The Tonata SMS system- Brief “How it works” 2016

Erastus Ndilenga [email protected]

Table of Contents 1.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 2 1.1

History......................................................................................................................................... 2

1.2

Connect SMS .......................................................................................................................... 2

1.4

The Current System ................................................................................................................ 3

1.6

Future development .................................................................................................................... 3

1.7

Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 4

1.1 Introduction Tonata is a grass roots network or umbrella organisation of support groups. The organisation has a vision to improve the lives of People living with HIV (PLHIV) via improved sharing of information amongst PLHIV and increasing the voice of PLHIV in Namibia. A key challenge for the organisation is to share and receive information with the 14000 members it serves. One of the responses to that challenge is via SMS (Short Messaging Service). Tonata is able to send group messages and receive responses from members in even the very hard to reach areas of Namibia. The system employed by Tonata is simple, in-expensive and has come about as a result of trial and error. This document seeks to demonstrate how an SMS system can be implemented with relatively little resources and technical capacity.

1.1

History

A number of systems were adopted to make use of the opportunity that SMS communication offered. Here we will explore the previous and current system, with a view to defining the next development of the system.

1.2

Connect SMS

In 2011, Tonata PLHIV Network was communicating with its members through phone calls – for instance when inviting them for meetings. In 2012, (in collaboration with VSO volunteer Andrea Van de Lan), the organization approached MTC (Mobile Telecommunications Ltd) to adopt its (MTC) bulk texts system. This system is known as MTC Connect SMS – it allows the organization to upload its beneficiaries’ phone numbers on MTC website which enables staff to send one same SMS to all members once, at the same time.

a) Advantages of the system The interface is designed to accommodate all varieties of users (e.g. beginners, experts) – this means it is user-friendly. Based on the Tonata’s experience with this system, it has the following advantages: 

Enables Tonata to disseminate required information to the members quickly and efficiently.

  

1.3

History of sent items are retrievable within 30 days (saved in the system for a month). Enables users (in this case staff) to upload an updatable beneficiaries’ contact database, and group them. It does not require another extra software to be installed in the computer (MTC website based).

Disadvantages of the system

Although the system has worked for Tonata in the past. There were limitations which made it impossible to meet Tonata expectations. The following were established as disadvantages:      

1.4

As aforementioned, the system is a website based, this means recipients were unable to reply to a text sent from the office (information flowed one way). The system does not retrieve “texts history” after 30 days and there was no capacity for export. The system’s template is not designed, maintained, managed by Tonata. Tonata only updates the template with its information. In the absence of internet, the system goes down. The system has a cost of around 1000.00 Namibia Dollars per month in normal circumstances There is no facility to organise polls and zero interactivity

The Current System

The above mentioned system (Connect SMS) was reviewed to find solutions to the limitations stated herein under the connect system component. The organization has adopted a 3G system to improve and obtain information from the support groups. This system exploits a tool normally aimed at connecting a PC to the internet. The tool has a simple interface with which one can send and receive SMS just like a telephone. Tonata has innovatively developed techniques of copying and pasting and exporting responses to excel to allow for a far more effective two-way communication system. The interface looks like this:

1.5

Procedure of the system

Since this is an approach that requires using the tools in a way it was not necessary intended, it is worth describing the process in some detail:

Step 1: This is the first product/item to buy before getting the system started. This item is found at MTC. The 3G always comes with a SIM-Card.

Step 2: After buying the 3G stick from MTC, insert it in the USB port on any computer. The 3G has a built-in drivers, the dialogue box pops up and click install. Follow the instructions as normal.

Step 3: After installation, open the application, this window will show up on the screen requesting you to enter the SIM-Card's pin. The pin is found on the starter pack which comes with the 3G.

Step 4: On the above shown window, select text (as highlighted) in the red pen above. This will enable you to start developing a text.

Step 5: The above red-cycled icon enables you (by clicking it) to create a new text you wish to send.

Enter number manually, or import numbers from phonebook by clicking on “send to”

Write the text content here, and click send to send the text, or you can click save if you wish to save the text.

Step 6: As seen in this step, enter the number of the person to receive the text, and on the subject write the content of the text. Afterwards, click send. You can import all the numbers from Facebook by clicking the “Send To”

Click here second

One can import all the support groups’ numbers from the database or fill in the names in the above form.

Step 7: As shown above, One has to click on the phonebook, then second Click on new icon (as shown in the second step) to fill up the contacts details and click Ok to save.

