SMS Enabled Elgg

I am looking into sms-enabling Elgg sites..

This will address

  • SMS messaging out from Elgg
  • Elgg message receiving ( involves setting up an SMS server -- more code work)

Marcus Povey has already described Elgg's ability to do this.. but I do not intend to "compete" with CurveRider's services.

When I am finished the SMS PlugIn will be available for free to non-profit Elgg-sites.

  • Hi Dhrup, I guess those SMS services are only for US, am I right?

  • @morgar
    not necessarily
    to send SMS from web page -- only need the cell phone company's data
    to receive SMS on WebSite-- need the server software installed

  • From: Cheltenham40
    2 hours ago

    SMS

    Hi, I am looking at SMS messaging as well. Was wondering how far you have got? We have the SMS server up and running. Just reading through the widget code for emailing. Tricky process is the return path for conversations. We were thinking of using Jabbered as the go between.

     

     

  • interesting;;;-O
    which sms server did you install ? there are many open sourced pkgs available..
    in order to have the web site *receive sms messages -- most likely need to have a cell phone wired to the server PC..

  • @dhrup The simplest way to get SMS in is to use a third party service that sits on the operator network and does this for you.

    There are numerous providers that do SMS out, and many of those do SMS in at an extra cost via a web or email gateway.

    Some are better than others, some are limited to specific countries. Most charge per sms out, and a monthly rental for SMS in.

  • true ;-)

    some (many) cell phone companies do provide email gateways to enable sending sms mssgs for free -- e.g. sending email to 123 123 4567 @vtext.com will push a SMS mssg to the cell phone number 123 123 4567 at verizon's service ( USA ).  I have a list of such provider's services, maily for the USA. I have not had time to research other countries' providers. With a list for every country and provider.. we could ( theoretically ) build a sms send ability into Elgg, similar to messaging,, emails, etc. The real trick would be to enable Elgg to *receive a SMS message and post that text to the wire or to a group topic, etc. i've been hammering my brains on how to do this easily..

  • I hope your brains finds an answer,,, this is a must have for elgg,,,, I only wish I had the brains to add to such a project....  but build it and I would think members would be willing to $upport it ( and you$$)

  • Hmm good to some interest in here ;-)

    Sending a message out to a mobile phone is not too much effort. I coded the basics for this years ago and played around having fun sending SMS to my friends from mickeymouse@disney.com, etc.. Also had hooked up SMS targetting IBM mainframe JOBs which would send SMS ( via email ) to a support programmer for after-hours abend fixes.

    Most carriers do provide email based gateways to send SMS to a mobile ( as mentioned earlier ). I've  googled and found whew 100's of worldwide carriers who have the email gateways.

    The ability for Elgg to receive SMS is the meaner trick.

    As Marcus points out SMS - this can be achieved -- at a price. I have found some SMS Server Open Source pkgs that pupport to handle both out & in.. just haven't got around to studying this thoroughly.

    Another way to handle incoming "SMS" would be send email from a mobile phone to e.g. ElggBot@MySite.Com -- where "ElggBot" is a mail daemon / handler which takes the message and then proceses it thru to say post it to the Elgg Wire and so on...

    I tend to spend some spurts of my spare time now and then working on this for fun;;; And also I am not too fussed about being supported by funding $'s. Those people whom I have helped $0 free with my time know this area of my work. We just don't like to talk too loudly about that ;-)

    I am really looking for more of an active and useful discussion beyond "I want my Elgg site to have SMS".

    My thoughts are simply to allow users to enter their Mobile Carrrier and # and ("somehow") have a PlugIn trap events which the user wants to be SMS'ed and then send out that message via notifications.

     

  • I am really looking for more of an active and useful discussion beyond "I want my Elgg site to have SMS".

    My thoughts are simply to allow users to enter their Mobile Carrrier and # and ("somehow") have a PlugIn trap events which the user wants to be SMS'ed and then send out messages via notifications.

  • I am very intersted in this, too! Would be great to have such service :)

    Thank you!