I have no idea what this is referred to as, so I will try to explain: I have a client interested in setting up a mobile phone text message service where a mobile user would send a text to a short (say 5 digit) 'telephone' number. I've seen commercials on TV where you could send a numeric/text code to a SMS gateway number, and it charges your mobile account for the returned text message or downloadable ringer/etc.
Without knowing much about how to access this service, it seems relatively straightforward.
I did a few web searches however I'm not sure what magic keyword I'm missing for the search. Could anyone point me in the right direction? The service would be established in Canada and potentially the United States. I have called two of the largest mobile operators, but no one can get me to the right department.
As far as experience with texting goes, I have worked on some systems that do M2M (machine-to-machine) SMS communication, always using full mobile telephone numbers (GSM modems).
Many thanks,
-Shaun
Shaun Rossi
Fidalia Networks Inc
tel. (905) 271-0037 x 111
1-866-FIDALIA (343-2542) x 111
fax. (905) 271-1036
1 Port Street East - Second Floor
Mississauga, Ontario
L5G 4N1 Canada
I have no idea what this is referred to as, so I will try
to explain: I have a client interested in setting up a
mobile phone text message service where a mobile user
would send a text to a short (say 5 digit) 'telephone'
number. I've seen commercials on TV where you could send
a numeric/text code to a SMS gateway number, and it
charges your mobile account for the returned text message
or downloadable ringer/etc.
*snip*
These are SMS short codes.
Essentially you purchase service from an SMS aggregator (that's your
missing key word) and you can bulk send your SMS through some sort of API
or HTML gateway. They will generally have agreements with the mobile
networks to have anything that is sent to a particular short code
forwarded onto the aggregator so that they can make them available to you.
A Google search for "SMS aggregator US" should point you in the right
direction, although I've only had direct experience (and a few years ago
now) with Opera Telecom in the UK.
On that same note, can someone point me in the direction of an SMS gateway service? I would like to be able to send SMS messages from my monitoring systems, but I am unsure about how to go about it.
On that same note, can someone point me in the direction of an SMS gateway service? I would like to be able to send SMS messages from my monitoring systems, but I am unsure about how to go about it.
Appreciate the assistance.
Why not use an e-mail to SMS gateway from whichever carrier?
Many people consider these (carrier email to SMS gateways) too unreliable as
there are no SLAs from the carriers, and sometimes experience long delays in
message delivery, or just flat out dropped messages. If this is what you
are depending on for outage notification that's a big risk.
Some people use a serial interface to a specific model cell phones to
directly send the message over the carrier's cellular network. This is good
in the event of isolation of a location from any IP connectivity to a
carrier gateway.
I believe there was another solution that involved direct carrier
connections, but these are most likely cost prohibitive in most situations.
There is a good thread on this somewhere a little while back in the NANOG
archives with more details of the solutions.
Setting up your own short codes is an expensive and long process, so you are
usually best starting off with a shared code from one of these companies and
you can migrate down the line if the revenue/volume is there to make it
worthwhile.
Some people use a serial interface to a specific model cell phones to
directly send the message over the carrier's cellular network. This is good
in the event of isolation of a location from any IP connectivity to a
carrier gateway.
The Multitech Multimodem GPRS model MTCBA-G-EN-F4 has an ethernet
port. Add a SIM card from your favorite wireless carrier and you can
send and receive SMS messages via "AT" commands over a TCP socket.
Problem is, it seizes up or otherwise founders every few weeks and has
to be power cycled.
Has anyone heard of other products with a good reliability record?
I believe there was another solution that involved direct carrier
connections, but these are most likely cost prohibitive in most situations.
Any pointers on this would be greatly appreciated. I have a need for
geographically redundant access to the same phone numbers in order to
send and receive SMS messages. Even if I have to buy a pair of T1s
that are 99.9% idle, it'd be worth it.
