freedom fone
Posted by MelissaLoudon on Sep 22, 2010
Planning and Implementing a Mobile Interactive Voice System data sheet 8561 Views
Abstract:
In this article, we look at tools and systems for Interactive Voice Response (IVR). IVR allows callers to navigate an automated menu by pressing keys on their phone keypad, reaching either an extension ('press 1 for sales, press 2 for support'), a further menu, or audio content. Such content might be pre-recorded - for example, a weather report - or retrieved from a database and read out by an automated voice, which most mobile users will have encountered when calling in to request an airtime balance or bill amount. IVR systems can also be configured to allow people to record their own content.
Long neglected in favor of SMS, mobile apps and the mobile web, voice is enjoying a resurgence in mobile tech for social change projects. There are good reasons for this:
- Voice is universally available on even the most basic handsets
- Voice has much greater capacity for information exchange (although not for automated translation) than either SMS or USSD
- Voice systems don’t require literacy
- Voice is familiar, and often a trusted channel for communicating confidential information.
- Voice systems can quite easily be developed in multiple languages, or in local languages not supported on all handsets.
In this article, we look at tools and systems for Interactive Voice Response (IVR). IVR allows callers to navigate an automated menu by pressing keys on their phone keypad, reaching either an extension ('press 1 for sales, press 2 for support'), a further menu, or audio content. Such content might be pre-recorded - for example, a weather report - or retrieved from a database and read out by an automated voice, which most mobile users will have encountered when calling in to request an airtime balance or bill amount. IVR systems can also be configured to allow people to record their own content.
Posted by MelissaUlbricht on Aug 20, 2010
We have two new case studies for you to check out.
Both studies are part of the Mobile Media Toolkit that will include many other case studies, how-to guides, resources, and tools on how use mobile phones for reporting, content delivery, and citizen participation, to be puplished later this month.
The first case study looks at how Freedom Fone was deployed at two farm radio stations in Africa. We look at what worked, what didn't, and how integrated voice technology can help enhance radio. You can even listen to an IVR jingle with the sound of local drums from the Morogoro region of Tanzania.
The second case study looks at Bubbly, an audio blogging platform that is making strides in India.
| Two New Case Studies: Farm Radio, Freedom Fone, Audio Blogging, and Bollywood! data sheet 2604 Views |
| Global Regions: |
|
| Countries: |
Ghana
India
Tanzania
|
Posted by KatrinVerclas on Apr 21, 2010
Two mobile tools that we have been watching with interest have new versions out and available for public beta and testing.
Freedom Fone
Freedom Fone, developed by Kubatana in Zimbabwe, is an interactive voice response system that allows callers to access audio information on their mobile phones. It is aimed at organizations who want to set interactive up audio news services for their audiences. Freedom Fone is now out in version 1.5 and available for public testing and use.
While there are many such interactive voice systems (Asterisk is the most well-known open source VOIP platform, with many commercial, open source versions such as Trixbox using Asterisk), Freedom Fone is focused on an NGO audience with easy install and setup that minimizes the need for technical expertise.
| New Versions of Useful Tools: Freedom Fone and Orbot data sheet 3388 Views |
| Countries: |
United States
Zimbabwe
|
Posted by PrabhasPokharel on Sep 14, 2009
(This is part of a series of posts reporting on mobile media project from Highway Africa 2009 and Digital Citizen Indaba 4.0. Both were held in Grahamstown, South Africa, September 2009).
Brenda Burrell of Kubatana.net in Zimbabwe runs Freedom Fone, an audio tool for information services. She presented Freedom Fone in a workshop titled “Bringing down the barriers: Interactive audio programming and mobile phones” at Digital Citizen Indaba 4.0.
FreedomFone comes from the desire to deliver information to “those who need it most,” people with simple phones without GPRS connections. Freedom Fone integrates a content management system (such as Drupal) with information services via SMS and voice.
Posted by CorinneRamey on May 16, 2008
Two organizations in the MobileActive community were recently awarded Knight News Challenge Grants, given annually to fund "innovative digital projects around the world." There were 16 awards given in all to projects that use digital and open source technology to provide public-interest news.
Bev Clark, the co-founder of Kubatana.net, was awarded the largest grant in the Challenge for Freedom Fone, a way to distribute news and independent media:
Freedom Fone will provide a voice database where users can access news and public-interest information via land, mobile or Internet phones... Independent radio station content will be broadcast, along with frequently updated audio reports created specifically for Freedom Fone.
