USSD System VI Architecture

About USSD System VI

USSD System VI is the Swiss Army knife of Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) platforms—offering a full suite of tools to deliver a complete, turnkey solution for all your USSD needs across 2G, 3G, and LTE networks.

USSD System VI is a standards-based USSD Gateway that enables the mobile network to provide subscribers with real-time, session-based communication for value-added services such as balance inquiries, mobile banking, prepaid recharges, customer support, and promotional campaigns.

It acts as a bridge between mobile subscribers and USSD service applications, handling both Mobile-Originating (MO) and Application-Originating (AO) USSD sessions. For operators, the gateway provides a centralised platform to create, manage, and route USSD-based services. For subscribers, it delivers fast, session-based interactions without the need for internet access or smartphone capabilities, ensuring accessibility to essential mobile services on any handset.


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Key Benefits


  • Flexible: Get rapid service creation and deployment, multiple subscriber interfaces, advanced service routing options, and optional service billing.
  • Field-Proven: The system's reliability and carrier-grade performance is field-proven in multiple Tier-1, 2, and 3 networks.
  • Future-Proof: Scales to the most demanding operator needs, can run as a virtualised service.

Key Features


  • Services Creation: Easily build feature-rich USSD services with drag-and-drop tools; redirect users to your own or external services.
  • Ready-to-Use Subscriber Services: Generate revenue and engage subscribers with BeEngaged, CallMe, mCare, mNurse, and RechargeMe.
  • Standard and Advanced Routing: Route AO and MO USSD services and subscribers (by segment) to internal or external services using the same service code; optionally block access to specific services.
  • Subscriber Service Interfaces: Offer USSD services as single-shot transactions and interactive menus with automatic redirection.
  • High-Speed Messaging: Each USSD Gateway server processes thousands of transactions per second for fast response times and optimal user experience.
  • Uninterrupted Sessions: Redundant gateway servers ensure uninterrupted, error-free USSD session continuity.
  • Uninterrupted Processing: Seamlessly introduce, update, and upgrade USSD apps and menus without disrupting subscribers.
  • Billing: Charge prepaid and postpaid subscribers for services using any billing system, with support for content-based, time- based, event-based, and reverse billing.
  • Redundancy and Availability: Dual redundant active-active servers provide 99.999% carrier- grade availability.
  • Deployment Options: On-prem, virtual machine, and cloud.
  • O&M: Use the web interface to perform all the major tasks required to manage and configure the gateway, including alarm monitoring.

Why USSD System VI?


USSD is a high-engagement channel for mobile account self-care that millions of subscribers use daily. It is also a proven revenue driver—enabling the sale of airtime, data bundles, and value-added digital services (like call- me-back), while unlocking new income streams through mobile banking.

With USSD System VI’s USSD Gateway, your subscribers can instantly top up, check balances, and manage their plans—boosting service usage and reducing call centre overheads. You can also drive personalised promotions during USSD sessions to upsell your offerings and advertise third-party products and services.

On top of this, by partnering with banks and fintechs, the gateway opens up high-margin transaction-based revenue from mobile banking, payments, micro-insurance, and mobile loans—all delivered through a familiar and accessible interface.

Designed for telecom operators of every size, USSD System VI is field-proven at multiple Tier-1, 2, and 3 sites across Africa and Europe. It provides you with all the tools needed to build and route flexible USSD services. Pharos also offers a USSi Gateway add-on option if you would like to extend USSD access to subscribers on IP networks. Flexibly, System VI supports modern virtualised and cloud deployments and is designed to scale seamlessly to serve your future needs.

Because of its many uses, USSD will remain a valuable part of the mobile network for many years to come.

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