SMS Based Social Networking Solution
Paywast is a SMS based social networking service. Paywast launched in Afghanistan and is available for anybody with a mobile phone.
Social Networking
As a landmark initiative in Afghanistan, UStronics launched an SMS based social networking media called Paywast. Paywast which means “connection” in Dari language is an award winning social media organization in Afghanistan. As the country’s first mobile-based social networking media, Paywast was formally launched on January 31, 2011. Since its launch, Paywast has become the largest local social networking media in Afghanistan with more than one million users and subscribers. In July 2012, Paywast became the first Afghan technology firm to win mBillionth Award South Asia for best mobile entertainment. Paywast became a finalist in California based Mobile Excellence Award 2012 and a Delhi based The Manthan Award South Asia & Asia Pacific 2012 for best Mobile International and E-Business & Enterprise respectively.
Paywast has remained at the forefront of SMS-based social networking technology in Afghanistan allowing a record number of 500,000,000 (five hundred million) SMS messages being sent through its network in 2011.
Most of Paywast users and subscribers are university students, young professionals, teachers, professors and members of academic community. Paywast is designed to help connect people to one another whether they are members of a family, students of a university, members of a business organization, workers of an NGO, employees of an emergency management agency or a research organization concerned with public outreach. Through Paywast, mobile users can interact with multiple friends and peers simultaneously by creating or joining groups.
Paywast groups are an easy way for people to share information and communicate about what interests them, studies, work, hobbies or family matters. Staying in touch with distant relatives across the country has never been easier – families can stay connected through their own
Paywast group. Paywast users can make groups private or public, depending on the purpose of the group. Public groups can be joined by anyone, whereas users joining a private group must be approved by the group owner before becoming a member of the group.