monitoring

An SMS hub is a stand-alone system which allows you to send and receive large numbers of text messages via the mobile phone network, without needing to be connected to the internet or to any other computer network.

'Clickatell is a commercial SMS service which allows you to send SMS messages via a web site or through desktop software. It offers SMS coverage to over 500 networks globally.

Who's it for; Commercial SMS services are good for organisations who don't wish to invest in setting up an SMS hub such as FrontlineSMS but wish to send and receive bulk SMS messages.

BulkSMS is a commercial SMS service which allows you to send SMS messages via a web site or through desktop software. It offers SMS coverage to over 500 networks globally.

Who's it for; Commercial SMS services are good for organisations who don't wish to invest in setting up an SMS hub such as FrontlineSMS but wish to send and receive bulk SMS messages.

Send and receive large amounts of SMS messages from your computer.

Who's it for: FrontlineSMS has been specifically designed for use by NGOs and doesn't require an internet connection.

Members of the public can be asked to help with election monitoring, for example, or to report specific events such as human rights violations or environmental damage. Monitoring using simple SMS and voice services is accessible, and helps grassroots communities to engage in the political sphere. Individuals can make a very effective contribution by helping, in real time, to gather and report widely dispersed information which can then be centralised and analysed on a computer database and redistributed in various forms.