Send Text Message with PHP

[jonow]

I am trying to set up a text message newsletter on my website. The basics of it are someone submits their number and I can go in and send out a message to a list of the numbers.

I want to know the best method of going about this. I was wondering if I could use simple PHP methods such as shows here: How to Send Text Messages with PHP or if I need to use another method. Is this method stable and can I be sure the messages will get delivered and will not be marked as spam and be black listed? I plan to send out more than 1000 text messages a month.

So bassicaly I need a method of sending out large text messages from a server that I can integrate into my website. It needs to be reliable and preferably free.

Thanks

[chrishea]

The linked page seems to describe it adequately. If you are in North America, you can do this for free (for the sender) through the gateway provided by each of the carriers. I don't believe that text messages are normally screened for Spam so the chances of it being delivered as a text message is probably better than for a normal email (close to 100%?). When you say "large text messages" did you really mean a large number or do you mean each message will be large? A text message should preferably fit into one physical SMS message of 160 char. It is a "short message service".

[jonow]

So if I send a large number of text messages (quantity, not size) to a large number of phone numbers each month you do not think there will be an issue?

[chrishea]

Unless your web host is very restrictive, I don't think it will be a problem, especially if they aren't being done in one big blast. I have sent thousands of emails in a day without it being an issue. You can also build the program to pace the output so it sleeps after every one or after a certain number have been sent.

[jonow]

But what I am thinking will be an issue is a large number of messages sent from one location out and through this simple system it seems kind of sketchy. I am trying to look at this from the phone companies point of view

[chrishea]

I have never heard that they do any spam filtering on these gateways but I suppose that it is possible. If you were sending to every number in a certain range in a big blast then that might trigger a reaction. If you are sending to random numbers in smaller batches, I doubt that it will be a problem. What could create a problem is if any of the recipients aren't happy with what you are sending them and complain to the phone company.

[jonow]

I wouldnt be doing it in a range, and it is sent to people who sign up so I think it is fine. Thanks for the help