By Andrew Berg
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
LAS VEGAS—NeuStar, the company behind the common short code registry, today unveiled the a successful demonstration and implementation of technology that enables cell phones and other mobile devices to scan and process two-dimensional bar codes – regardless of the mobile service provider, type of bar code symbology or scanning technology used.
“This is very exciting because what we’re announcing is barcode interoperability,” said Diane Strahan, vice president of Mobile Services at NeuStar. “We truly mean across all platforms and media.”
NeuStar says its pilot program is based on open standards and demonstrates interoperability among the world’s most successful bar code campaign managers, symbologies and code reader technologies through NeuStar’s third-party central clearinghouse and registry services.
Announced at CTIA, the program currently involves companies such as 3G Vision, Mobile Discovery, Mobile Tag and NeoMedia.
Strahan explained that unlike the linear (striped) EAN/UPC bar codes typically used for inventory and point-of-sale transactions, the more advanced 2D codes provide mobile consumers with a “shortcut” to access rich content and information, as well as to engage in m-commerce.
For mobile consumers, bar codes offer the ability to discover, interact and transact with brands without tapping out a Web address or searching for a Web site.
Neustar is set to demonstrate the new technology this week at CTIA Wireless 2009.