Airtime Pricing

A common misconception is that SMS (text messages) are used to send and receive survey templates and submissions. In reality, Mobenzi Researcher uses any available data connection such as GPRS, EDGE, 3G or WiFi.

By using low cost mobile data networks to send and receive information and smart compression techniques, operator airtime fees to run Mobenzi Researcher on a handset are minimal.

The precise airtime cost "per submission" isn't easy to predict without specifying the length of the survey, the complexity of the questions and whether any multimedia is captured (e.g. photographs). As a rule of thumb based on observed trends, a full-time fieldworker not capturing multimedia will typically need a 5MB data bundle every two months (less than R4.63 per month on average).

Pricing may vary based on the fieldworker's network and usage patterns.

Airtime & SIM services available

For the South African mobile networks a full range of services is available:

• Procurement, activation and RICA registration of SIM cards
• PINless recharge with data (and airtime/SMS bundles if required) according to pre-defined schedule
• Ad hoc PINless airtime, data and SMS bundle recharges (a service fee of R5 per recharge applies)

* Monitoring costs R10.00 once-off setup and R10.00 monthly thereafter per SIM

A subset of these services may be available for other networks. Please contact us for assistance.

Any other potential costs to consider?

Depending on the nature of your project or requirement, you may need to consider resources to support your mobile data collection:

• Messaging

  By purchasing message credits, you are able to communicate with team members, respondents, customers and other stakeholders via SMS integrated directly into the Mobenzi Researcher console.

• Survey / form setup

  First time users often prefer to seek professional survey or form design assistance. Consulting can be provided directly by our team, or one of our partners.

• Training

  One of Mobenzi Researcher's key benefits is how little training it requires to operate - especially for fieldworkers. It's often beneficial however to conduct a short fieldworker and/or administrator training session to get the most out of Mobenzi Researcher's capabilities. Training can be provided directly by our team, via web conferencing, or a local partner.

• Handsets

  Standardising on a handset can reduce support and training requirements substantially. Simply use your preferred supplier to procure compatible handsets, or contact our team for assistance in sourcing suitable handsets and SIM cards directly. Within South Africa, we are able to provide handset rental services.

• Customisation

  The Mobenzi Researcher API unlocks infinite possibilites ranging from simple integration or reporting to complete custom system development - depending on your requirements. Make use of your own development team, or contact one of our partners to discuss your needs.