SMS Integration
Able to send SMS to parents of students in the system, e.g. for:
Students that are absent on a particular day
Students that have been absent more than 3 times in 2 weeks
General information messages and able to choose groups of people
Save groups of people to send SMS to
Blueprint information
- Status:
- Not started
- Approver:
- Frances Bowen Day
- Priority:
- Low
- Drafter:
- SIELibre-Ark Collaboration
- Direction:
- Needs approval
- Assignee:
- Douglas Cerna
- Definition:
- Discussion
- Series goal:
- Accepted for 2.10
- Implementation:
-
Not started
- Milestone target:
-
phase-2
- Started by
- Completed by
Related branches
Related bugs
Sprints
Whiteboard
Fran: Is it possible to create a general SMS functionality in the system to then work with whichever mobile providers are in the different countries? I know some SIS have SMS integration built in, but I don't know enough about how it works.
Tom: OK, I looked into this a bit more and refreshed my memory. First off, it is relatively easy to offer "sms integration" if you are running a hosted server product, or even if all your instances are running in the same country and will use the same SMS service. It is just complicated in our global, locally hosted application.
One thing we need to figure out is the cost per SMS from a SMS gateway (that's what it is called) provider inside Sierra Leone. I've easily found a few that send SMS's *to* Sierra Leone, but I suspect I'm looking at international rates. These are roughly EUR .005 - .040 per SMS, which would add up pretty fast.
One limiting factor of a gateway is that it only works when the school has a working internet connection.
Now..... the other approach is to send the SMS from a cellular modem. Aren't you using those in Uganda anyhow? I guess you aren't in Sierra Leone? It would be helpful to know what kind you are using, how much the cost, etc.
