Rails - Oct 2009 - SMS via Skype

Is it possible to send sms via skype account in rails?

It seems that skype charge much less than the other sms gateways.

Arthur
-- 
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.

Not sure of the legal side, but you can SMS through AIM and gtalk for  
free... here''s one article explaining it...

http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/trapani/2009/09/how-to-sms-for-free.html

-philip

On Oct 2, 2009, at 7:54 AM, Arthur Chan wrote:
>
> Is it possible to send sms via skype account in rails?
>
> It seems that skype charge much less than the other sms gateways.
>
> Arthur
> -- 
> Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.
>
> >

Arthur Chan wrote:
> Is it possible to send sms via skype account in rails?
> 
> It seems that skype charge much less than the other sms gateways.
SMS gateways are not necessary for this.  At least here in the US, every 
cellular provider accepts SMS by e-mail.  For example, you can send SMS 
messages to an AT&T phone by e-mailing [phone number]@txt.att.net ; for 
Verizon it''s [phone number]@vtext.com -- you get the
idea.
> 
> Arthur
Best,
--
Marnen Laibow-Koser
http://www.marnen.org
marnen-sbuyVjPbboAdnm+yROfE0A@public.gmane.org
-- 
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.

Thanks for the info.

However, my target users are in Hong Kong.

Unfortunately, it seems that we don''t have free sms carriers which
allow me to use something like sms-fu.





On 10月2日, 下午11時35分, Marnen Laibow-Koser <rails-mailing-l...@andreas-
s.net> wrote:
> Arthur Chan wrote:
> > Is it possible to send sms via skype account in rails?
>
> > It seems that skype charge much less than the other sms gateways.
>
> SMS gateways are not necessary for this.  At least here in the US, every
> cellular provider accepts SMS by e-mail.  For example, you can send SMS
> messages to an AT&T phone by e-mailing [phone number]@txt.att.net ; for
> Verizon it''s [phone number]@vtext.com -- you get the idea.
>
>
>
> > Arthur
>
> Best,
> --
> Marnen Laibow-Koserhttp://www.marnen.org
> mar...-sbuyVjPbboAdnm+yROfE0A@public.gmane.org
> --
> Posted viahttp://www.ruby-forum.com/.

Arthur Chan wrote:
> Thanks for the info.
> 
> However, my target users are in Hong Kong.
It is likely that Hong Kong cellular providers also provide e-mail 
gateways.  Why not check?
> 
> Unfortunately, it seems that we don''t have free sms carriers which
> allow me to use something like sms-fu.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 10月2日, 下午11時35分, Marnen Laibow-Koser <rails-mailing-l...@andreas-
Best,
--
Marnen Laibow-Koser
http://www.marnen.org
marnen-sbuyVjPbboAdnm+yROfE0A@public.gmane.org
-- 
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.

2009/10/2 Marnen Laibow-Koser
<rails-mailing-list-ARtvInVfO7ksV2N9l4h3zg@public.gmane.org>:
>
> Arthur Chan wrote:
>> Thanks for the info.
>>
>> However, my target users are in Hong Kong.
>
> It is likely that Hong Kong cellular providers also provide e-mail
> gateways.  Why not check?
>
They do not in the UK (I believe), not free anyway.

Colin

Colin Law wrote:
> 2009/10/2 Marnen Laibow-Koser
<rails-mailing-list-ARtvInVfO7ksV2N9l4h3zg@public.gmane.org>:
>>
>> Arthur Chan wrote:
>>> Thanks for the info.
>>>
>>> However, my target users are in Hong Kong.
>>
>> It is likely that Hong Kong cellular providers also provide e-mail
>> gateways.  Why not check?
>>
> 
> They do not in the UK (I believe), not free anyway.
About 5 minutes of research turned up http://bit.ly/H8lcV , which 
includes a number of UK carriers.  So I think you''re wrong. :)

Arthur, the thread at http://bit.ly/RP26m seems to state that at least 
some HK cellular carriers also do this.
> 
> Colin
Best,
--
Marnen Laibow-Koser
http://www.marnen.org
marnen-sbuyVjPbboAdnm+yROfE0A@public.gmane.org
-- 
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.

from the pointers, it seems that there are HK carriers provide the
service.

but hold on, I have two basic questions upon this carriers methods:
(sorry for my ignorance)
1. Do I have to know the phone number''s carriers? (e.g. +852
123-0KADp5PvbAk@public.gmane.org, +852 456 @csl1010.com?)
2. Is it all or nothing for the pricing? (all of them are either free
or charged? or it is a case by case issue?)

