How to send text messages to mobile devices programmatically and on-the-cheap?

Question

I think have too little experience in this area to even word this question properly. (Which is probably why I can't seem to Google a decent answer.)

What I want know is if it is possible to send a text message to a mobile user for free and relatively easily?

I understand that one can register with third-party sms gateway provider or if one were more enthusiastic (me) he could purchase a GSM modem and set up his own gateway using software like Kannel.

An ideal scenario would be one in which I DO NOT purchase a GSM modem and simply run something like Kannel and send messages over HTTP (i.e. without a GSM modem) to an SMSC, which would then send them off to a mobile device.

Thanks in advance... stackoverflow rocks!

R

Answer 1

The easiest way to is to get an account with an SMS aggregator, and then send the messages to them using their API. They'll take care of routing the SMS to the various networks for you.

Answer 2

[email protected]

I was pleased to find out that Alltel phones all have a unique email address*. I remember one of their reps showing me this. I would assume that would be the case with most/all carriers if it's the case with Alltel.

Stackoverflow Archive:

• Are there any free services for sending sms programmatically?
• Programmatic SMS
• Free SMS API?

* Kudos to Randolpho for actually finding this list.

Answer 3

Most cell phone providers have an email gateway for SMS. Sending is super-easy.

All you need to do is find out what the proper email address / conversion is for each provider. Here's a helpful list.

Answer 4

If the user's service provider has an email-to-SMS gateway, that's easy and free (for you).

Answer 5

I have done with my friends we have made a website that we can go to which will allow use to send sms to each other using email gateway that other people have mention before.

The website uses a checkbox for each person name and a message box to type message. We use php to send the email. The only difficult part is that you need to know every ones service provider but once we did we just hard coded them into the php of the website.

It really is a great system for us to mass text each other, only took about an hour to setup to.

I hope this helps.

Answer 6

View this article on CodeGlobe

http://codeglobe.blogspot.com/2009/02/sending-sms-in-cnet-using-gsm-modem-and.html