International Quality Short Message Services (IQSMS) is a software application that uses mobile phone SMS to report data to a centralized computer server. No special software is required for user’s handsets and any handset can be used. The IQSMS software application is very flexible and can handle multiple reports with any number of reporting elements.

The IQSMS solution bridges large geographic distances as well as data transfer incompatibilities between partners, NGOs, Ministries of Health and other stakeholders.  The solution leverages the prolific ownership of mobile phones for the benefit of the community.

Futures supports 535 Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) facilities in Tanga, Mara, Mwanza and Manyara region in Tanzania to collect data about mothers and babies, IQSMS has significantly improved reporting compliance, data accuracy as well as reduced investment in data collection labor, transportation and information storage.

Since 1994, Stockholm Challenge has recognized social entrepreneurs in the field of ICT (Information and Communications Technologies). The most promising projects are selected by a jury comprising some of the foremost global IT-entrepreneurs; the most innovative and viable projects are rewarded the Stockholm Challenge Award. In 2010, more than 290 projects from 90 countries joined the Challenge. IQSMS won honorable mention.

• Easy phone set up
• Can interpret any SMS format

• All user messages can be configured in either English or Swahili

• Configure and accept data streams from any number of reports

• Incoming SMS data definition using an existing template or from scratch
• Define report codes, descriptor, result
• Reorder report data order without disturbing existing data
• Update and add new report data

• Configure data quality check rules - per report, per cell
• Can add Create user defined data quality rules

• Configure data failures messages to the user on a per report, per cell basis

• Audit log with diagnostic information recording successful and failed incoming transmission, attempts to submit by unregistered users, etc.

• Report that lists sites and data expectations that occurred such as duplicates, inconsistent values, report not submitted  on time

• Configure report data aggregated at the district level by selecting districts and regions
• Report provided enumerating  site submissions by sites in a quarter
• All information export to Excel

• Only registered phone numbers allowed to submit data
• Telecom company spam ignored
• User administration with access levels for the software and the aggregated data sets.

• Import Excel spreadsheets as a comma delimited file into the central database

• Low cost
• Instantly scalable