AQA - a mobile start-up that answers any question

A start-up has promised to deliver "the ultimate data service" by providing the answer to any conceivable question - via a text message.

Any Question Answered - said AQA, as in water - is the brainchild of former Symbian CEO Colly Myers, who is the sole investor in AQA provider IssueBits. The idea is that for £1 plus network SMS fee mobile phone users text a question to 63336, then "in minutes" a response is sent back.

Myers told silicon.com: "It's something I started thinking about post-Symbian, in 2002. I wanted to do something different, providing a service that customers would really, really like - something that I call an enchanting service."

A world away from the mobile phone operating system joint venture that was Symbian, AQA depends on a team of researchers and homegrown software, which is currently going through the patent awarding process.

Myers reckons applications go beyond the obvious pub quiz scenario, with triallists asking about times of last trains, horse race odds and recommendations for birthday celebrations.

Vodafone and Orange customers can already get the service, with O2 and T-Mobile "following shortly" and 3 and Virgin Mobile "later".

"We can answer any question but one of the most difficult things is doing so in only 160 characters," added Myers.

The start-up currently employs up to 50 people, though remote researchers will be brought online as and when required.

Users of the service are expected to grow gradually - and do drop us a line if you happen to try it - as AQA will learn from past questions, so an initial deluge may prove problematic.