SMS is here to stay. Yes, really, it’s not going anywhere.
The reasons for its staying-power are many, but the ones that are considered most prominent are two: it is the most ubiquitous means of communication and by far the cheapest. SMS does not require sophisticated smartphones, data connections, 3G or LTE but works on anything from an underlying GSM network to more advanced and sophisticated technologies.
Simply put, any phone can send and receive SMSs at affordable rates.
Although SMS was originally intended to be a means of communication between subscribers, today it has evolved into an effective marketing and communication tool used by companies to reach out to their clients or attract new ones. Additionally, there are mobile phone and SMS uses that are highly applicable to Africa as outlined in this article.
Mobile phone ownership in Africa
According to recent research carried out by Gallup.com, Sub-Saharan Africa is the fastest growing mobile market in the world after Asia, with the GSMA forecasting the region's mobile users will reach 346 million by 2017. However, unlike the rest of the world which has firmly embraced smartphones, according to Informa, African smartphone penetration is growing at a slower rate.
In spite, or maybe as a result of the low smartphone penetration rates, Africans have devised innovative ways to improve their quality of life with whatever mobile phone they own.
This boils down to the fact that SMS can be sent or received on any mobile phone, irrespective of age, model or brand.
Mobile phones are changing lives in Africa
By being used creatively in industries such as banking, education, entertainment, disaster management, agriculture and health, mobile phones are improving the lives of many in Africa.
Today, mobile money is used for bill payments and to buy goods, teaching material can be accessed on a mobile phone educating children who are unable to receive a formal education. In times of crises, mobile phones can help reconnect family members, whilst farmers make use of SMSs to share weather updates, crop prices and micro-insurance schemes. The health sector has also benefitted greatly from SMS, using it to verify whether medicine is genuine or counterfeit, deliver health and lifestyle tips and send check-up reminders.
Messito fits right into this climate
In a continent enveloped in mobile and SMS use which shows no signs of abating, Messito can service various industries to send SMSs to multiple or individual mobile phone users in Africa and beyond, reliably, efficiently and at advantageous rates.
Other industries that may consider the use of SMS for informational or promotional purposes are aviation, e-commerce, retail, hospitality, recruitment and travel.
Messito’s user interface is easy to use and loaded with fantastic features to make the sending process simple and straightforward. Features include scheduled sending, custom sender name, multi-user accounts, statistics and more.
Messito also offers the option of sending SMSs with minimal human interaction through the use of its API feature. This powerful, yet easy to integrate API, provides programmatic access to Messito’s growing range of functionalities.
SMS could be the foundation for your next business venture
The demand for SMS in Africa is real.
Messito is offering the opportunity to repackage and resell the Messito SMS platform, with no initial investment. With the technology here for the taking, this is the right time to consider a new business opportunity in the SMS communication industry.
Let’s get to know each other at AfricaCom 2014 - register here: http://africa.comworldseries.com/register/
To find out more about Messito and how your business can benefit from our solution, come by stand P16 for a chat or contact us on info@messito.com to schedule a meeting.
About Messito
Developed in 2006, Messito is a web-based SMS marketing platform, capable of sending high volumes of SMSs. With access to over 800 networks worldwide, Messito reliably delivers text messages, irrespective of location or mobile network provider. Messito can also be “white-labelled” enabling interested parties to embark on their own bulk SMS venture. Alternatively, Messito’s API is available for those businesses who need to connect their various IT systems or web applications to Messito.
Messito is owned and managed by Fortytwo Marketing, a provider of online, user-friendly and cost-effective marketing solutions.
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