Problems with texting to Kenya, Burundi

[Eric Jenvey]

Hello,

I am having problems using FrontlineSMS to text from the program to numbers in Kenya and Burundi.  I am using Windows 64 bit Vista, and using version 1.6.12...The main problem is that we need to be able to text to Burundian numbers using a Kenyan reply number.  I want to be able to text to Burundi, and have them see that they got a text from Kenya, then reply to that text, and have it show up in Frontline.  So far, I have tried to set up the "From number" field in the SMS internet service settings bar.  This hasn't done anything, and sending to numbers in Kenya and the United States have not worked.  They say that they've sent, but we never receive the messages.  That's as far as we've gotten, and I believe is all the trouble we're having.  Has anyone had any experience with this specifically?

Thanks for the help.

Eric

[kiwanja]

Hi Eric

I assume you're using IntelliSMS to send your messages? If so, and if you're using version 1.6.12 of FrontlineSMS, there is a bug in the code which causes messages to fail. If you want to use the Beta version (1.6.14) which fixes this, then you can get that here:

http://www.frontlinesms.com/tmp/tmp8187/Install_FrontlineSMS_1.6.14...

Bear in mind this is a Beta, but it should be fine for what you're doing.

Let us know how you get on, or if you're not using IntelliSMS to send. (If you're using Clickatell, you need to register the "From number" with them - details in the "Settings" section of the "Help" files).

Ken

[Eric Jenvey]

Ken,

I just got word that we were able to successfully send messages to Kenya. However, it seems as though they cannot reply directly to our FrontlineSMS, as we are not receiving messages from them. Do I need to register a certain reply number? Or do I need to delete what I have in the "From Number" field? What I would like is my coworker in Kenya to be able to reply directly to my message and have it show up in our Frontline interface. Is this possible? It may also be helpful to note that I have been getting a "Receiving failed, please verify your settings" message over and over since I've started sending messages. Thanks for the beta.

Eric

[kiwanja]

Hi Eric

it sounds like you have a couple of issues here.

Firstly, in the "Settings" for IntelliSMS in FrontlineSMS the "From number" will need to be in full international format - either with 00 in front, or a +. Check Google if you're not sure about these number formats.

Secondly, it sounds like you've filled in details in the IntelliSMS "Settings" for receiving as well as sending. You can only receive through that service if you set it up with them. So remove all "Receive" settings in FrontlineSMS.

If in doubt, the "Help" files are very comprehensive in FrontlineSMS, so check those. IntelliSMS stuff is in the "Settings" menu section.

Let us know how you get on.

Ken

[Richard Jeong]

Eric, are you able to successfully from Frontline via IntelliSMS to cells in Burundi? If so what providers are the burundian numbers?

I'm in Burundi working on election monitoring (it's one of the election days and I have some 600 bloody messages pending and it's only 11am) and I choose to use a modem and the biggest local carrier because of burundi's notoriously bad network. If you've had success sending internationally, or even regionally I'd be very interested in comparing notes about providers, delay, method, etc.

If I can be of help, let me know.

[kiwanja]

Hi Richard

I fired over a couple of messages on Twitter yesterday after picking up your Tweets. I'm not sure how well things are going now, but it sounds like you were working those modems hard. Was there Internet access there? If so, IntelliSMS or Clickatell may have been a better bet.

Will keep an eye out for updates! Good luck in the meantime.

Ken

[Richard Jeong]

Yea final stats were around 400 inbound, 2700 outbound, with around 100 errors. Around midday I just gave up and put a second modem (Alfa Fly3g HPSA) and cut down to between 7-30 sec per message. (I have an interesting timelapse I took looking at frontline as it processed everything.) Considering that was the first election our peeps have had the SMS service, it wasn't bad. I'm getting ready to head back to Kampala in a few days, but I'll be back for follow ups in the following weeks/months for the other elections. People, such as our friendly Ushahidi intern that helped us, seem extremely exicted by the data we are developing and by how constructive the effort seems to have been.

