GTIP

Infobox_Company
company_name = AlienPants Ltd
company_type = Limited company
foundation = April 2, 2001
location_city = London
location_country = United Kingdom
key_people = Tom Gordon - CEO
area_served = United Kingdom, Europe
industry = Mobile Services, Computer Games, Information Technology
products = GTIP, Game Guru, News0r
services = SMS-based question answering, Constulting, Customer Support, Games-related Services, SMS List Management, Text-To-Win, Bespoke Content, Bespoke Mobile Marketing, Online PR
homepage = [http://www.alienpants.com www.alienpants.com]
intl = yes

GTIP is a premium-rate SMS question and answer service dedicated to providing computer game-related information. The service is based in the UK, and originally launched in January 2002 alongside the Game Guru television program. The service is run by AlienPants Ltd. Using GTIP and its licensed implementations, mobile phone users can text GTIP with any computer or console game question or cheat request and receive an answer within a few minutes.

GTIP is available for UK mobile phone users using a number of different UK shortcode and keyword combinations in the UK, and in the Republic of Ireland using the shortcode 57082. AlienPants has also recently launched two access keywords in Germany, providing the same computer game cheats service to German customers.

The service is also available via a WAP page for T-Mobile customers in the UK [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/alienpants-launches-games-hints-service-on-t-mobile] .

Since the commercial launch of GTIP in January 2003 [http://www.alienpants.com/news/prevreleases/06-01-03-smscheats.php] , a number of similar services have launched, including AskMeNow in the US, and 82ASK, Text a Vet and Any Question Answered in the UK.

Underlying Service

The underlying service that GTIP is built on is predicated on the answering of questions sent in from customers via SMS, with the questions being queued and presented to multiple independant researchers through a web interface. Each independant researcher then selects and answers questions when they are available. Answers are then sent back to the customer via a premium-rate SMS.

Typically an implementation is built upon a unique keyword, used for branding when supplied to a customer, and whilst the GTIP implementation is deliberately limited to answering computer-game related questions (a business decision around this particular brand), the service itself can be used to provide generalist question answering services (such as Any Question Answered, or closely controlled question answering services (such as a customer support service for a single business.)

References

External links

* [http://www.gtip.co.uk/ GTIP website]
* [http://www.alienpants.com/ AlienPants Ltd] GTIP and underlying service provider.
* [http://www.t-zones.co.uk/linkto?ID=250526 GTIP service on T-Zones] (WML).