Re: sending an SMS message

Bernie Cosell <bernie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> said:
>I'm pretty lost: I want to write a simple (???) program to send off an
>SMS message..

>[and indeed, that's in no small part because I haven't a *clue* how
>text messaging works at all, much less doing it over the Internet
>instead of from a cell phone].

I make an assumption on using GSM network technology. The core issue
is that you should get the message delivered to the SMSC (SMS Center)
of the desired operator (operator of the GSM subscription to which
you want to send the message). SMSes tend to cost some money apiece,
so there typically isn't any direct public internet interface through
which to send SMSes. Mobile operators typically offer (as a business
service) some kind of interface to the SMSC, charging at least by
month, and I think by message as well. If the target is to send just
a few SMSes per month, this rapidly becomes too expensive (especially
if there's more than one destination operator).

The easiest (and most economical) option in most cases should be to
hook up a mobile handset to the computer sending the messages, and
find out about the interface on the mobile to use to send off SMSes.
For fault-tolerance use two of these, hooked up to networks of two
independent operators.

Note though that there's no delivery guarantee for SMSes.
--
Wolf a.k.a. Juha Laiho Espoo, Finland
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