Sending automatic messages from IT systems

If you already use an SMS gateway for sending and receiving messages at your company, the title itself might caught your attention. Here you will see how to Send automatic messages from IT systems.

If you already use an SMS gateway for sending and receiving messages at your company, the title itself might caught your attention. But if you don't use such technology yet, let me give you some feedback first.

For sending messages you most importantly need an SMS gateway to connect to the mobile network. This can be happened in two ways: with a GSM modem, or over the Internet. If you choose the appropriate software it will support both connections. Ozeki Message Server Next is probably the best of this type. By configuring more GSM modems and/or Internet (IP) connections you can achieve high performance and outstanding stability.

If you have a GSM modem connectivity it means that a GSM modem (or GSM phone) is attached to your PC with a phone to PC data cable. The modem has a SIM card which allows to connect to the GSM network. To setup this connection method, you need the following components:

SIM card + Modem + Data cable + Computer + SMS Gateway (SMS software)

In the case of having an Internet based connection (IP SMS connection) a TCP/IP link is used to connect to the Short Message Service Center (SMSC) of a mobile network or an SMS service provider. So you need to sign a contract with your GSM service provider to be given direct access to its SMSC. With the contract you will receive the service provider's IP address, a port number, a username and password to access their service. When a connection to the SMSC is available, an SMS protocol (like: UCP, SMPP and CIMD2) is required for you to be able to send and receive SMS messages. Then, with the help of an SMS gateway you can start operating with incoming and outgoing messages. In order to setup this solution you need the following prerequisites:

SMS Service Subscription + Internet connection + Computer + SMS Gateway

In general, when you make a decision whether you want to use an Internet SMS connection or a GSM modem the first and most important thing to check is the volume of SMS messages you expect to be sent or received in the system. If you will send or receive less then 12000 SMS messages per day a GSM modem will probably be a good option. If you will send or receive more, you should consider to use some kind of Internet SMS connection.

Many SMS softwares use various kinds of useful features, also known as APIs. API stands for Application Programming Interface. They can be implemented in your own IT system. The more API you have, the better, because they mean more solutions. Looking from this aspect, I would also recommend Ozeki's product (MS Next). Let me introduce you some standalone functions of the mentioned gateway program:

If you would like to notify your customers, business partners, or employees in SMS form about getting an e-mail from you, you will probably welcome the „E-mail to SMS” feature. This possibility requires four things:

Outlook e-mail client -- SMTP server -- SMS software -- User's phone

The message is sent from Outlook to the corporate SMTP server. Then this Email-to-SMS message is forwarded to the built-in SMTP server of the SMS software. Finally, the program sends out the email message as an SMS text message to the recipient's mobile phone. The recipient of the message can send a response message from his handset easily. This response SMS message will be forwarded via the SMTP server to the email box of the sender.

An HTTP client can translate mobile communication into HTTP-based communication. The gateway that is capable of this works as a translator between mobile communication and the Internet. This enables you to create HTTP client connections that can forward messages to a web address (URL). Let's see two examples that are more specific.

Joomla and Drupal are both CMS (Content Management System) softwares. They are both open source solutions and help you in managing all your web contents after you created a web site. They are two of the most popular web site softwares nowadays (due to them being open source). Whether you have a Joomla or a Drupal web site, SMS software implementing is one of the best ways to attract more visitors (who can easily be prospective buyers) to it. They can feel themselves special as you can send them SMS notifications on issues they are interested in personally to their mobile phones.

If your utilized SMS software provides you a Command Line Tool, you are able to send SMS messages from the command line. This application also can be implemented in your IT system easily. All you have to do is to execute the SendSMS.exe command with the appropriate parameters (e.g. phone number, and the message itself).

Sending out a one time password in an SMS is also an automatic message application. Its function is a little bit different, because it is mainly related to security issues, not communication. We can see its practical use for example in the process of a two-factor authentication:

• User login with username and password
• If the first step succeed, the user's mobile telephone number is looked up from a database (or active directory)
• A one time password is generated and is sent to the user
• User enters one time password
• Authentication completed

These few examples are only a little bit of appetizer to the many applications an SMS software can offer. Automatic message sending can be useful for you from many aspects, but it's your task to explore which applications would fit the most to your goals. I tried to select the most interesting opportunities that can mean great relief in your business life. Give them a try and see if they work for you and your IT system, too.