Ideally I'd run it off of Clickatell or IntelliSMS, but there are several reasons I haven't so far. For the full explaination read below. Simply put think of the worst possible internet/phone conditions and raise the bar a few notches, that's where i'd put Burundi. (Kenya's not even in the same league as Burundi from a cell point of view as Keyna's amazing in comparison). It's changing fast, but still got a ways to go. Such an existence makes even the idea of this project tough (and makes me want to achieve it even more as this is a place that it can really help!). Your aptly named "Frontline" program is definately being used on the front line of peace building.

I started writing a more cohesive feedback yesterday (rather then the bullet point dump I emailed you), I'll try and get it to you in before I get back to Kampala, but please bug me to get it to you.


On Internet SMS connections from Burundi:

A. Because I don't have an active US or European phone (I live in Kampala and haven't been back for a while) I can't exactly set up either of the services. Clickatell doesn't like to verify based on a Ugandan or Burundian mobile number, Intellisms has "been unable to prove you identity with sufficient confidence." (As much as I understand that "Africa" is fraud prone, it's rather discriminatory.)

B. It's not overly cost effective. Using Clickatell's pricing wizard to send around 4000 sms (which might be a bit low if yesterday is an indicator) they quote $0.043 USD per SMS, which translated into Burundian FBU using current exchange (1280 FBU to 1 USD) is about 55 FBU. Intellisms costs around .05 GPB for a sms (at 5000 sms bought), which is about 92 FBU (1840 FBU to 1 GPB). The standard cost for Leo-to-Leo SMS is 25 FBU, with the group plan it's free (i.e. we signed our peeps up at 11,000 FBU per person per month for free calls & free sms to other group users, 50% calls to the outside, plus 8,000 FBU per month to do so), it's hard to compete. The obvious flaw is that Clickatell/IntelliSMS it's a value added service, which means we might be able to deal with larger volume, faster, and easier, which I'll conceed.

C. Delivery of texts (as Eric may be testifying to) inbound international texts doesn't work well. Telcel Burundi/UCom/Leo might be listed as outbound destination and EcoNet might have both in and outbound, but due to point A I haven't been able to test it. I have heard that Africell/Tempo has an agreement with Orange so you can send messages to a UK Orange number. In general every outbound/inbound international (france, UK, US, Uganda, whatever) SMS I've ever tried on any service fails. (As a note, Intra-burundi-carrier works sometimes, but has ridiculous delays.)

D. Internet/Power is not reliable in the least. Part of it might be our DSL connection to Onatel, part of it might be the latency in the Vsat link to Germany, and some of it is related to the near daily power outages. We do have internet (how else would I post this?), but frankly the internet I got while I was at McMurdo station Antarctica was more reliable, faster, and less troublesome (to be fair, that was the NSF borrowing a military sat with a fractional DS3). If we did use the service, I'm worried about how FrontlineSMS would deal with our internet. We have a problematic DNS Lookup issue (which I can't mitagae without a local DNS server), which cause IP connection failures. (Have your ever looked at how many DNS Lookups your average browser does just to download a website?) We actually have and can get 64kbps upload/256kbps download, but initating the connection and keeping it can be problematic.

Does ClickaTell or IntelliSMS use UDP or are their APIs written for TCP packets? UDP might work fairly well here.

I've mitigate the power outages somewhat with a UPS that'll last 6+ hours for the Modem & internet. The netbook will last around that long too, and most of the time if the power is out longer then that we can jury-rig a power solution till it comes back.

All of this is not to say I don't want to use the services, I do. You've got me back to signing up and trying it again (I tried it like 6 months ago and failed, but perhaps I can get it working this time with a few new tools). The value added in bulk delivery and ease of use for outbound might bring the headaches down. Maybe we can get a faster response time and simpler existence.

Don't take this as criticism FrontlineSMS or you Ken, as it's being on the front line makes it a bit more complicated and I've been wanting to explain further so your simple question gave me an opening. Hopefully this is helpful to Eric as well as others.

Cheers,
Rich

[Eric Jenvey]

Just an update on our situation, we have begun to receive texts via our contact in Kenya about the election. We even received a few from a Burundian contact directly, they were using U-com and were able to talk to us, which was a surprise because we thought they could not text outside of the region. Had to restart FrontlineSMS a couple times while using it because it wouldn't send texts, but after restarting it worked fine.

[Richard Jeong]

Great to hear! What carrier was he sending to in Keyna?

[Eric Jenvey]

I believe Safaricom