As a specialist in travel communications, much of what we do at Tep is about allowing you to share the excitement and wonder of your travels, wherever you are in the world. But sometimes our travels take us to places which might be a little riskier, or at least where we feel a little more out of our comfort zone. At those times, it’s very reassuring to know that you can quickly tell people whether everything is fine and you are safe or that things might not be going to plan and you may need help. That’s why we made Kitestring part of the Tep product family.
What is Kitestring?
It’s a personal safety service. Ask Kitestring to check up on you at some future time, and Kitestring will text you to make sure you’re safe. Reply to the message or check in on the website and all is well. If you don’t check in, Kitestring alerts the emergency contacts that you set up ahead of time. Of course, you can always extend your ETA or check in early.
Why should I use Kitestring over other services?
There are some great personal safety apps and services out there, but there are a few reasons why we decided to create Kitestring.
Too many people don’t use personal safety apps because they’re inconvenient. We put a lot of time and love into Kitestring to simplify it into something people could activate quickly before they head out, rather than having to remember to do it during their journey.
A lot of safety apps are triggered by some action, like pushing a big red button or shaking one’s phone. We suspect that a lot of bad situations do not afford a victim the opportunity to take these actions. Kitestring is a little different—it triggers itself when you don’t do something you thought you would be able to.
Many of these apps are not free – after all, their creators need to eat. But any price tag, no matter how small, is enough to deter most people. Kitestring has a “forever free” version because we want people to use it. You only pay if you want bonus features.
Do I need to install an app?
No, to make it available to almost anyone, Kitestring is designed to be an SMS-based service. If you can send text messages, you can use Kitestring. That’s it! Kitestring can also be accessed via the Tep+ app.
If someone took my phone, couldn’t they check in as me?
You can designate additional secret code words to prevent someone from using your phone to check in for you. You can also set a special password which, if enabled, is the only word that can be used to check in. You can also designate a code word to indicate duress should you get into trouble. If you respond with that code word, the app pretends you have checked in successfully while secretly alerting your contacts that you may be in danger.
How does it work for my emergency contacts?
They don’t have to set up anything at their end. It’s always handy to let them know you are using the Kitestring service so they understand what’s happening if they receive a message, but you can customize the message they receive so it makes sense to them.
Can I use it anywhere?
The fact that Kitestring relies solely on SMS, rather than a data connection or standalone app, opens it up to millions of users across the globe who don’t have smartphones. The service is available in 217 countries, although English is the only language currently supported.
We want all your travel experiences to be memorable for all the right reasons. We also want you to be as safe as possible and, if things do go awry for whatever reason, to know that someone will be alerted if you don’t reach your destination.
There is lots more information about Kitestring on our FAQ page including details about setup and usage as well as pricing plans and billing for advanced features.
Kitestring is just one aspect of the Tep product family along with the Teppy personal Wifi hotspot, the Tep+ international messaging app and lots of other additional services.
The device is only $8.95 per day and don’t forget you get unlimited data usage on each day you rent from us.
Find out more about renting a device here.
