A GSM modem is a specialized type of modem which accepts a SIM card, and operates over a subscription to a mobile operator, just like a mobile phone. From the mobile operator perspective, a GSM modem looks just like a mobile phone.
When a GSM modem is connected to a computer, this allows the computer to use the GSM modem to communicate over the mobile network. While these gsm modems are most frequently used to provide mobile internet connectivity, many of them can also be used for sending and receiving SMS and MMS messages.
A new version of NowSMS is available that supports the ability to use Android phones as GSM modem devices for both sending and receiving SMS and MMS messages.
A new version of NowSMS is available that supports the ability to use Android phones as GSM modem devices for both sending and receiving SMS and MMS messages.
Click here to download a free 30-day trial version of NowSMS or NowSMS Lite.
A GSM modem can be a dedicated modem device with a serial, USB or Bluetooth connection, or it can be a mobile phone that provides GSM modem capabilities.
For the purpose of this document, the term GSM modem is used as a generic term to refer to any modem that supports one or more of the protocols in the GSM evolutionary family, including the 2.5G technologies GPRS and EDGE, as well as the 3G technologies WCDMA, UMTS, HSDPA and HSUPA.
A GSM modem exposes an interface that allows applications such as NowSMS to send and receive messages over the modem interface. The mobile operator charges for this message sending and receiving as if it was performed directly on a mobile phone. To perform these tasks, a GSM modem must support an “extended AT command set” for sending/receiving SMS messages, as defined in the ETSI GSM 07.05 and and 3GPP TS 27.005 specifications.
GSM modems can be a quick and efficient way to get started with SMS, because a special subscription to an SMS service provider is not required. In most parts of the world, GSM modems are a cost effective solution for receiving SMS messages, because the sender is paying for the message delivery.
A GSM modem can be a dedicated modem device with a serial, USB or Bluetooth connection, such as the Falcom Samba 75. (Other manufacturers of dedicated GSM modem devices include Wavecom, Multitech and iTegno. We’ve also reviewed a number of modems on our technical support blog.) To begin, insert a GSM SIM card into the modem and connect it to an available USB port on your computer.
A GSM modem could also be a standard GSM mobile phone with the appropriate cable and software driver to connect to a serial port or USB port on your computer. Any phone that supports the “extended AT command set” for sending/receiving SMS messages, as defined in ETSI GSM 07.05 and/or 3GPP TS 27.005, can be supported by the Now SMS & MMS Gateway. Note that not all mobile phones support this modem interface.
Due to some compatibility issues that can exist with mobile phones, using a dedicated GSM modem is usually preferable to a GSM mobile phone. This is more of an issue with MMS messaging, where if you wish to be able to receive inbound MMS messages with the gateway, the modem interface on most GSM phones will only allow you to send MMS messages. This is because the mobile phone automatically processes received MMS message notifications without forwarding them via the modem interface.
It should also be noted that not all phones support the modem interface for sending and receiving SMS messages. In particular, most smart phones, including Blackberries, iPhone, and Windows Mobile devices, do not support this GSM modem interface for sending and receiving SMS messages at all at all. Additionally, Nokia phones that use the S60 (Series 60) interface, which is Symbian based, only support sending SMS messages via the modem interface, and do not support receiving SMS via the modem interface.
NowSMS Lite is available as a free 30-day trial.
is available as a free 30-day trial.
Click here to download the free 30-day trial version of NowSMS Lite.
Additional information on configuring NowSMS to use a GSM modem for sending and receiving SMS messages can be found at the following link: https://nowsms.com/doc/configuring-smsc-connections/gsm-modems
Additional information on configuring NowSMS to use a GSM modem for sending and receiving MMS messages can be found at the following link: https://nowsms.com/doc/mmsc-messaging-server/connecting-to-an-operator-mmsc/using-a-gprs-modem