Free open-source software, FrontlineSMS Version 2 has been downloaded more than 100,000 times globally after its June launch last year.
FrontlineSMS Version 2 was launched with a custom integration with Ushahidi and Crowdmap and was an update to the firm’s release of a browser-based version which was refined, had major bugs fixed and several new features added.
The software enables organizations to disseminate and collect information via SMS on various community activities around the world.
Free and open source
Sean Martin McDonald, CEO of FrontlineSMS’s social enterprise, the kiwanja UK Company Interest Company wrote, “Here at FrontlineSMS, we’ve been making software for a long time. When we first released Version 2 of our software, a little over a year ago, we were one of a few SMS management platforms available- one of even fewer that was free and open source. At the time, we were proud to have around 25,000 downloads and an active user community. You can imagine our surprise when we checked our download numbers last week and learned that FrontlineSMS has been downloaded more than 100,000 times- more than 75,000 times in a little over a year.”
From 25,000 to 100,000+ downloads
Community service not market share
“What we at FrontlineSMS care most about is connecting our world. Although there are 3.2 billion active, unique mobile users, that means that there are another 4 billion to reach. The challenge that we must overcome is not each other, it’s finding the right mix of information, services, and technology to help people live better lives. We aren’t fighting for market share, we’re striving to keep up with markets that are growing faster than anyone fully understands,”McDonald added.
SMS traffic growing
True to McDonald’s view SMS traffic continues to grow year-on-year globally, Informa forecasts SMS traffic will total 9.4 trillion messages in 2016, and will generate US$127 billion in revenues. Organizations will not be turning to services such as Whatsapp, Kik, Hike as the communities they reach have inadequate access to internet and smartphones.
