Punjab mobile implementation
The Punjab project is a state-wide implementation of the mobile application. All the health workers from rural areas (not urban areas) are going to receive mobile phones and are reporting the facility data through mobile phones. The plan from the state is to quickly phase out paper reporting and only do mobile reporting.
Application on mobile
Punjab uses 3 custom built MIDP 2.0 applications. Early june, the plan is to install the applications manually on the 5000 phones and add the number of the DHIS2 gateway to each of the applications settings. Later updates may be done through OTA or we could have the application hosted at a server which can be downloaded by the health workers on their phones. The options are open because the operators were bit reluctant or so I hear about the cost of the OTA.
Hardware
Mobile phone
Nokia 2330 classic
Developer Platform Series 40 5th Edition, Feature Pack 1 Lite, Nokia OS
Mobile Operator
Closed User Group Plan (Rs. 99/month) : Not sure of the exact details.
GSM Modem
The gateway is only installed on a state server. All the data is received at one server and imported as soon as it is received and an ack is sent to the ANM.
The modem is EzSMS. Uses the Wavecom Q4 Plus module internally. It is a RS232 interface, used with a converter on USB.