Post on 06-Jan-2016
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Mobile tools
These are a set of tools for mobile phones that Cell-Life has developed.
Contact:Peter Benjamin
peter@cell-life.org.za
082 829 3353
021 469 1111
Broadcast SMS
What is it? Organisation sends out an SMS to a list of known numbers (10 or 1,000). Can be
scheduled (e.g. send at 9.00am on Monday)
Positives: Everyone can use it; no fancy phone needed.
Negatives: 160 character limit/SMS; person has to get keyword exactly right
Cost: Free to user, cost of about 23c to organisation sending.
Handset: Any & all
Uses: Any short message, notice or update.
Interactive SMS
What is it? Person SMSs a keyword and gets information back through another SMS
Positives: Everyone can use it; no fancy phone needed.
Negatives: 160 character limit/SMS; person has to get keyword exactly right
Cost: Could be made free to user on Vodacom (more tricky on other networks);
implementer pays 25c / SMS
Handset: Any & all
Uses: SMS to find date, time & venue of next meeting; where the nearest ‘facility’ is
“Please Call Me” messages
What is it? A user send a message as a ‘Please Call Me’ to signal. This is done on Vodacom by typing *140*number# or on MTN *121*number#
Positives: Everyone can use it; no fancy phone needed.
Negatives: No real content can be entered in the message
Cost: Free
Handset: Any & all
Uses: Can be used to signal for various things – joining a subscription list, finding local service etc. Can trigger a response (e.g. SMS sent back)
Location Based Services (LBS)
What is it? The network knows where the cellphone is, can be used to find local services. Can be used in different ways – from SMS, USSD, GPS, services like the Grid
Positives: Everyone can use it; no fancy phone needed.
Negatives: Privacy issues. Usually requires 2-stage communications with user confirming they want to give their position.
Cost: Various depends on service provider. Can be around 30c
Handset: Any & all (with SMS or USSD)
Uses: Find where the nearest ‘facility’ is (e.g. health clinic, support centre or local event)
Text menus (USSD)
What is it? Basic text menus; can make selections of menus for different pagesPositives: Everyone can use it; no fancy phone needed.Negatives: 150 character limit/screen; bit tricky to use (three key-presses for each selection)
2-min session timeout then content disappears – a USSD selection can trigger an SMS being sent to the user
Cost: 1 cent / second (through trying to negotiate free services)Handset: Any & allExamples: *111# (Vodacom customers); *120*555# (Look for it service);
*120*8221# (Eng only, 822 = TAC); *120*78573# (78573 = PULSE)Uses: Access limited information (e.g. contact details); select one of many choices
(then sent an SMS of the info), or enter a few questions - try *120*57573#
MXit
What is it? Massively popular system for ‘instant messaging’ text-chat & information ‘portals’. Users must download software onto your phone that allows you to text-chat.
Positives: It’s very cheap; 12.5 million South Africans use it (quarter of the population!)Negatives: Not everyone uses MXit; old/basic phones can’t use it; unlikely to reach older
people; some association with pornography and abuseCost: Less than 1c per text chat or screen of info. Free to download the software.Handset: Java-enabled phone (most cellphones costing R400 or more)Examples: Go to Tradepost > MXit Mix > My Culture > Red to see Cell-Life’s HIV info.
WAP (internet via cellphone)
What is it? Browsing the Web on a cellphonePositives: It’s pretty cheap; no character restrictions. Can to graphics, colours etc (not just
text)Negatives: There’s a perception that it’s expensive. About 60% of phones in SA can use it (but
most people with WAP phones don’t know how to use it).Cost: R2 / MegaByte (that’s about 1 - 2 cents / page)Handset: Must be WAP-enabledExamples: wapedia.mobi/en/ ; http://dev.cell-life.org/wap/sexual-health;
http://dev.cell-life.org/wap/social_grants
Cell book
What is it? Book that downloads via WAP to your cellphone (can be long e.g. 100 pages of A4)
Positives: It’s pretty cheap; no character restrictions
Negatives: Need to have WAP, so about 60% of phones in SA can use it. Unfamiliar tech. Can be hard to find the ‘book’ once it has been downloaded to the phone.
Cost: About R1 once-off (free to read it after that – it is on your phone)
Handset: Must be WAP and Java enabled
Examples: Metropolitan “B the Future HIV-AIDS CellBook” (SMS the word HIV to 32907)
Cellphone data capture (EMIT)
What is it? Little programme to downloaded to cellphone to allow entering of structured information (e.g. survey, questionnaire, feedback for etc). Once form is entered, then GPRS to upload data.
Positives: Easy & fast entry of data, no retyping or movement of paper.Negatives: Needs better cellphone and some training.Cost: About 2c to upload a form (depending on size). Free to download the software.Handset: Java-enabled phone (most cellphones costing R400 or more)
Messaging via cellphone: optionsChannel What is it? +ve -ve Cost Handset
Text menus (USSD)
Basic text menus + info. can make selections of menus for different pages
Everyone can use it. No fancy phone needed. Could be made free
150 characters / screen; 2-min session then content disappears (though can SMS at end)
1 cent / second Any
MXit Massively popular system for ‘instant messaging’ text-chat & information ‘portals’. Users must download software onto their phone that allows users to text-chat.
Very cheap
12.5 million South Africans use it.
Old & cheap phones can’t use it; unlikely to reach older people; some association with pornography and abuse
Less than 1c per text chat or screen of info
Java-enabled phone.
WAP Browsing the Web on a cellphone
Pretty cheap. No size restrictions. Colours, graphics etc
Perception that it’s expensive. About 60% of phones in SA can use it
R 2 / MegaByte
(about 1 - 2 cents / page)
Must be WAP-enabled
Inter-
active
SMS
Person SMSs a keyword and gets information back
Everyone can use it
No fancy phone needed
160 character limit/SMS; person has to get keyword exactly right
Could be free to user; implementer pays 25c / SMS
Any
Cell-
book
Book that downloads via WAP to your cellphone
Pretty cheap
No character restrictions
Need to have WAP, (about 60% of phones in SA). Unfamiliar tech. Can be hard to find once on phone.
About R 2 once-off (free to read it after that as its on your phone)
Must be WAP- and Java- enabled
Other technologies
• SMS relay / twitter. e.g. Flashmobs
• Video streaming
• Video recording web
• Bblogging, Vlogging
• Integrated Voice Response
• Voicemail push
• Games