A comparison of do-it-yourself SMS hubs -- stand-alone systems 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.
Introduction
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.
You need a laptop or desktop computer with a number of mobile phones or GSM modems attached. A GSM modem is a small device without a keypad or screen that you connect to your computer. It works like a mobile phone, but is controlled through the computer. Messages are sent and received using software installed on the computer which transmits them through the attached phone or modem to the available mobile phone network. Because SMS hubs do not need to be connected to the internet, they are very useful for NGOs working in areas where access to the internet is not possible or is unreliable.
(this definition courtesy of Tactical Tech's Mobiles-in-a-Box)
Rating Criteria and Scale
I’ve applied the following ratings to each software package:
Category: H, O, A
I’ve classified software into three groups using the codes (H=hacker, O=old, A=alive and well). If it has an “H” it means that the software looks and behaves as if some smart programmer put it together in a few weeks in spare time. The user interface is probably terrible, a lot of things don’t work, and it’s an unprofessional product all around. However, if you’re a hacker, it probably has some solid code snippets and functionality that you can mashup into something better and beautiful.
If it has an “O” it means that it looks like this software was developed a while ago and then forgotten and is no longer being improved. This software can work well, but don’t rely on it to serve needs in the future as the technology changes.
An “A” indicates that the software is alive and well. Someone is paying attention to it and it looks like it’s moving strongly into the future.
Ease of Installation: 1-10
1 means that it was nearly impossible to install. 10 was a few-click process with no problems.
Ease of Use: 1-10
My background is in user interface design, so I’m especially sensitive to software that breaks your mind when you try to figure it out. A lot of the software that I reviewed for this document fell into this category. I give it a 1 if I couldn’t figure it out. I give it a 10 if I intuitively understood how to use it within a few seconds.
Support: 1-10
I give the software a 1 if I can’t find any contact information at all and a 10 if the product has a dedicated support team that can respond to inquiries from 9-5 on weekdays.
Note that I didn’t install all of the software – especially the ones that looked like they weren’t the right fit for nonprofits or that wouldn’t work on Windows Vista. You’ll find some (?)s in the matrix to indicate an unknown in this instance.
The SMS Hub Comparison Matrix
The Comparison Matrix is published as a [Google document].
You can also download a .pdf [here]
Testing Methodology
To find software to test, I spent a few hours searching the Web looking for software that matched “SMS” “SMSC” “SMS Gateway” “SMS Server” “Text Messaging Software” “SMS Software” “SMS Messaging” “GSM Modem” and “SMS Modem.” I followed about 200 hits – until the point at which I began finding the same hits multiple times through different searches and Web listings. I narrowed the list to software that looked like it might actually work (a lot of it looked like ad-ware from sources of ill repute). This list consisted of about 20 software packages.
I then installed as many of them as would install on my Vista Business Fujitsu laptop and spent from 15 minutes to 2 hours experimenting with each one.
A comparison of do-it-yourself SMS hubs -- stand-alone systems 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.
Introduction
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.
You need a laptop or desktop computer with a number of mobile phones or GSM modems attached. A GSM modem is a small device without a keypad or screen that you connect to your computer. It works like a mobile phone, but is controlled through the computer. Messages are sent and received using software installed on the computer which transmits them through the attached phone or modem to the available mobile phone network. Because SMS hubs do not need to be connected to the internet, they are very useful for NGOs working in areas where access to the internet is not possible or is unreliable.
(this definition courtesy of Tactical Tech's Mobiles-in-a-Box)
Rating Criteria and Scale
I’ve applied the following ratings to each software package:
Category: H, O, A
I’ve classified software into three groups using the codes (H=hacker, O=old, A=alive and well). If it has an “H” it means that the software looks and behaves as if some smart programmer put it together in a few weeks in spare time. The user interface is probably terrible, a lot of things don’t work, and it’s an unprofessional product all around. However, if you’re a hacker, it probably has some solid code snippets and functionality that you can mashup into something better and beautiful.
If it has an “O” it means that it looks like this software was developed a while ago and then forgotten and is no longer being improved. This software can work well, but don’t rely on it to serve needs in the future as the technology changes.
An “A” indicates that the software is alive and well. Someone is paying attention to it and it looks like it’s moving strongly into the future.
Ease of Installation: 1-10
1 means that it was nearly impossible to install. 10 was a few-click process with no problems.
Ease of Use: 1-10
My background is in user interface design, so I’m especially sensitive to software that breaks your mind when you try to figure it out. A lot of the software that I reviewed for this document fell into this category. I give it a 1 if I couldn’t figure it out. I give it a 10 if I intuitively understood how to use it within a few seconds.
Support: 1-10
I give the software a 1 if I can’t find any contact information at all and a 10 if the product has a dedicated support team that can respond to inquiries from 9-5 on weekdays.
Note that I didn’t install all of the software – especially the ones that looked like they weren’t the right fit for nonprofits or that wouldn’t work on Windows Vista. You’ll find some (?)s in the matrix to indicate an unknown in this instance.
The SMS Hub Comparison Matrix
The Comparison Matrix is published as a [Google document].
You can also download a .pdf [here]
Testing Methodology
To find software to test, I spent a few hours searching the Web looking for software that matched “SMS” “SMSC” “SMS Gateway” “SMS Server” “Text Messaging Software” “SMS Software” “SMS Messaging” “GSM Modem” and “SMS Modem.” I followed about 200 hits – until the point at which I began finding the same hits multiple times through different searches and Web listings. I narrowed the list to software that looked like it might actually work (a lot of it looked like ad-ware from sources of ill repute). This list consisted of about 20 software packages.
I then installed as many of them as would install on my Vista Business Fujitsu laptop and spent from 15 minutes to 2 hours experimenting with each one.
Post new comment