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On the last FIC call, I recounted how my wife and I landed in Manila in January 2001, one day after the ouster of President Estrada – he was ousted by text messaging!! Text messaging is known as ‘texting’ or SMS (short message service). Texts are short messages sent by computer or cell phone to another cell phone.
Philippines is ‘Texting” capital of the world:
According to Anthony Ian Cruz, a spokesman for TXTPower (a consumer advocacy group), the Philippines, which has a population of almost 80 million, has 14 million to 16 million mobile phone users generating 150 million to 200 million text messages a day – one of the largest volumes in the world.
You can now send messages to Honda Cars Philippines via SMS text, such as to schedule a service appt. or check on your car’s repair.
Just goes to show ya that the killer app for the digital world is communication. We’re seeing lots of new devices and ways of doing things, but the sure-fire thing is person-to-person communication.
I think in the US there’s a tendency to make communication too gimmicky–sell the sizzle, not the steak. Simple will do. I read that in Pakistan the telco is giving a cell phone to one woman in every remote village. That one phone is becoming a business hub. It’s changing the lives in the village and of the women who run the “communications solution.”
I can’t imagine a quicker way, currently, to mobilize a large number of people on short notice text messaging. Even more effective than a radio broadcast. Has some implications for Emergency Services.
For ACS? advocacy comes to mind. event logistics. what else?
Yeah, Jim. I’d love to see somebody try a little enhancement to an event. While this looks kind of easy, my guess is that something effective would take a bit of planning.
ps, Out here in CA we have a Spring event called “Spring into Health.” It’s a statewide day to focus on exercise/nutrition. It involves high school kids: maybe just the right group.