Perl & SMS Question

[amerar]

Hi All,

I'm looking for a module that will allow me, from a Perl script, to
senda text message to a cell phone.

I would rather not use the email approach, as people change providers
and such. So, I'd rather use the phone number.

I've trued NET::SMS and WWW::SMS and neither work. NET::SMS requires
me to pay some subscription to a place, and WWW::SMS just plain
failed......

Can anyone else help??

Thanks!!

 

[Brian McCauley]

Hi All,

I'm looking for a module that will allow me, from a Perl script, to
senda text message to a cell phone.

I would rather not use the email approach, as people change providers
and such. So, I'd rather use the phone number.

I've trued NET::SMS and WWW::SMS and neither work. NET::SMS requires
me to pay some subscription to a place, and WWW::SMS just plain
failed......

Can anyone else help??

Perhaps a psychic? That's what you'd need to diagnose a problem from
a description of "plain failed".

Whenever I send SMS from Perl I just use a simple HTTP POST with LWP
to a gateway[2]. Perhaps I would have used one of those modules if
they'd been about when I first did it but it would be hard for the API
to be simpler. The main advantage of such modules is that they can
encapsulate the differences between gateway APIs and avoid the need to
change your code when you change gateway.

In general you are going to need a paid subscription to a gateway
service. This is unavoidable to recoup costs and avoid abuse of the
service to Spam. Remember that in most[1] networks there is a
termination charge for SMS and the recipient bares none of the cost.
And where the recipient pays the potential for Spam is even worse.

If you send SMS via a "free" website user interface this service is
provided to draw readers into the website (where they'll be exposed to
advertising that pays for the service). You cannot reasonably expect
an API service to be free. You could use LWP to drive a free website
service but they tend to try to make this non-trivial and it usually
violates their terms of use anyhow.

[1] I believe this may be less common in the US, I'm talking globally.

[2] The one I use (Clickatel) is in South Africa, priced in Euros but
billed in Rand. About .1 Euro per message (varies by network). Prepay
pay-as-you-go. No setup or standing fees. For reliable worldwide
delivery of small numbers of messages ~10/day I've not found a more
cost effective option - and for the amount it's costing it's not much
worth my while looking at the moment.

 

[Dave24]

I'm familiar with clickatell also, and it can provide good coverage
for 10 euro cents per SMS, - even less in some countries like norway.

For a free sms provider in uk you could try www.freebiesms.co.uk, they
have a developer's section with some web-services. I guess that should
be accessable to perl.

Hi All,

I'm looking for a module that will allow me, from a Perl script, to
senda text message to a cell phone.

I would rather not use the email approach, as people change providers
and such. So, I'd rather use the phone number.

I've trued NET::SMSand WWW::SMSand neither work. NET::SMSrequires
me to pay some subscription to a place, and WWW::SMSjust plain
failed......

Can anyone else help??

Perhaps a psychic? That's what you'd need to diagnose a problem from
a description of "plain failed".

Whenever I sendSMSfrom Perl I just use a simple HTTP POST with LWP
to a gateway[2]. Perhaps I would have used one of those modules if
they'd been about when I first did it but it would be hard for the API
to be simpler. The main advantage of such modules is that they can
encapsulate the differences between gateway APIs and avoid the need to
change your code when you change gateway.

In general you are going to need a paid subscription to a gateway
service. This is unavoidable to recoup costs and avoid abuse of the
service to Spam. Remember that in most[1] networks there is a
termination charge forSMSand the recipient bares none of the cost.
And where the recipient pays the potential for Spam is even worse.

If you sendSMSvia a "free" website user interface this service is
provided to draw readers into the website (where they'll be exposed to
advertising that pays for the service). You cannot reasonably expect
an API service to befree. You could use LWP to drive afreewebsite
service but they tend to try to make this non-trivial and it usually
violates their terms of use anyhow.

[1] I believe this may be less common in the US, I'm talking globally.

[2] The one I use (Clickatel) is in South Africa, priced in Euros but
billed in Rand. About .1 Euro per message (varies by network). Prepay
pay-as-you-go. No setup or standing fees. For reliable worldwide
delivery of small numbers of messages ~10/day I've not found a more
cost effective option - and for the amount it's costing it's not much
worth my while looking at the moment.