Africa Information Technology Initiative

SMS-based Services Overview

Strathmore Mobile Bootcamp July 9, 2009

Agenda
Other Messaging Protocols
USSD & MMS

SMS-based Services (SBS)

SMS Delivery SMS Gateways SMS Applications

Designing SMS Interactions

Africa Information Technology Initiative 2009

http://aiti.mit.edu

Unstructured Supplementary Services Data (USSD)

Short, user-initiated responses (pull)
Balance check: Safaricom: *144#

USSD supported in all GSM networks New standards support push messages
M-Pesa Instant messaging

USSD is not SMS!

Africa Information Technology Initiative 2009

http://aiti.mit.edu

Multimedia Message Service (MMS)

Extension to SMS that allows message to include more content:
Images, videos, and audio

Use WAP browser to display the message Much bigger payload than SMS Problems:
Displaying on different phone (content adaption) Access to MMSC from provider
Africa Information Technology Initiative 2009

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Short Message Service (SMS)

GSM Protocol that allows for exchange of short messages
CDMA networks also have SMS protocol

Each SMS messages is 140 bytes (byte = 8 bits)

Can encode up to 160 7-bit characters using default GSM alphabet

Africa Information Technology Initiative 2009

http://aiti.mit.edu

Simplified Network Diagram

Within Network SMS SMS

Out of Network

Short Message Service Center (SMSC)

SMS

Africa Information Technology Initiative 2009

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Short Message Service Center (SMSC)

GSM network node that delivers SMS messages When user sends a messages:
Forwarded to SMSC Stored at SMSC until it can be delivered to recipient
If msg cannot be delivered, queue for later retry Termed Store-and-Forward

Some SMSCs also provide a "forward and forget" option where transmission is tried only once

SMSCs now connected to Internet

Better quality of service
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http://aiti.mit.edu

SMS Gateways
Device or service providing SMS transport
Allowing SMS transport with or without phone Allow SMS traffic between business and mobiles

Direct To Mobile Gateway Appliance

Mobile phone or USB GSM modem Connected to PC, can send/receive messages Good for low to medium message volume (this class!)

Direct To SMSC Gateway

Gateway connected to SMSC via Internet Business has interface to Gateway (usually Internet)
Gateway then forwards message to SMSC (SMPP)
Africa Information Technology Initiative 2009

http://aiti.mit.edu

Simplified Network Diagram

Direct to Mobile Gateway USB SMS

Direct to SMSC Gateway Internet

Short Message Service Center (SMSC)

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Gateway Software for SBS Business

Installed on Business computer to send/receive messages Can use either Direct-to-Mobile or Direct-toSMSC
Can use multiple at same time!

Require either:
Sending device (phone/modem) Contract with Operator or Service Provider
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Gateway Software for SBS Business

Examples:
NowSMS
Not open-source

Kannel
Linux Open source Written in C

smslib
Windows XP Open-source Written in Java
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Direct To Mobile Gateway

Using a phone or GSM Modem as a Windows modem
Connecting Installing Testing

PC to modem/phone connections
USB Bluetooth Infrared
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Service Providers
Service providers have contracts with operators
Resell SMS services to you Provide APIs to send/receive messages
HTTP, PHP, Java, etc.

Can use Gateway software also (smslib)

Examples:
Clickatell

Problems:
Hard to send messages

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Email to SMS Gateway

One can send an SMS to a phone via email Usually: recipient_number @provider.com Safaricom:
254721123456@safaricomsms.com Must first SMS EMAIL ON to 123
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SMS to Email Gateway

One can send an SMS to an email address from a phone Safaricom message format:
recipient_address messsage Example: aiti@mit.edu I love your class!

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SMS Premium Services with Operator Agreement

Examples: Ringtones, digital content, state updates Value-added Service Provider (VASP) has agreement with operator
Extra charges are added to SMS to/from VASP VASP and operator share extra charge
Revenue share or fixed transport fee

Short codes

Messages transported between operator and VASP via Internet

VASP uses Gateway software
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SMS Applications

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SMS is Ubiquitous
Least-common denominator technology
All phone support SMS Almost everyone is familiar with SMS SMS messages are cheap, free on some networks

Reach the most users But many constraints

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Types of SMS-based Services

Information Push Information Pull State Update Mobile-Based Systems Redirect Downloads

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Information Push
Broadcasting information to a group
Bible verses, jokes, pickup lines

Alerts and notifications:

Ex: weather warnings, coupons, email notification, stock notification, credit card alerts

Users can subscribe and unsubscribe

Via SMS, web portal or email

Users can pay for service

Daily / monthly / yearly rate Operator agreement Reverse SMS billing (charge receiver)
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Information Pull (Query)

Two way interaction User sends a formatted message requesting information
Ex: Google search, phone number search, directions, weather, sport scores, transportation information

User subscription or charged per message

Operator agreement Reverse billing
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State Update
User sends a message to update the state of a system
Maybe an acknowledgment is returned

Examples:
Voting Systems
Idols East Africa

Update the state of an Internet site

Update Facebook/Twitter status, update personal blog, micropublishing

Disaster Information:
Update disaster locations to inform others via SMS

SMS Forms:
Predefined format Medical Records, Field Surveys, Business Agents
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Mobile-Based Systems
User interacts with full system via SMS
User has continued presence with system Database backed

Protocol of SMS interactions

command arguments

Menu driven with session support:

Have to remember the state of the users interactions

Examples:
Independent M-Pesa, IM networks, classified ads

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Designing SMS Applications

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SMS Application Basics

SMS apps are constrained by many factors:
Only small amounts of text can be sent User interface is the SMS composer Writing text is cumbersome with 12 keys
T9 makes things a bit better

Each sent message is charged to the user

Ways around this

No online help / help screens

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SMS Protocol Design Principles

Keep user input to a minimum
Digits easy to input Long words are hard If requiring a long word, make sure T9 completes it Disregard punctuation, space is adequate

Intuitive interactions
Command words that makes sense Consistent order of arguments Multiple command words for each command
With abbreviations

Keep responses to 1 message

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Server Considerations
What is needed on the server?
Support for many users
Threaded server Multiple gateways (phones, modems)

Parse messages to perform actions Database of users and system state

Table design (SQL) Query design (SQL) Atomic actions?

Internet connection for accessing info

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Agents?
Are agents needed for you system? Example:
M-Pesa agent

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Conclusions
SMS is ubiquitous!
With it you can reach the largest audience

Many constraints
Design your interactions carefully

Different entry points for new SBS startup Think of service you want to offer
Research the market!
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AITI '09: Two-week SMS unit

AITI / SMSlib infrastructure Open-ended Group project Projects go live!
We give out USB GSM modems to groups

SBS Ideas:
Directions (including matatu routes) Spot and Report Ticketing Forex Search Sports Scores Update Movie Tickets Business Directory
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Africa Information Technology Initiative 2009