Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Specialty Hosting and Markets : Email/Ticket to SMS

[net]

We are planning to enable this feature in our help desk system for emergency.

When a client use the emergency department via ticket, it will send to our sms (phone).

Anybody can recommend? I am looking at clickatell but since I am not familiar with their products, I do not know which one can fit with our needs. Anybody have experienced with them? What product you are using?

Thanks for taking the time to read :-)

[net]

Looks like I got it figure out.

Clickatell is the way to go.

[coloheart]

What is the volume of sms are you looking at ?

[net]

Not much. It is for emergency ticket only.

I already purchased it from clickatell for SMTP API.

I already tested it and it is really working great.

[coloheart]

As you are integrating with your helpdesk I assume the sms volume is not going to be low . I think there are better and cheaper options than Clickatell.

[net]

Yes, it is integrated with our help desk. We customized it to avoid for abuse and even for spams :-)

[Dawson]

I've used Clickatell in the past for some large volume transactions (500 SMS per minute, give or take). I've never had a problem with it.

[railto]

the other option is to have a chat with your cell network, many offer a service where ur phone gets an email address and any mails sent to the address get the first 160 characters forwarded as a sms to your phone.

I know of 3 networks that do this, in UK there is O2 and Orange and also in Ireland Meteor do it. Its worthwhile as its free, but it does depend on what network you use for cell/mobile

[Jonaid]

I don't think O2 do it anymore unless you have their broadband. They used to but not anymore

[linux-tech]

Personally, I wouldn't rely on SMS for 'emergency' anything. I did for years and got burned multiple times by multiple providers (Sprint, AT&T, US Cellular), though I haven't tried my current (Verizon) yet.

The problem?
SMS networks get clogged up and loaded down. Providers take no responsibility for this, only brush it off like it was nothing at all and then move along.

At one point last year, I had Sprint delaying my SMS (text messages) for 24+ hours. Obviously, THAT didn't work at all for me, so I told 'em where to stick it and moved on.

Instead of using SMS, what I've done instead is setup a Mail Exchange account for one emergency department, and using WM5 (or 6) told ActiveSync to sync 'as items arive'.

Not only does this perform extremely well (from what I've seen) without a single hitch (again, from what I've seen the past few months), but it also stores contact information, and allows you to "wipe" your phone (with WM6) should, say, the phone get lost or stolen.

SMS is unreliable. For emergency things, you might consider something such as MS Exchange. Even for 1 account, it's really not all that terribly expensive.

[Dawson]

Linux-Tech.

I receive on average 150 SMS per day, these all arrive within 60 seconds of being sent - and I have not experienced a delay in a good couple years.

Granted, I'm in the United Kingdom - so I wouldn't say SMS is unreliable, I would say that certain US providers are unreliable.

[cloudrck]

I usually send/recieve around 5K SMS/MMS a month with AT&T. And randomly I've experienced the same problem as linux-tech.

Sometimes they would delay, where a person as sent me 3 messages over the course, of say 30mins, but I've gotten them all at once a few hours later.

[net]

So far, the clickatell we are using is really accurate. We are receiving the sms as expected.

Thank you everyone for your comments.

[railto]

well ive just changed mobile providers, mainly cause im out of the office quite a bit and wanted a blackberry to keep on top of mail, so no longer get my free email to sms as O2 Ireland dont provide it, just as well the blackberry mail is pretty quick