Again, thanks for the replies! It helped me a lot.

Arthur

On 10月3日, 上午12時47分, Marnen Laibow-Koser <rails-mailing-l...@andreas-
s.net> wrote:
> Colin Law wrote:
> > 2009/10/2 Marnen Laibow-Koser
<rails-mailing-l...-ARtvInVfO7ksV2N9l4h3zg@public.gmane.org>:
>
> >> Arthur Chan wrote:
> >>> Thanks for the info.
>
> >>> However, my target users are in Hong Kong.
>
> >> It is likely that Hong Kong cellular providers also provide e-mail
> >> gateways.  Why not check?
>
> > They do not in the UK (I believe), not free anyway.
>
> About 5 minutes of research turned uphttp://bit.ly/H8lcV, which
> includes a number of UK carriers.  So I think you''re wrong. :)
>
> Arthur, the thread athttp://bit.ly/RP26mseems to state that at least
> some HK cellular carriers also do this.
>
>
>
> > Colin
>
> Best,
> --
> Marnen Laibow-Koserhttp://www.marnen.org
> mar...-sbuyVjPbboAdnm+yROfE0A@public.gmane.org
> --
> Posted viahttp://www.ruby-forum.com/.

2009/10/2 Marnen Laibow-Koser
<rails-mailing-list-ARtvInVfO7ksV2N9l4h3zg@public.gmane.org>:
>
> Colin Law wrote:
>> 2009/10/2 Marnen Laibow-Koser
<rails-mailing-list-ARtvInVfO7ksV2N9l4h3zg@public.gmane.org>:
>>>
>>> Arthur Chan wrote:
>>>> Thanks for the info.
>>>>
>>>> However, my target users are in Hong Kong.
>>>
>>> It is likely that Hong Kong cellular providers also provide e-mail
>>> gateways.  Why not check?
>>>
>>
>> They do not in the UK (I believe), not free anyway.
>
> About 5 minutes of research turned up http://bit.ly/H8lcV , which
> includes a number of UK carriers.  So I think you''re wrong. :)
I''ll see your 5 minutes and raise it another 10.
That information includes paid for services.  The Vodaphone service
for example is, I believe, not free and anyway is not available to new
customers as it is being phased out.
I have not fully explored all the suggestions for the uk but so far
none of them have panned out.  The problem is that they want to make
money.  Most unreasonable in my opinion.

Colin

Arthur Chan wrote:
> from the pointers, it seems that there are HK carriers provide the
> service.
> 
> but hold on, I have two basic questions upon this carriers methods:
> (sorry for my ignorance)
I don''t know anything about the HK cellular market, but I can explain 
how things work in the US.
> 1. Do I have to know the phone number''s carriers? (e.g. +852
> 123-0KADp5PvbAk@public.gmane.org, +852 456 @csl1010.com?)
In the US, yes.  It is common for Web apps to ask which carrier someone 
uses so they can send mail to the right domain.
> 2. Is it all or nothing for the pricing? (all of them are either free
> or charged? or it is a case by case issue?)
All the US ones that I know of are free to send (of course, the 
recipient gets billed normally for message received).
> 
> Again, thanks for the replies! It helped me a lot.
You''re welcome!
> 
> Arthur
> 
> On 10月3日, 上午12時47分, Marnen Laibow-Koser <rails-mailing-l...@andreas-
Best,
--
Marnen Laibow-Koser
http://www.marnen.org
marnen-sbuyVjPbboAdnm+yROfE0A@public.gmane.org
-- 
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.

