How can we Send SMS?

Before we talk about sending SMS we need to tell you some definitions:

SMSC (Short Message Service Centre):
is a network element in the mobile telephone network which delivers SMS messages.
When a user sends a text message (SMS message) to another user, the message gets stored in the SMSC which delivers it to the destination user when they are available. This is a store and forward op

SMS Gateway:
Average rate of sending SMS for each short number account is 1 message/sec, If you sumbit messages with high rates all messages will failed. SMS gateway application to facilitate the SMS traffic between businesses and mobile subscribers.

Protocols: The Value-added service provider (VASP) providing the content submits the message to the mobile operator's SMSC(s) using a TCP/IP protocol such as the short message peer-to-peer protocol (SMPP) or the External Machine Interface (EMI). The SMSC delivers the text using the normal Mobile Terminated delivery procedure. The subscribers are charged extra for receiving this premium content, and the amount is typically divided between the mobile network operator and the VASP either through revenue share or a fixed transport fee.

Nokia PC Suite:
is a software package used to establish an interface between Nokia mobile devices and computers that run Microsoft Windows operating system. It can be used to transfer music, photos and applications. It can also be used to send Short Message Service (SMS) messages or act as a modem to connect the computer to the Internet. A mobile phone can be connected by USB, Bluetooth, or infrared.

If you have Application and want to add SMS service to your application, You can send this message by 4 ways:
1. Use Nokia PC Suite to send Short Message Service (SMS) messages from your computer using your SIM card.

2. Use any third party which made applications to send bulk SMS,
This way needn't any knowledge of connection of the operator, It only needs to learn how can you deal with its API.
example of this third party:
http://www.clickatel.com/

3. Use a gateway to connect to SMSC Operators and use its API to send your message.
To use this gateway:
a. Make a deal with operatot to send your SMS through his SMSC.
b. You must have knowledge of mobile network Protocols to configure connection of smsc.
example of this third party:
http://www.kannel.org/ (Free)
http://www.nowsms.com/

4. Use SDK from Third Party to connect to the operator, You will use this SDK to build your gateway application.
Your application Functions:
1. Connect to SMSC
2. Manage rates of sending messages.
3. Send/Receive Message.
4. Logs any actions (Sending/Receive/Notifications/Failure/Succeed)
example of this third party:
http://www.derdack.com/
http://www.devshock.com/ (Free but only for SMPP Protocol)

Notes:
Alias:
UCP Protocol allow you to set alias per each message, While SMPP needs your operator set this alias and will be constant for all messages.

Message Message size:
The maximum single text message size is either 160 7-bit characters, 140 8-bit characters, or 70 16-bit characters. Characters in languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Slavic languages (e.g., Russian) must be encoded using the 16-bit UCS-2 character encoding (see Unicode).Larger content (Concatenated SMS, multipart or segmented SMS or "long sms") can be sent using multiple messages, in which case each message will start with a user data header (UDH) containing segmentation information. Since UDH is inside the payload, the number of characters per segment is lower: 153 for 7-bit encoding, 134 for 8-bit encoding and 67 for 16-bit encoding. The receiving handset is then responsible for reassembling the message and presenting it to the user as one long message. While the standard theoretically permits up to 255 segments, 6 to 8 segment messages are the practical maximum, and long messages are often billed as equivalent to multiple SMS messages.