Clickatell to Extend Free SMS Services for Relief Efforts in Haiti

Clickatell (News - Alert), a provider of high value messaging services and solutions to customers of over 815 mobile operators worldwide, has reportedly announced that with its goal to provide relief to earthquake victims in Haiti, it is going to extend its free SMS service to organizations offering aid there.

 

A number of organizations around the world, such as Ushahidi, FrontlineSMS, the Red Cross, the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, Habitat for Humanity, and the U.S. administration have been continuously offering their support to the people of Haiti leveraging the power and ubiquity of Short Message Service or ‘SMS’ in various ways. From donating to charity via an SMS short code, connecting with loved ones via an SMS missing person's service, to getting text alerts about the arrival of critical supplies and their corresponding distribution points, the service is being seen as a very useful tool for streamlining the relief process when compared to alternative communications channels and technologies.

 

The telecommunication experts comment that the 'store and forward' nature of SMS helps a lot in viral circulation of the message, further enhanced by the fact that an SMS messages is more likely to be delivered as soon as there is even a 'little' window of network coverage. Also, the ubiquity of the service also makes it a good choice when it comes to keeping the lines of communications open during emergency services and disaster relief efforts.

 

According to Pieter de Villiers, CEO at Clickatell, people in Haiti are showing tremendous courage and determination and the company is seeing SMS play a significant role in scaling the efforts of the people on the ground and around the world. Villiers noted that Clickatell invites relief agencies to make use of its SMS Gateway (News - Alert) into Haiti and offer such services for the remainder of February as a small contribution on behalf of Clickatell and its staff. 

 

The company enables the individuals and organizations to offer their help in Haiti in a number of ways through an SMS message. To donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts, they have to SMS 'HAITI' to 90999, while to Donate $5 to Yele Haiti's Earthquake relief they have to SMS 'YELE' to 501501. Alternatively, they can SMS 'GIVE10' to 20222 to donate $10 to direct relief.

 

Last August, Clickatell partnered with Fundamo (News - Alert), a provider of technology to be used in mobile banking deployments globally, in order to deliver mobile banking solutions to financial services institutions. Both the companies have extensive experience in mobile banking, mobile wallet, and mobile money transfer services to financial services institutions and mobile network operators.