Colin Law wrote:
> 2009/10/2 Marnen Laibow-Koser
<rails-mailing-list-ARtvInVfO7ksV2N9l4h3zg@public.gmane.org>:
>>>> gateways.  Why not check?
>>>>
>>>
>>> They do not in the UK (I believe), not free anyway.
>>
>> About 5 minutes of research turned up http://bit.ly/H8lcV , which
>> includes a number of UK carriers.  So I think you''re wrong. :)
> 
> I''ll see your 5 minutes and raise it another 10.
> That information includes paid for services.  The Vodaphone service
> for example is, I believe, not free 
How does that work?  You send e-mail to the appropriate address at 
vodafone.co.uk -- then what? Does Vodafone reply with a request for your 
credit card number?
> and anyway is not available to new
> customers as it is being phased out.
That would suck.  It would also surprise me.
> I have not fully explored all the suggestions for the uk but so far
> none of them have panned out.  The problem is that they want to make
> money.  Most unreasonable in my opinion.
Well, at least on the US model, they still do make money because the 
recipient still pays for receipt.
> 
> Colin
Best,
--
Marnen Laibow-Koser
http://www.marnen.org
marnen-sbuyVjPbboAdnm+yROfE0A@public.gmane.org
-- 
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.

2009/10/2 Marnen Laibow-Koser
<rails-mailing-list-ARtvInVfO7ksV2N9l4h3zg@public.gmane.org>:
>
> Colin Law wrote:
>> 2009/10/2 Marnen Laibow-Koser
<rails-mailing-list-ARtvInVfO7ksV2N9l4h3zg@public.gmane.org>:
>>>>> gateways.  Why not check?
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> They do not in the UK (I believe), not free anyway.
>>>
>>> About 5 minutes of research turned up http://bit.ly/H8lcV , which
>>> includes a number of UK carriers.  So I think you''re
wrong. :)
>>
>> I''ll see your 5 minutes and raise it another 10.
>> That information includes paid for services.  The Vodaphone service
>> for example is, I believe, not free
>
> How does that work?  You send e-mail to the appropriate address at
> vodafone.co.uk -- then what? Does Vodafone reply with a request for your
> credit card number?
No it is the recipient that pays, he/she has to register with
vodaphone to be able to receive sms from email and then he gets
charged for receipt.
>
>> and anyway is not available to new
>> customers as it is being phased out.
>
> That would suck.  It would also surprise me.
>
>> I have not fully explored all the suggestions for the uk but so far
>> none of them have panned out.  The problem is that they want to make
>> money.  Most unreasonable in my opinion.
>
> Well, at least on the US model, they still do make money because the
> recipient still pays for receipt.
Do you get charged for receiving SMS normally then?  We only get
charged for sending unless subscribed to some chargeable system.

Colin

Colin Law wrote:
> 2009/10/2 Marnen Laibow-Koser
<rails-mailing-list-ARtvInVfO7ksV2N9l4h3zg@public.gmane.org>:
>>>
>>> I''ll see your 5 minutes and raise it another 10.
>>> That information includes paid for services.  The Vodaphone service
>>> for example is, I believe, not free
>>
>> How does that work?  You send e-mail to the appropriate address at
>> vodafone.co.uk -- then what? Does Vodafone reply with a request for
your
>> credit card number?
> 
> No it is the recipient that pays, he/she has to register with
> vodaphone to be able to receive sms from email and then he gets
> charged for receipt.
I see.  That still means that it''s free for the sender, though.

We have it a little different here: we don''t have to register -- the 
feature is on by default.
> 
>> Well, at least on the US model, they still do make money because the
>> recipient still pays for receipt.
> 
> Do you get charged for receiving SMS normally then?  We only get
> charged for sending unless subscribed to some chargeable system.
Yes, the US cellular industry generally works on a shared-cost model, 
whereas I understand many European countries use caller pays all.   So 
we are charged for airtime on all calls, and for all SMS messages sent 
or received.  (However, calls and SMS messages within the same
carrier''s
network are free of charge in most cases.)

The advantage of this, of course, is that it costs the same to place a 
call to a US mobile phone as to a landline -- the mobile recipient 
basically pays the difference in cost.  And unlike in some other 
countries, you don''t automatically know whether a phone number is
mobile
or not just by looking at the area code.
> 
> Colin
Best,
--
Marnen Laibow-Koser
http://www.marnen.org
marnen-sbuyVjPbboAdnm+yROfE0A@public.gmane.org
-- 
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.