve this?


For question no. 4 maybe for some of you didn't understand what i'm talking about.

maybe i will try to explain it.

There is an USSD command define by one of our mobile provider here in Indonesia (Telkomsel) to transfer prepaid voucher.
Suppose if we want to transfer our voucher to our friend, we can do that by type an USSD command *673*......... etc.

In a moment (usually about 5-7 seconds), we got reply that the transfer is succeed or not. Related to question no. 4, sometime the reply said the transfer is failed but the voucher get transfer. What could be the cause? Is it because the USSD Gateway can't handled so many request that came in that moment?

[antonypr]

There are some companies offer USSD gateway -> see also the list on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USSD. Some of these companies offer good white-papers to give you better understanding about USSD gateway.

I would also recommend talking to your network operator that you want to offer value-added services. At the end of the day, you need to "attach" your USSD gateway to your network operator.

[erc]

Wah, saya merasa terhormat mendapat jawaban dari Anda. Buku anda tentang algoritma dan pemrograman dengan Pascal bagus sekali. Buku itu yang dulu saya pelajari untuk belajar bahasa pemrograman ketika di bangku kuliah.

Saya masih kurang ngerti saja tentang USSD. Kenapa bisa terjadi reply dr USSD mengatakan gagal sementara pulsa nya terkirim?
Asumsi saya, jaringannya padat.

lalu bisa nggak ya waktu reply dr USSD diperpendek? mungkin dengan algoritma tertentu atau emang tergantung USSD gateway nya?

anyway, thanks for the answer.

[symbianyucca]

Wah, saya merasa terhormat mendapat jawaban dari Anda. Buku anda tentang algoritma dan pemrograman dengan Pascal bagus sekali. Buku itu yang dulu saya pelajari untuk belajar bahasa pemrograman ketika di bangku kuliah.

Saya masih kurang ngerti saja tentang USSD. Kenapa bisa terjadi reply dr USSD mengatakan gagal sementara pulsa nya terkirim?
Asumsi saya, jaringannya padat.

lalu bisa nggak ya waktu reply dr USSD diperpendek? mungkin dengan algoritma tertentu atau emang tergantung USSD gateway nya?

anyway, thanks for the answer.

Please do not use any language that is not supported in this forum !!

[antonypr]

I'll help to translate erc's response.

Basically he's asking why he sometimes doesn't get USSD response back from the network. He's also asking whether there is a way to decrease the latency of USSD network.

I don't have good answers for his questions. As far as I know, USSD is session-based message; so the response should not lost. About latency, USSD uses GSM signaling channel; I assume if the network is busy, there will be more delay.

[erc]

Ha...ha...ha, i had feeling that using Indonesian language would be a problem. And sorry for that, nothing offensive.

Basically, i said that it's an honour to get reply from antonypr.
Because he is an author of the book that i study when i'm in university, i said to him that the book is very good to learn algorithm and a good start to pascal language. Also, he came from Indonesia too. What is the chance i meet Indonesian fellow on this forum? plus he's one of the my favourite author?

Also, it will be easier for me to explain my question in Indonesian language. My question related to one of the mobile operator here in Indonesia.

And the rest had been translated from him self.
Thank you anthonypr for the translation

Please don't think that i had said something offensive previously about you guys with anthonypr.

Ok symbianyucca? please don't mad cheer up!

[symbianyucca]

Yep, but in future please remember to use only the official languages, and in correct parts as well, I don't think it would have been very usefull if I would have written my 10K posts in Finnish or in Thai..

[erc]

Yep, but in future please remember to use only the official languages, and in correct parts as well, I don't think it would have been very usefull if I would have written my 10K posts in Finnish or in Thai..

Yes, understand that

[erc]

I'll help to translate erc's response.

Basically he's asking why he sometimes doesn't get USSD response back from the network. He's also asking whether there is a way to decrease the latency of USSD network.

I don't have good answers for his questions. As far as I know, USSD is session-based message; so the response should not lost. About latency, USSD uses GSM signaling channel; I assume if the network is busy, there will be more delay.

Thank you for the translation, antonypr.

Suppose if i use GSM Modem like wavecom fastrack instead of my NOKIA 6070, From your opinion can it solve the problem?

I think maybe wavecom had more signal power? more robust?

My application very depend on consistency. If the USSD said the transfer is succeed then my application would reduce the voucher stock and change it's status from "Not Sent Yet" to "Sent".

If it's like this, (no consistency) then it will be more work from my client to manually check the status provided by telkomsel the next day using the web.

[antonypr]

You can try with Wavecom modem, but I guess the result would be the same. I may be wrong though. Alternatively, you may also want to try with some other operators.