OREANDA-NEWS  On 19 September was announced, that Earnings of "UTK" PJSC from chargeable information services increased by 26% in H1 2008 over a year ago to 19,382 thousand roubles (excl. VAT).

Revenue growth from chargeable information services provided by "UTK" PJSC was mainly attributable to broadening the range of services. At present subscribers of the cities Krasnodar and Rostov can get various information about Moscow, Saint Petersburg and other cities of Russia, by phone, including addresses and phones of airports, railway stations, hotels, public authorities, educational institutions, banks, polyclinics and hospitals, motor shows, shopping centers, as well as transport timetable, taxi hire, reservation of tables at restaurants, hotel suites, tickets, etc. Soon it will be possible in other branches of "Southern Telecommunications Company" PJSC.

Access to regional and federal information resources is provided on the basis of hardware and software platforms of Call-centers which operate in each regional branch of "Southern Telecommunications Company" PJSC, except for Kalmykia branch. In 2009 this branch plans to organize IP remote station on the basis of Astrakhan Call canter. Next stage of Call centers’ development is to integrate software platforms of the branches and to centralize traffic processing that will allow the Company to solve several important problems at the same time: to cut maintenance costs in regional Call centers, to improve customer service and to introduce uniform corporate standards in customer service.

To improve the work of information service, "Southern Telecommunications Company" PJSC started to implement the project on creation of the voice recognition system. The system is intended for automation of the service process and execution of a user’s voice commands, which is much more convenient than a usual “button” system, especially for mobile subscribers who have access to information services of UTK’s Call centers. Now the Company renders information services to subscribers of the three largest mobile operators as well as to Tele2 subscribers in Rostov region and SMARTS subscribers in Astrakhan and Volgograd regions. Demand of mobile subscribers for information services of "UTK" PJSC has a stable upward tendency.