easySMS Community Watch

How does a Watch Group Work

The Community Watch System provides a mechanism to receive an sms sent to a central sms Short Code number. When the Community Watch System receives the sms, it will forward the sms to all members which the Community Watch decides may receive the sms.

When the Community Watch System receives an sms, it first identifies the sender using the received cell phone number and then identifies the Community Watch Group the sender belongs to. The type of Watch Group is then determined to govern the way that the system will work in processing the incoming sms.

Two submission types are provides for in any Community Watch Group, namely:

• Any member in the Community Watch Group may submit an sms for transmission to the group.
• Only the group administrator of the Community Watch Group may submit an sms for transmission to the group.

(The Group Administrator is the person who created the Watch Group and they have special priviledges.)

Once the system has decided that it will accept the incoming sms, it then determines the tarrifing mode of the Watch Group.

Two tarrifing modes are available, namely:

• Each group member maintains their own sms credits. When the system sends an sms to a member, then an sms credit is deducted from the members sms credits.
• The Community Watch Group has a central sms credit pool. When the system sends an sms to a member, then an sms credit is deducted from the central pool.

The Community Watch System will then forward the sms to all the members in the group, should their be available sms credits.

SMS credits can be purchased from Dev Squared Designs or can be topped up utilising the topup Short Code. It is the responsibility of the Group Administrator to purchase credits for groups operating in the central pool mode.

How is a Group Setup

Below is an example of how a Watch Group is Setup.

Notes:

• The ABBREVIATED NAME is a short word (less than 10 characters) that identifies your watch. This will be embbeded into the alert sms's.
• If your GROUP TYPE is private, the group is not visible to people searching to join a group.
• Normally any member can submit sms alerts using the group shortcode. If the ALERT SUBMIT TYPE is set to 'Admin Submit Only', normal members cannot submit alert sms's
• Two methods are available to allow members (who are not invited) to join your group. If JOIN APPROVAL is set to 'No Admin Approval', members can immediately join your group. If this setting is set to 'Admin Approval', the Administrator has to vet join applications.
• If SUBSCRIPTION TYPE is set to 'Member Subscription', each group member has to purchase and maintain their own sms credits. If this setting is set to 'Central Pool', the credits are managed centrally by the group administrator.
• Members will be sent an sms alerting them that their subscription credits falls below the SUBS ALERT VALUE. In 'Central Pool' mode, the alert will be sent to the administrator.
• The START TIME and END TIME will determine when alert sms's can be sent. If an alert sms is submitted out of this time period, it will be rejected.

SMS Credits

• Each SMS credit cost 30c including VAT.
• If you purchase credits directly from Dev Squared Designs, your sms credits are increased by the value purchased. The minimum purchase value is R50.00.
• If you use the R5.00 shortcode to topup your credits, R2.55 will be added to your sms credits. (the rest goes to shortcode supplier/network costs)

How do I submit an SMS Alert

Simply sms the abbreviated name of your group plus your message to the Alert Shortcode displayed on your home page. Remember that the Community Watch system will insert additional text into the sms's sent to the members, so keep your sms text less than 100 characters. The sms sent to the other members will be in the following format:

Alert:[ABREVIATED GROUP NAME] [SUBMITTED ALERT TEXT] FROM [MEMBERS FIRSTNAME] [MEMBERS STREET ADDR]

Example:

You send: VGRB Please be aware of people posing as service technicians

Alert to members: Alert:(VGRB) Please be aware of people posing as service technicians FROM Robert 47 Galway Str