Mobile tools

1
Mobile tools

• These are a set of tools for mobile phones that
  Cell-Life has developed.
• Contact
• Peter Benjamin
• peter_at_cell-life.org.za
• 082 829 3353
• 021 469 1111

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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.

3
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

4
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 140number or on MTN 121number
• 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)

5
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.
  Around 45c.
• Handset Any all (with SMS or USSD)
• Uses Find where the nearest facility is (e.g.
  health clinic, support centre or local event)

6
Text menus (USSD)

• What is it? Basic text menus can make selections
  of menus for different pages
• Positives 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,
  though a USSD selection can trigger an SMS
  being sent to the user
• Cost User pays 20c for 20 seconds (through
  trying to negotiate free services) provider
  pays 5c each time someone uses it
• Handset Any all
• Examples 111 (Vodacom customers) 120555
  (Look for it service) 1208221 (Eng only,
  822 TAC) 12078573 (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 12057573

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MXit

• What is it? Massively popular system for instant
  messaging text-chat information portals.
  Users must download software onto phone that
  allows text-chat.
• Positives Its very cheap 12.5 million South
  Africans use it (quarter of the population!)
• Negatives Not everyne uses MXit old/basic
  phones cant use it unlikely to reach older
  people some association with pornography and
  abuse
• Cost 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 gt MXit Mix gt My Culture
  gt Red to see Cell-Lifes HIV info.

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WAP (internet via cellphone)

• What is it? Browsing the Web on a cellphone
• Positives Its pretty cheap no character
  restrictions. Can to graphics, colours etc (not
  just text)
• Negatives Theres a perception that its
  expensive. About 60 of phones in SA can use it
  (but most people with WAP phones dont know how
  to use it).
• Cost R2 / MegaByte (thats about 1 - 2 cents /
  page)
• Handset Must be WAP-enabled
• Examples wapedia.mobi/en/ http//dev.cell-life.
  org/wap/sexual-health http//dev.cell-life.org
  /wap/social_grants

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Cell book

• What is it? Book that downloads via WAP to your
  cellphone (can be long e.g. 100 pages of A4)
• Positives Its 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)

10
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)
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Messaging via cellphone options
Channel 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 cant 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 its 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