CardBoardFish
You are here: CardBoardFish > GeneralSupport > HowDoISendSMS

How Do I Send SMS to CardBoardFish?

Overview

CardBoardFish are specialists in low cost SMS termination with pricing as low as ¤0.012 (£0.008) per message. With established connections to 68 production SMS routes (and more in progress) that provide coverage of approximately 700 GSM, 3G, CDMA, IDEN and Satellite mobile networks in over 200 countries, CardBoardFish is the only connection you need.

SMS Submission Methods

The following methods can be used to submit SMS to CardBoardFish servers for onward delivery:

Method CardBoardFish Service Name
HTTP POST/GET HTTPSMS
API Library for Perl, PHP, Python, Java and .NET HTTPSMS
SMPP SMS Connection
UCP SMS Connection
CIMD2 SMS Connection (special request)
Web based account Batch Sender
Email/SMTP Email2SMS

HTTP POST/GET

This method requires some technical and software development knowledge and is ideal for easily integrating into web systems or applications. An SMS is submitted by making a HTTP GET or POST request to a URL on CardBoardFish servers. Similarly, delivery reports can be received by one of two methods. Firstly, you can "poll" a URL every few minutes or seconds to retrieve the delivery reports. Secondly, your account can be configured so that CardBoardFish HTTP POST's delivery reports back to your server as soon as they come in.

Example 

http://sms1.cardboardfish.com:9001/HTTPSMS?S=H&UN=user01&P=pass1&
DA=447973123456&SA=CBF&M=Please%20call%20me%20at%20the%20office

This would send the message "Please call me at the office" to the destination number 447973123456.

For more information please see the HTTPSMS Support Area.

API Library for Perl, PHP, Python, Java and .NET

5 API libraries have been made available to enable easy integration of CardBoardFish SMS services into applications written in the following languages:

  • Perl
  • PHP
  • Python
  • Java
  • .NET framework

The API’s make use of the HTTPSMS protocol.

For more information please see the HTTPSMS Support Area and specifically the API FAQ’s.

SMPP

If you have SMPP client software such as the open source Kannel gateway or Windows NowSMS, you can connect to CardBoardFish using SMPP versions 3.3 or 3.4.

Separate Transmitter, Receiver and Transceiver binds are supported. For full SMPP feature support, please see the SMPP Features article.

For more information, please see the SMS Connection Support Area.

UCP/EMI

If you prefer to connect via UCP, this is also supported. The open source Kannel gateway or Windows NowSMS software can be used, along with any other UCP client.

For more information, please see the UCP Connection Support Area.

CIMD2

Access via CIMD2 is possible upon special request. SMPP and UCP are preferred protocols.

Web Based Batch Sender

Designed from the ground up to meet the needs of clients sending one message to many recipients, the Batch Sender effortlessly manages batches of limitless size. A clean, fast online interface provides effortless batch creation, scheduling and reporting.

The batch sender has the following features:

Store and edit Batch Number Lists online
Upload number lists delimited by new line, comma or tab
Choose from 160 character Plain Text 7 bit, 70 character Unicode (280 character UCS2 Hex) or 140 byte Binary 8 bit message formats
Custom originator, 11 alphanumeric characters or 16 digits (route dependent)
Schedule batches up to 5 days in advance
Assign a unique reference to each batch
Pause and resume batches
Load balancing across multiple routes (route dependent)
Automatically seed batches with up to 4 test numbers at custom intervals
Route test interface
View completed batches online with delivery confirmations (route dependent) and export to CSV for offline analysis

Note that some of the features listed here (Scheduling, route test, load balancing, batch seeder) are not available on Business accounts.

Further information is available from the main http://www.cardboardfish.com website.

Email2SMS/SMTP

Email2SMS is a simple yet powerful solution for sending SMS to an individual or a group of mobile numbers. It makes sending a text as easy as sending an email, and the system can be used by just one person, or an entire workforce. Not only can it send, but it can receive SMS and convert them back to emails.

Main Features:

No software to install Use any plain text email client or webmail, even if you have a default disclaimer or signature.
Send to individuals, or groups of mobile numbers Use mobile numbers, phonebook nicknames, or distribution lists as recipients.
Customisable sender ID Make the message appear to come from a telephone number or a name.
Extended messages up to 459 characters long Access to the full 160 characters of each message or 459 characters maximum allowed with multipart messages.
Receive SMS for free - complete 2-way functionality The recipient of your message can reply (at a cost to them of a standard message), and the reply will be routed back to the original email address that sent the outgoing SMS. Alternatively, you can simply record all incoming messages in the web account instead of sending emails. The ability to receive replies is a free service available to all Email2SMS customers.
Full delivery reporting Keep track of when messages are delivered or if certain numbers fail. Delivery reports can be sent back via email or simply recorded in your account.
Web Administration Account The online administration account allows you to change the default configuration of the system, set up distribution lists containing unlimited mobile numbers, view a record of incoming and outgoing messages, and much more.
Online phonebook Associate a nickname with a number to message people quickly.
Export records to CSV Search and sort all incoming and outgoing messages, and export them to CSV file format for easy opening in spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel.
Manage campaigns Send out batches of messages with ease, and group all replies together for each campaign. You can also rent a dedicated incoming SMS number for use with your campaigns.
Send messages worldwide Messages can be sent to any destination.

Further information is available from the main http://www.cardboardfish.com website.

Account Creation Process

You can sign up for an account from the Customer Login page on the http://www.cardboardfish.com website. Please ensure to select the correct account type as follows:

  • Personal – Select if you are only sending personal SMS to friends and family. This cannot be used for any marketing, business use or batches of SMS.
  • Business – Select if you are a business wishing to make use of SMS
  • Aggregator & Operator – Select if you are an SMS aggregator or mobile operator
  • Large SMS – Select if you are a business and currently send more than 50,000 SMS per month.

Personal accounts can be used as soon as credit is added by making a credit card payment. You can then download the Windows Desktop Sender & Internet Explorer Toolbar, Java Desktop Sender, or Mac OS X Widget from http://www.cardboardfish.com/products/personal/.

Business, LargeSMS, and Aggregator & Operator accounts must have credit added by credit card or bank transfer before a Service can be added. Services are the connection methods or systems (listed above) that must be set up on your account in order for you to submit SMS messages to CardBoardFish, e.g. Email2SMS, HTTPSMS, SMS Connection (for SMPP or UCP).

If you wish to test a service before you purchase, please contact us here and we will be happy to add some credit for testing.