Why SMS is the Best Option in Emergencies

With the growth of the smart phone market, we are all dazzled by apps.  They are everywhere, they are shiny and fun, and there is an app for everything.  Apps communicate too, allowing for push messages, instant messages (IMs) and data sharing, and they do this over a data connection.  Data connection usage is skyrocketing. According to a study conducted by Cisco Systems: “Last year’s mobile data traffic was nearly 18 times the size of the entire global Internet in 2000.”  

In a disaster, bandwidth fills quickly for phone and data connections with emergency communications.  Not only are the first responders connecting with each other, but also everyone else is trying to reach family and friends.  Before long, mobile communications grind to a halt.

This is where SMS can help.  SMS has all of the benefits of being mobile, with added advantages that it does not require a data connection, takes up little space on the network and still works when bandwidth is small.  This makes SMS highly effective for these circumstances.  

SMS is Mobile

As a personal example, my cell phone is always in my pocket or in my hand wherever I go.  If I am in a meeting, I cannot always answer a voice call, but I can easily glance at a text message and respond.  It’s really the fastest way to deliver information to me wherever I am.  Even better, when traditional phone wires are down, my mobile phone may be the only way to reach me, even when I am home.  In an emergency, when every second counts, there’s no better choice.

SMS is Effective

Text message read rate is exceptionally high.  In fact, 90% of all incoming text messages are read within 3 minutes. It’s so easy to take moment to glance at the phone and receive information when a message comes in.  SMS is both convenient and unobtrusive.  

SMS gets Response

Studies show that text messaging is more effective than voice or email in getting a response.  In fact SMS typically receives a response rate 6 to 8 times better than email and 43% of responses occur within the first 15 minutes.  For the quickest response, when seconds count, text messaging is the true winner.

SMS does not strain Resources

Text messages travel the mobile networks in the tiny space on top of voice calls.  Have you ever noticed that when networks are crowded and calls can’t get through, text messages can?  I’ve been in a number of situations where I have had little to no phone service, but I could still send and receive simple text messages.

In emergencies, simple is often best for communicating information and instructions.  The simple approach of SMS leaves the bandwidth available for first responders and other critical life-saving communications and ensures that text subscribers still receive all of the details they need.

There are times when there is an advantage to going back to the basics.  SMS works with every type of phone in low and high bandwidth is fast and easy to use.  In an emergency, there would be no better way to mobilize the community.