Internet SMS reception

Almost every VOIP provider and their dog allows sending of SMS from their
website, and some allow sending of SMS through the SIP protocol. Quite
often these are easy to script.

But does anyone offer an SMS receive service? I'm thinking of a system
where you get a number (can be anywhere in the world). When an SMS is
received it activates some action my server can pick up - sends an email,
causes an HTTP request, or something like that. The important bit is that
it's push - I don't want to be polling a webpage every minute just in case.
I need a fairly timely response - preferably within a minute or two of the
SMS being received at the gateway. SMS will come out of the blue - it won't
be a reply to another text.

I notice there are SMS->email gateways out there, but are there any that fit
my timing requirements? I don't want one that only empties its queue every
half an hour. I'd actually rather avoid running an SMTP server if I can
(because as soon as I open the SMTP port I'll get every script kiddie trying
to break in, which is a bit of a load for my tiny number of genuine
messages).

I'm quite happy to have to put a prefix on the SMS (like the shortcodes that
say things like 'text WIN and your name to 12345') and it can be anywhere in
the world (with a preference for the UK). Volume is tiny (at most one per
week).

Any suggestions?

Thanks
Theo

In news:zRd*LQ8ds@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk,
Theo Markettos <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> typed, for some
strange, unexplained reason:
: Almost every VOIP provider and their dog allows sending of SMS from
: their website, and some allow sending of SMS through the SIP
: protocol. Quite often these are easy to script.
:
: But does anyone offer an SMS receive service? I'm thinking of a
: system where you get a number (can be anywhere in the world). When
: an SMS is received it activates some action my server can pick up -
: sends an email, causes an HTTP request, or something like that.

[snip]

You might try asking your local radio station, ours here certainly has a
facility where you send a message to their number (it's a normal mobile
number not a shortcode) and it appears on the presenter's screen. But I
doubt it'll be cheap.

Ivor

Ivor Jones <ivor@thisaddressis.invalid> wrote:
> You might try asking your local radio station, ours here certainly has a
> facility where you send a message to their number (it's a normal mobile
> number not a shortcode) and it appears on the presenter's screen. But I
> doubt it'll be cheap.

I'm guessing they have some kind of Premicell with a port on the back that
plugs into a PC. I suppose I could do the same with an old phone and a
cable - for software perhaps gnokii-smsd might do the trick (and I probably
have a suitable phone and cable already). But I'd need to keep a phone
powered all the time, as well as keep a SIM topped up (I suppose I could
automate it to make it call the speaking clock every 6 months to keep it
alive).

I was just wondering if there was a hosted solution to save the power and
hassle?

Theo

"Theo Markettos" <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote in message
news:zRd*LQ8ds@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk...
> Almost every VOIP provider and their dog allows sending of SMS from their
> website, and some allow sending of SMS through the SIP protocol. Quite
> often these are easy to script.
>
> But does anyone offer an SMS receive service? I'm thinking of a system
> where you get a number (can be anywhere in the world). When an SMS is
> received it activates some action my server can pick up - sends an email,
> causes an HTTP request, or something like that. The important bit is that
> it's push - I don't want to be polling a webpage every minute just in
> case.
> I need a fairly timely response - preferably within a minute or two of the
> SMS being received at the gateway. SMS will come out of the blue - it
> won't
> be a reply to another text.
>
> I notice there are SMS->email gateways out there, but are there any that
> fit
> my timing requirements? I don't want one that only empties its queue
> every
> half an hour. I'd actually rather avoid running an SMTP server if I can
> (because as soon as I open the SMTP port I'll get every script kiddie
> trying
> to break in, which is a bit of a load for my tiny number of genuine
> messages).
>
> I'm quite happy to have to put a prefix on the SMS (like the shortcodes
> that
> say things like 'text WIN and your name to 12345') and it can be anywhere
> in
> the world (with a preference for the UK). Volume is tiny (at most one per
> week).
>
> Any suggestions?


Try AAISP http://www.aaisp.net.uk/ they announced something like this the
other day - see
http://aaisp.blogspot.com:80/2008/05...d-service.html

Steve

"Theo Markettos" <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote in message
news:BRd*x98ds@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk...
> Ivor Jones <ivor@thisaddressis.invalid> wrote:
>> You might try asking your local radio station, ours here certainly has a
>> facility where you send a message to their number (it's a normal mobile
>> number not a shortcode) and it appears on the presenter's screen. But I
>> doubt it'll be cheap.
>
> I'm guessing they have some kind of Premicell with a port on the back that
> plugs into a PC. I suppose I could do the same with an old phone and a
> cable - for software perhaps gnokii-smsd might do the trick (and I
> probably
> have a suitable phone and cable already). But I'd need to keep a phone
> powered all the time, as well as keep a SIM topped up (I suppose I could
> automate it to make it call the speaking clock every 6 months to keep it
> alive).
>
> I was just wondering if there was a hosted solution to save the power and
> hassle?
>

A lot of the BBC uses a central application on shared numbers (some are used
by stations for (say) an hour then another station gets the same number for
the next hour and some use keywords. Don't know about commercial stations.

