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VeriSign, cops send a message
By Tim Kridel
Jun 19, 2007 12:00 AM
Set in Boston, Martin Scorsese’s movie The Departed includes scenes where mobsters use text messages to communicate as the cops close in. Now VeriSign is using the same technology to help that city’s police fight violent crimes—the first such use of short message service in the U.S.
In the new Boston Crime Stoppers text messaging system, citizens can text tips to CRIME (27463). VeriSign’s platform masks the sender’s phone number and other information before forwarding the tip to the Boston Police Department. That anonymity should help encourage tips from people concerned about being implicated in a crime. The VeriSign platform allows cops to send text messages to tipsters for more details, such as descriptions of suspects. Hill Holliday Mobile Marketing worked with VeriSign to start the SMS tip line, which launched June 15. VeriSign said it currently handles about 60% of all intercarrier SMS traffic in the U.S. The Boston system is the latest example of how companies such as VeriSign are looking for new applications to continue to grow the SMS market, which is mature in the U.S. and many other countries.
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