Thwapr, the mobile-to-mobile video sharing platform, is offering operational assistance and its free communications service to relief organizations, government agencies, and families to send and receive videos and photos directly between Haiti and the US and Canada.
Users should email photos and videos from a mobile phone to haiticommunication@gmail.com with requested mobile phone number(s) for recipients. Thwapr will support the individual delivery of each video or photo as requested to compatible handsets.
While traditional landline and cellular voice/phone services have been impacted during the crisis in Haiti, mobile data and text services are more than 80% operational. Given this context the service can be used by any organization or individual to send critical information on environmental conditions, site surveys, or family member status via videos or photos. Thwapr is already working with teams supporting Haiti search and rescue operations.
"This is a devastating tragedy and we want to do what we can to help," said Bruce Goldstein, CEO of Thwapr. "Mobile data is likely to be the only form of Internet connectivity people in Haiti may have for some time and so the ability to share photos and videos on mobile devices may be particularly useful while ground-based network infrastructure is impacted."
WHO: Relief workers trying to help families reunite, government workers doing site surveys, individuals trying to reach loved ones
HOW: From video and Web enabled mobile phone (or computer) email files to haiticommunication@gmail.com along with the mobile number of the desired recipient
WHY: Because alternate means of sending mobile video and photos may not be reliable and ground- based data infrastructure services may not be functional