In article <BRd*x98ds@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>,
Theo Markettos <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
>Ivor Jones <ivor@thisaddressis.invalid> wrote:
>> You might try asking your local radio station, ours here certainly has a
>> facility where you send a message to their number (it's a normal mobile
>> number not a shortcode) and it appears on the presenter's screen. But I
>> doubt it'll be cheap.
>
>I'm guessing they have some kind of Premicell with a port on the back that
>plugs into a PC. I suppose I could do the same with an old phone and a
>cable - for software perhaps gnokii-smsd might do the trick (and I probably
>have a suitable phone and cable already). But I'd need to keep a phone
>powered all the time, as well as keep a SIM topped up (I suppose I could
>automate it to make it call the speaking clock every 6 months to keep it
>alive).

There are many devices to do this - I use a dedicated GSM terminal
(basically a mobile phone with an rs232 port and no audio hardware) and
the linux getsms and putsms command-line stuff, but as you say you don't
want to host it yourself...

So you could pay someone to host it for you and a quick google of and
the linux getsms and putsms command-line stuff, but as you say you don't
want to host it yourself...

So you could pay someone to host it for you and a quick google of hosted
sim shows lots of links.... But for one a week, it might not be worth
it (and yes, keeping a contract open might be an issue - I did once have
an O2 PAYG SIM lapse on me )-: however just sending one TXT a week seems
to keep the current one live)

Some time back I was looking for bulk SMS servers for another project
and found a Scottish company who seem to trade under a few names, and
although the project didn't get off the ground, I did communicate with
them and they seemed to answer email quickly enough - a quick search
through their sites finds:

http://www.hslsms.com/recvsms-1.html

however you're looking at the best part of £30 a month for the hosting
service...

Gordon

Theo Markettos wrote:

> Almost every VOIP provider and their dog allows sending of SMS from their
> website, and some allow sending of SMS through the SIP protocol. Quite
> often these are easy to script.
>

Theo

Having moved overseas, I too am interested in this service. Unfortunately
the only ones that seem to be available are commercial that require large
volumes. If you work in academia JANET(UK) has a contract with PageOne
called JANET txt which enables institutions to send messages at a flat rate
of 4.2p per message, with two-way communication available.

Regards,

Chris

Theo Markettos wrote:
> I'm quite happy to have to put a prefix on the SMS (like the shortcodes that
> say things like 'text WIN and your name to 12345') and it can be anywhere in
> the world (with a preference for the UK). Volume is tiny (at most one per
> week).
>
> Any suggestions?

You need to talk to AQL. Most people who offer SMS services are
actually reselling AQL.

http://www.aql.com/

Tim

Hi Theo and Tim,

Tim wrote:
> Theo Markettos wrote:
>> I'm quite happy to have to put a prefix on the SMS (like the
>> shortcodes that
>> say things like 'text WIN and your name to 12345') and it can be
>> anywhere in
>> the world (with a preference for the UK). Volume is tiny (at most one
>> per
>> week).
>>
>> Any suggestions?
>
> You need to talk to AQL. Most people who offer SMS services are
> actually reselling AQL.
>
> http://www.aql.com/
>
> Tim

We do indeed. We provide keywords on our shortcode services in the way
you've described, as well as inbound SMS on geographic numbers so that
if you want to set up a combined VoIP/Fax and inbound SMS number you can
do. As these only work within the UK we also offer virtual mobile
numbers which will work internationally. All of these allow messages to
be delivered via HTTP Post. The geographic numbers and virtual numbers
are dedicated, so you could set up as many keywords as you wanted on
your own scripts, or just accept inbound messages.

If you're looking to do responses to your customer's messages, we also
provide outbound services, and customers would see that your messages
came from your virtual number with us, which means they could reply
straight back to your scripts. Alternatively, you can present your
company name on your outbound messages. Again, these can be sent over
HTTP Post or Email.

Give me a call on 01133 20 30 40 if you have any questions about the
service or pricing and we can get a trial set up for you.

Regards,

Craig

Steve Purdy <removethis.np.200802@roundtuit.org.uk> wrote:
> A lot of the BBC uses a central application on shared numbers (some are used
> by stations for (say) an hour then another station gets the same number for
> the next hour and some use keywords. Don't know about commercial stations.

Our local commercial station appears to share its short code, as whenever
it advertises the number to SMS, the presenter always warns people to
"start your message with STRAY".

Chris