Shane Ronan wrote:
>On that same note, can someone point me in the direction of an SMS
>gateway service? I would like to be able to send SMS messages from my
>monitoring systems, but I am unsure about how to go about it.
Why not use an e-mail to SMS gateway from whichever carrier?
They tend to be unreliable (long delays and dropped messages). Also,
how can your monitoring system email the gateway when the network is
down?
The Multitech Multimodem GPRS model MTCBA-G-EN-F4 has an ethernet
port. Add a SIM card from your favorite wireless carrier and you can
send and receive SMS messages via "AT" commands over a TCP socket.
Problem is, it seizes up or otherwise founders every few weeks and has
to be power cycled.
Has anyone heard of other products with a good reliability record?
We have the MTCBA-G-U-F4-ED (the USB version) and have not had any
trouble. I had to modify the Linux kernel driver for the chipset used
to load the firmware correctly (and optionally externally instead of
just compiled in), but those changes are in the upstream kernel now.
We haven't had any problem with it locking up or anything; the server
with it attached has been up for a year (as of 41 minutes ago ) with
no problems (haven't had to pull the modem or anything like that).
We have an AT&T SIM card in it, and we did have problems with AT&T's SMS
several months ago; for several hours, they were rejecting messages from
our modem. Now I have an additional monitor that sends a message to
itself periodically, and (of course) we haven't had that problem since.
well, my ISP is my telco, is my cable/TV co... that whole
triple-play - bundled service thing.
so not only can't i send email, i can't call either. fortunately
i have these homing birds ... faster than RSA DSL and likely most
"broadband" in the US too.
We have a package which uses the MultiTech line of modems coupled with
software that will watch files on your network and generate SMS messges (or
SNPP, WCTP, TAP, FAX, etc). The underlying engine is a highly customized
version of PageGate software from NotePage, Inc. Part of our customization
was to defeat the issue you mentioned of "modem suspension". It was
initially designed for high volume short messages of a critical nature and
is in use in numerous Public Safety (Fire/Police/EMS) communications
centers. Often, the Public Safety agency will contract with us to provide
and install the system, then the IT department realizes the benefits of
using it to monitor their systems. Please contact me off list if you would
like more information
How do I send out an email if the network is down?
I have had success using a GSM phone hooked up to the server via USB. (Bonus is that the server constantly 'charges' the phone). An ugly set of scripts deals with taking emails and changing them into SMS messages which are then transmitted through that phone to another.
Shane Ronan wrote:
On that same note, can someone point me in the direction of an SMS gateway service? I would like to be able to send SMS messages from my monitoring systems, but I am unsure about how to go about it.
Appreciate the assistance.
Why not use an e-mail to SMS gateway from whichever carrier?
--
Alex Balashov - Principal
Evariste Systems
Web : http://www.evaristesys.com/
Tel : (+1) (678) 954-0670
Direct : (+1) (678) 954-0671
I have had a fantastic track record with a Maestro 100 GSM modem with a serial interface.
One of my customers has one powered on for about a year now, and it's never missed a beat.
They apparently support TCP/IP and the datasheet mentions something about email, but I have no idea what that really means, and don't really care so much.
I send it standard GSM AT commands, and it just works.
I've done the whole old nokia handset thing in the past several times and it's *ok*. Now though, I say don't bother, this thing is maybe a couple hundred dollars, and saves you oodles of time fooling around making it work reliably.
On that same note, can someone point me in the direction of an SMS
gateway service? I would like to be able to send SMS messages from my
monitoring systems, but I am unsure about how to go about it.
If your monitoring system has reliable IP connectivity, I can recommend
Clickatell. If not, try one of the cellular modem kludges people have
described.
For my own amusement, I wrote a little hack that takes the voicemail
messages that my VoIP service mails me, extracts a few salient facts
of calling number and message length, and sends me an SMS notification
to my mobile phone so I know to call and pick up my messages. Works
great.
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