ECX to Launch Free Telecom Lines

(AF) The Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) is to launch a free SMS and Interactive Voice Recognition (IVR) service this week in collaboration with Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) to enable ECX to communicate information to customers.

The ECX has been creating a new marketplace for farmers, traders, processors, exporters, and consumers since its establishment in April 2008. Recently, it developed a new market system of which the two telecom services form part. IVR technology is designed to computerise communications by retrieving information like bank balances, flight schedules, product details, order status.

“The SMS line will provide information to customers by text message,” said Eleni Gabre-Madhin (PhD), chief executive officer (CEO) of the ECX.

The new lines will commence service this week, according to Ahadu Woubshet, Market Information expert for ECX. The free number for the SMS line is 934 and for the IVR line 929, he said.