Innovation portal ussd and sms short code sharing via shujaa gateways june2013
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Block B, InTrade Africa Place, Kauria Close Off Muthangari Road, Nairobi P.O. Box 48183 – 00100, Nairobi, Kenya Email: [email protected] Innovations Portal Gateway Design Introduction Shujaa Solutions Limited provides solutions to multiple business and individuals, a majority of whom have their own software applications that connect to Safaricom SMS and/or USSD short codes via the Shujaa SMS and USSD Gateways. Under the normal customer instance, once a customer requests for a short code (SMS and/or USSD), Shujaa Solutions per forms the following procedures; 1. Acquires the code(s) using the numbers chosen and available with safaricom. 2. Creates a gateway account for the customer in question. 3. Provides the customer with gateway account details 4. Provides the customer with a technical document (API – Application Programming Interface) that will allow them to a. Send/receive sms from their application via the Shujaa SMS gateway using their sms short code. b. Receive/respond to USSD requests from their application via the Shujaa USSD gateway. The Shujaa gateways utilize HTTP technology (GET and POST) to allow application owners to utilize their own short codes to communicate with their mobile end users via SMS or USSD. Problem Statement Most of the Business to Mobile Client applications developed with a potential for commercial success or a potential for improvement of social services, tend to have a dependency 2 way SMS and/or USSD.
Transcript of Innovation portal ussd and sms short code sharing via shujaa gateways june2013
Block B, InTrade Africa Place, Kauria CloseOff Muthangari Road, NairobiP.O. Box 48183 – 00100, Nairobi, Kenya Email: [email protected]
Innovations Portal Gateway DesignIntroduction
Shujaa Solutions Limited provides solutions to multiple business and individuals, a majority of whom have their own software applications that connect to Safaricom SMS and/or USSD short codes via the Shujaa SMS and USSD Gateways.
Under the normal customer instance, once a customer requests for a short code (SMS and/or USSD), Shujaa Solutions per forms the following procedures;
1. Acquires the code(s) using the numbers chosen and available with safaricom.2. Creates a gateway account for the customer in question.3. Provides the customer with gateway account details4. Provides the customer with a technical document (API – Application Programming Interface)
that will allow them to a. Send/receive sms from their application via the Shujaa SMS gateway using their sms
short code.b. Receive/respond to USSD requests from their application via the Shujaa USSD gateway.
The Shujaa gateways utilize HTTP technology (GET and POST) to allow application owners to utilize their own short codes to communicate with their mobile end users via SMS or USSD.
Problem Statement
Most of the Business to Mobile Client applications developed with a potential for commercial success or a potential for improvement of social services, tend to have a dependency 2 way SMS and/or USSD.
The costs of setting up, owning and running short codes for developers, students and startups is not sustainable especially when these facilities are to be used for proof of concepts, pilot programs or other socially beneficial activities within universities, startups or projects within the wider community.
This brings about the need for access to these facilities at a cost that is both;
Sustainable / affordable Commoditized based on usage or with minimalized setup and rental charges.
Solutions
In order for the cost of the facilities (USSD and 2 way SMS) to be within reach of Students, Developers, Startups or IT hubs, a method for sharing of either an SMS or USSD short code has been devised and implemented.
Block B, InTrade Africa Place, Kauria CloseOff Muthangari Road, NairobiP.O. Box 48183 – 00100, Nairobi, Kenya Email: [email protected]
The sharing of SMS and USSD codes is achieved by adding one more parameter to the API parameters that is used to differentiate users.
SMS
For the shared SMS gateway, each user will have the following API parameters;
1. Username2. Password3. Keyword (Enables routing or sms to recipients and back. For a sms to be sent to an individual
system, the person must type the Keyword then the message and send to the shared short code).
4. Account Type (live or test)5. Destination Number (or Mobile number to send message to)6. Message content7. Call back URL – this is the IP address or URL of the application that receives/sends the messages.
This is set in the user account on the SMS gateway.
SMS Example: Hence if the shared short code is 20240 and I have been assigned a keyword “JOBS”, the for someone to send an SMS to my application, they send an sms starting with my keyword “JOBS” then the message. The gateway will route the message through the API to my application. In order to send a message from the application to the gateway, the API parameters on the application will have the above parameters and may look as follows;
http://sms.shujaa.mobi/[email protected]&password=XXXXXX&keyword=JOBS&account=live&destination=254728123456&message=This%20is%20a%20test
USSD
For a shared USSD code, the gateway allows for the USSD application owner/ developer to have the following API parameters;
1. Username2. Password3. Sub-code : This is a number selected by the application owner /developer that allows the mobile
subscriber to a. dial directly to a particular menu or b. select the application from the list in the first menu
4. Call back URL – this is the IP address or URL of the application that receives/sends the messages.
USSD Example: If a shared short code is accessed by dialing *224# and I have selected and been assigned sub-code 55 on the Shared USSD short code account, then in order for someone to access
Block B, InTrade Africa Place, Kauria CloseOff Muthangari Road, NairobiP.O. Box 48183 – 00100, Nairobi, Kenya Email: [email protected]
my application then they will dial *224*55#. For the USSD short code users with single digit sub-codes, their applications can be accessed as in “b” above – by dialing *224# then selecting the application from the menu that is displayed. (This route will be used to capture those who dial the short code in error and for demonstrating or giving information about the innovation portal facility.
In the case of USSD, the sub-code is used to differentiate users for both directions of messaging – to and from mobile users.
Gateway User Management
The gateway administrator(s) is/are able to perform the following functions for each user that is to be assigned a shared short code;
Create a user accounts and assign the Keyword or Sub-code Allocate SMS credit for SMS Gateway and Sessions Credit for USSD gateway Limit the mobile numbers that can query applications on the shared gateways via registration of
mobile numbers. For SMS currently; provide an online user account where account owner can login to change
callback url, check balances and check reports. This feature is being built on the USSD gateway but does not affect usability since very few developers log in to their SMS gateway accounts as long as it is working. It however will reduce setup time once it’s up since the developer can edit the URL without admin help.
Sustainability
In order to enable the shared short codes to be self-sustaining in the long term, the following revenue streams are proposed for the project;
A monthly nominal service charge for each qualifying institution – KES15,000 + VAT per month for 5 Accounts. Additional accounts for an extra KES2,500 each per month.
A charge per hour for commercial entities wishing to run tests or pilots on the shared short code – 1000 + VAT per hour
A charge per day for Boot Camps and Competitions wishing to utilize the entire facility to allow rapid building of applications - KES15,000 + VAT for up to 15 Accounts.
In order to allow for feasible management and delivery of services, any requests and/or order will be subject to a setup date of 2 weeks minimum after sign-off for institutions and boot camps and 5 working days for commercial testers.
Conclusion
Given the above readiness of both the SMS and the USSD gateway to be used for sharing of both types of short codes, it has now become necessary to request for the 2 SMS and 2 USSD agreed short codes
Block B, InTrade Africa Place, Kauria CloseOff Muthangari Road, NairobiP.O. Box 48183 – 00100, Nairobi, Kenya Email: [email protected]
(or the initial SMS & USSD currently available for migration from Strathmore University) to be transferred for testing, implementation and launching of the Innovation Portal for Academic Institutions and Developer Labs.