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Click here first

d) Saving a Number

STEP 1: To add a new contact, click on "PHONEBOOK", then click NEW CONTACT. STEP 2: type the name of the contact and his/her number then click "OK" to save

Due to limitation of this system, one cannot save or import numbers from the database once. You have to save numbers one by one as shown above.

e) Sending SMSes in bulk

Step 1

Step 5

Step 3 Step 1:

Click on New as indicated on the snapshot Step 2: Click on send, see where the cursor is pointing. Step 3:

Step 2

Step 4

Tick the names of the targeted recipients as shown Step 4: Click on the arrow (the two pointing on your right) to import the numbers you selected then click “OK” to send. Step 5 Read the instruction (content typed in Step 5)

f) Importing numbers from the database

Step 1 Right click on texts, choose export all SMS (as indicated in the snapshot. You can select only one text you want to export by exporting selected SMS (see in the picture

Step 1

Step 2 On you left hand, click on the desktop, and on the “FILE NAME” write the name of your exported SMSes, it is good to name it after the date of exportation.

g) Receiving texts from members with this system The system is not sufficiently advanced to sort the incoming texts and group them with their phone number. This makes it difficult to easily capture ‘conversations’ where there has been one more reply to the sms. Tonata has developed the idea of exporting the SMSs to excel. This allows the user to filter and sort the SMSs as desired. To export, right click on one text and choose “Export all texts”. When exporting the texts from the 3G, it is in Microsoft excel as shown below:

The screenshot shows the message that were exported from the 3G to excel, to get the conversation between the sender and the recipient, use excel filter tool to filter cell phone numbers:

Figure 1: The figure above, in excel windows, click the red-cycled FILTER icon

Figure 2: As you can see above, the number you selected above in figure 4, it shows you the converstaion between Tonata staff (texts in green) and a support group (texts in black)

Click the dropdown arrow

Choose any number by “ticking on the box next to it” to retrieve the conversation

Figure 3: Select a number of your choice (the number you want to retrieve it is conversation), then click OK, to show all the numbers, click “select all”. a) Advantages

This system has two key advantages, these are:   

Support groups are engaged (there is a two way communication). There would even be scope for voting via guided responses (ie “yes” or “no”) Received texts and sent texts are retrievable which makes it easier for reporting purposes. It does not need any expert to work with it just a little bit of patience and basic knowledge of excel.

b) Disadvantages

Although it has the above stated advantages, it has the following limitations:      



Messages remain in the computer with a 3G, this makes it difficult to be accessible by somebody in the field (are not online, messages are offline). Messages being sent by members during holidays, off-work-hours get lost or not attended too because the desktop computer stays and remains in the office. Replying to the SMS costs the user The system is somewhat crude and not totally user friendly There is limited scope for multimedia and/ or polls and voting Any replies have to be hand written, as opposed to automated responses to frequently asked questions. This has advantages and disadvantages, but doe require a relatively large amount of human resource. The integration of SMSs with the Tonata website is not automated

c) Costs

This system is inexpensive in terms of setting it up and maintaining it. The 3G is available and affordable from MTC and in terms of maintenance is rechargeable with normal recharge vouchers. It adapts all prepaid services offered by MTC. Generally Tonata invests about 140.00 Namibian Dollars in running the system per month. This allows Tonata to send weekly (?) messages and respond to questions. 1.6 Future development While the current system is effective, the SMS system could improve in the following ways: i. ii. iii.

iv.

USSD would allow users to reply for free, ask questions to illicit and automated responses, post to the website and many more. The SMS system needs to integrate with Tonata’s website’s backend for the texts’ to display on the site. There is scope (using USSD) for members to give feedback on services. Users could respond to questions on the USSD and the results could be published on the Tonata website. A ‘trip advisor’ type interface is perceived. To keep this system working, there is a need to have a fixed person to deal with and to be responding and engaging the support groups texts when texting.

1.7 Conclusion The Radio program, newsletter and SMS project means that there is a great deal more ‘Buzz’ around Tonata. Increasing and improving the organisation’s ability to handle bi-directional communication with its members is likely to be an effective investment. Members already express views, opinions, give feedback on services. With greater organisation and recording the SMS system could provide a considerable platform for PLHIV to voice their opinions. Tonata will continue to prioritise working with SMS as a key element of the communication strategy. The potential for further development may require some external support, both technically and in terms of resource. However the resulting system would prove valuable in the response and help allow beneficiary originated data to guide the planning, implementation, and monitoring of intervention in the HIV response.