Re: SMS gateways

[Jared Mauch <jared () puck Nether net>]

On Sat, Jan 09, 2016 at 11:23:59PM -0000, John Levine wrote:
> In article <006501d14b31$7c478e40$74d6aac0$@iname.com> you write:
> > Surprised no one has mentioned the Multimodem iSMS: http://www.multitech.com/brands/multimodem-isms
> >
> > Been using it for 5+ years -- first three years the code wasn't stable, needing a reboot every few months,
> > but the latest code has been stable for 2+ years.
>
> It looked interesting until I got to the part where it says it uses a
> 2G GSM modem.  AT&T has said quite firmly that they will turn off
> their 2G network in 2017, and press reports say that T-Mobile is
> already turning off 2G in favor of LTE.
>
> What do you plan to do instead next year?

        I last purchased a USB "3G modem" for around $12 including shipping
which supports SMS.  it doesn't need to use the 3G part for data though, just
for the control channel.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Unlocked-ZTE-MF110-3G-850-1900-2100-Mhz-GSM-USB-Mobile-Broadband-Modem-/121822901176

        There are cheaper ones to be had, but this isn't exactly something
that is a budget breaker.  Get a good provider and life will be just
fine for you.  I have a T-Mobile SIM in mine and they don't charge for
most international texts like other carriers so makes a perfect SMS
device.  (Looks like HSPA+ LTE ones can be had around $40 without putting
much effort into it).

        The biggsest problem I had was setting the AT command to make it
default to the right mode vs using usbmodeswitch in Linux, but mostly because
this was the first device I used like this in over a decade myself.

        - Jared

-- 
Jared Mauch  | pgp key available via finger from jared () puck nether net
clue++;      | http://puck.nether.net/~jared/  My statements are only mine.