Billy Odero Brian Omwenga Mokeira Masita-Mwangi Pauline Githinji Jonathan Ledlie Tangaza: Results from Kenya Pilot

Talk Outline Tangaza Motivation Design Pilot Results Conclusions

Optimizing Markets via Mobile Phones Fishing in Indian State of Kerala [Jensen07] Coverage grew from nothing to 100% from 1997 to 2000 Market efficiencies Knew where to take fish for good price Price fluctuations cut Less waste Kenyan Agricultural Commodity Exchange Nationwide prices available via text message subscription No need to trust middleman (who farmer is selling to!) Goods now sell closer to market rates

Motivation Fishing & Commodities Examples of one-to-one communication What if: Group Communication? Like Twitter, Yahoo groups, etc. Constraints Cheap to use; cheap to run Large audience: existing hardware (S30 phones) o SMS, Speech/calls, USSD Enable economic and social benefit?

Why not wait? Could we not deploy a group communication tool for the web? For large-scale use, must be available for basic GSM phones Could connect with web/advanced phone based service Few advanced devices by 2013 Source: Pyramid Research

Solution: Tangaza (“announce”) Enable group communication with basic phones Server-side; no client software SMS commands; primarily spoken messages (“tangazos”) CreateA send: create testgroup 2 A recv: OK. Created the public group testgroup, assigned key 2 JoinA send: invite testgroup B, C recv: A invited you to the testgroup group. Reply join testgroup B, C send: join testgroup A recv: A new user B has joined testgroup TextA Meeting is at 6pm tomorrow B, C recv: Meeting is at 6pm tomorrow TangazoB calls: Selects key 2, Records: Hi, was great to see you both! A, C flashed: Each observes existence of new tangazo A, C call: Each listens to B’s message

Talk Outline Tangaza Motivation Design Pilot Results Conclusions

Design Features Simple IVR Shallow, few options DTMF-only Speech recognition: errors, multiple languages Faster and cheaper Prompts in Swahili and English (saved) Short tangazos only SMS Commands Few required for basic operator Assume tech savvy people run larger groups Privacy and Access Restrictions Public and private groups Nicknames, not phone numbers

Call User Interface (IVR) 22 sec to leave 20 sec tangazo

Talk Outline Tangaza Motivation Design Pilot Two Deployments Methodology Results Conclusions

Two Kenya Deployments Huruma Slum (“Slumcode”)Strathmore University Income: Participants: Occupations: Phone Usage: low 13 part-time; unemployed short, frequent calls medium-high 87 Students more texts and minutes overall Did income and pre-existing mobile phone usage affect Tangaza user behavior?

Methodology Three month trial 1H10 Unlimited free use SMS reimbursements, callbacks Slumcode paid System Logs Strathmore: 87 active / 440 total Slumcode: 13 active users Surveys 11 Slumcode; 19 Strathmore Interviews 12 Slumcode users Had used for six days Integrated feedback Group lead Most active participant

Usage Patterns Slumcode more active 65% more calls, 80% more texts per person Maximized tangazo length Group Types Physical: “slumcode,” classes, homework, club, church Contents Texts: mainly used for greeting Tangazos Homework assignment Coordinating events (Swahili) Well-wishing (Valentines) Hi people, this is Jamo. dont forget to show up for the valentines snack party at mtoto palace. And dont forget to tangaza back

User Feedback User Interface “somewhat easy” Invalid group names: “odhoji’s” Most preferred short tangazos Privacy Many unaware of nickname feature Did not like phone number disclosure Notifications Some: “spam,” “irritable by flashing you at odd times” Others: liked reminders; fast: “flash of time” Grandmother-mode Simpler UI for “upcountry grandmother”? Cost consistency Slow crediting: frustration and distrust

Tangaza: Conclusions “Frugal” group communication Existing (legacy) phones Link with advanced phones? Feedback Generally positive Implementable suggestions Potential Its own service; part of advanced one Integrated into other more targeted services

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System Architecture