Sending SMS messages

[Brian]

Hi,

If you have a known mobile number stored in a database in an IWB program, is it possible to send an SMS message direct from your program, with your computer logged onto your router, using WiFi?

Brian

[ckoehn]

You can do it, but at least here in the United States you have to use it like an email message. You need to not only know the number but the carrier.

For example if you have Verizon:

10digit_phone_number@vtext.com

AT&T:

10digit_phone_number@txt.att.net

You can find the carrier extentions on the internet.

It has become more difficult in recent years because they call sending it from a program "third party access" or something like that, which apparently means it isn't as secure.

I use it in one of my programs as an alert to my commercial fish farmers when there is an error on their monitoring equipment.

Later,
Clint

[Brian]

Hi, Clint,

Hope you are well. Bit of a faff if you have a number, but don't know which service to send to. Might just be content with an email, but it would have been nice to go a bit more modern. . . .

Brian

[Egil]

Hi Brian,

And Happy New Year!

If your PC and smart phone both are connected to the same router it should be possible. But you'll need to dig rather deep into the GSM communication protocols to make it work.

My internet provider, which also is my GSM provider, had such a service at the very birth of the GSM networks here in Norway. But we had to go via a website to send the messages. It was almost not used by their customers, so that service does not longer exist.

Personally I use an easier method: E-Mail! But had a hard time in the start to learn how to filter out all the "Special offers for You" that from time to time fill my inbox. And later I discovered that these filters were very different with the various network providers, so there is no easy fix.

This is not the answer you needed, but if you manage to get a copy of the GSM/SMS protocols, please tell us where you found it.


Egil

PS
While I was on the phone in the middle of writing this message Clint described the method that my provider dropped several years ago. But a call to your network provider would be wise to do!