The Crucial Role of an SMS Service in Disaster Relief
More than one SMS service is currently up and running to supply the citizens of Chile with relief following the devastating 8.8 earthquake on Saturday. And that’s not the only way SMS is used to provide aid…
SMS Service & Aid
One SMS service that has been around for a long time is that of the fundraiser that allows individuals to donate money to a certain cause by sending an SMS to a specific short code. The amount donated is then deducted from the sender’s available airtime.
More recently, however, one company has moved into the spotlight where disasters are concerned. Ushahidi provides an online platform to help map the effects of natural disasters as well as other events that affect the lives of a population or society. Their system relies on information contributed by the public, with as one of the main platforms, to plot the information received on a map. Contrary to the usual A2P (Application to Person) direction of an SMS service, this serves as an example where the direction is reversed.
According to a report recently published on the BBC news website, messages such as “Send help. I’m stuck under a building with my child. We have no supplies” or, from the Ushahidi website, “People are looting building close to the Comercial Siglo Xxi Supermarket in Conception” have been flooding in, thereby helping emergency services coordinate the appropriate responses and also emphasizing the role of an SMS service.
SMS Service: What Can You Do?
The fact of the matter is that the above serves as an example of the applied innovation utilizing a medium common to 4.6 billion people on earth: SMS . Due to the immediate nature and ubiquitous nature of this platform, one can easily imagine SMS services being used for similar purposes closer to home.
Possible applications may include a neighborhood watch SMS service, a local lift club operated entirely by SMS, lost pet service, etc. In fact, as has been shown over the years, the possibilities are endless.
How An SMS Service Works
In many instances an SMS service is employed to fuel business; on the odd and very worthwhile occasion, SMS is also used to help save lives. It’s what happens with these messages after they are delivered, that determines their actual worth, as is not only evidenced by the Ushahidi case, but by your run-of-the-mill commercial successes as well.
Small to medium enterprises that require an SMS service often rely on established software and interfaces, such as Clickatell’s Communicator or Messenger PRO to cater for their messaging needs. In both instances a pre-designed interface provides two-way messaging functionality, messages templates, powerful reporting, and much, much more.
Medium to large organizations who have their own development teams on board are able to make use of any of the available Application Programming Interfaces. While not all API’s provide two-way functionality, they can be combined to ensure optimal integration and business functionality.
So, do you have any ideas on how SMS can be used to improve the safety and quality of life for yourself and those around you? For more information on how you can get SMS connected, read more on our SMS service page.
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