Today, Israeli leading TV channel (Channel 2), launched its 3G mobile interactive portal )IVVR portal which is based on 3G video calls). This launch makes the Israeli market world’s first to have IVVR portals for all major TV channels. The video calls-based service was created by the partnership between Ugunduzi IVVR Services, DSPV, and Teleclal a partnership which also created and operates the IVVR portal of Israeli channel 10.

The portal provides an immediate access to news casts, weather information, and a live stream of news. The live video is delivered when a live news show is broadcasted and in special events such as breaking news. It is a great challenge to deliver a good live stream video over IVVR in real-time but this new portal presents an unparallel video quality.

Idan Gafni, owner of Ugunduzi IVVR Services said: “The partnership between Ugunduzi, DSPV, and Teleclal provides our customers a comprehensive IVVR solution combined with market understanding, and services innovations, development, and hosting. We use the technology and our knowledge to launch services for media companies, advertisement agencies, content providers, financial institutions, and customer service centers. We launched the first commercial IVVR service in Israel and lead the market since then. We now aim to replicate the success we have in Israel to other countries starting in European countries.”

The unique combination of Israel’s strength in technology with the IVVR potential understanding pushed Israel to be a leading country in IVVR services. IVVR services usage in Israel increases with every launched service and shows a constant growth since the beginning of 2009.

In the U.S., video calls were never deployed so the market had no choice and mobile portals are based on the mobile web, making the American market irrelevant for video calls-based services (at the moment).

In Europe, where 3G penetration is higher in most countries, users are accustomed to use the mobile web. Will the market education, to move users from mobile web to richer experience using IVVR, that succeeded in Israel have the same success?! There is a limited opportunity before the market fixates on mobile web and forgets the potential and the promise of the IVVR technology.