DESN 410 Proposal: Paul Rarick
Comparatives Sibesonke: Bringing people together This company started as a spin off from the Nokia Siemens Network. They have built a social network service that can go across virtually every mobile phone platform on the market today. Classified, chat forums, and other information is all accessible for users through a basic SMS messaging application. They have even been hyper sensitive to the fact that sometimes old phones are not capable of downloading the latest versions of different software, thus limiting the applications scope and ability to get buy-in from users who have interact with older hardware. The service works using SMS and the USSD text-based protocol, both of which are part of the GSM technical standard, meaning there is no need to upgrade a phone or establish an internet data connection (PSFK,2011).
From their website, it is apparent that Sibesonke is all about making communities and trying to establish close knit communities using sustainable and simple tools. Its target market are the “worlds 2.5 billion phone users in the developing world who 56