How to Send Free Text Messages Using PHP

I am not spam. I have a question. Where does this php file go and where does it get activated from? Do I just load it on the server and then call it by URL?

Ryan,

Thanks so much for posting this. I am doing a project for a start-up and ran into the same problem. This is so great to know about!

Thanks again for sharing.

Ryan, thank you for putting this up. I looked at all the paid services and they simply did not make sense to me. Anyway, appreciate it.

Thanks for the big list of providers addresses. We created a similar concept using a linux distro and a smtp app for our senior design project at engineering school. We used a sbc, hooked up some sensors, and when certain sensors where tripped, the linux distro built for the sbc would text message proper phones. I wrote the texting script using bash, but it can be done in php, java, c/c++, etc. Just heads up to anyone thinking about this. We used the smtp client to forward text messages through gmail. the google people really didn’t like it. Twice I had to re-authorize my account (I guess they thought I was a spammer). So if you do this, make sure your email service/server knows what is going on. Also, it is really easy to “text bomb” phones. Make sure you do some validation/limiting to prevent this. I found it funny when my buddy got about 300 texts at $.10 each while we were testing the complete system. Just think what it would of been if I called the script in a while(true) loop.

some info on what to do with the php would be most helpful. it costs me 50c a pop to send txts to my fiance in the states. thanks.

Thanks for this post, I am currently working on a project where this will prove to be usefull.

How?………..

Anyway to do this w/out the FRM: and MSG: showing up? I set everything to null and it comes out like..

Text:FRM:nobody
MSG:

I’d like to just send a text w/out any of the “Text:”, “FRM:”, and “MSG:”. Ideas?

Excellent. Thanks for the post and information on how to do this.

hi guys this web site works
http://www.webdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=170285
i try this on my server and it work fine

hi, pls any 1 send me complet scirpt?

I used you code:

It worked great.

However on $message instead of sending a message like you did I need to so a php calculation like

$day = date (j);

$message = $day * 75;

and then send the $message

This will be an ID code that will change daily.

hi friend,
i from india(tamilnadu). i used in airtel. I tried to this code . but the message didn’t send. I don’t know . what a problem.
airtel provider email address is xxxxxxxxxx@airtelchennai.com.
please send the script .

Hey Ryan,
This post is the best so I tried to subscribe via email but I encountered an error. Just for the heads up!
Thanks,
Joe!

Boss I was looking up to do this and didn’t know I clicked on your link..hahahahhaha nicely done.

If you send the txt with a simple question (Movies on Tue @ 7pm, going?), how would I collect the replies?

“Where does this php file go and where does it get activated from? Do I just load it on the server and then call it by URL?”- mahvin

i also would like to know the answer to this question-i see there is no response to it above.

i placed the script in my website source code but am new at all of this and need to know more info about it, such as how it can be activated-thank you

Nicole:

I loaded the php script onto my server and then called it by URL. Use a php extension on the file.

So… this assumes your database has fields of ‘phone’ and ‘carrier’

start PHP ….

$phone_carrier = “”;
$phone_no = “”;
$sms_enabled = “”; // add to accountOptions_table 0 (no) or 1 (yes)

if ($sms_enabled == 1) {

//// Account Options section
$sql = mysql_query(“SELECT * FROM table_data_is_stored WHERE id=’$id’ LIMIT 1″); // query the member

while($row = mysql_fetch_array($sql)) {

$phone_no = row['phone'];
$phone_carrier = row['carrier'];

} //end while loop
////
// determine carrier code to use
////

if ($phone_carrier = Alltel) { $phcr = @message.alltel.com }
else if ($phone_carrier = AT&T) { $phcr = @txt.att.net }
else if ($phone_carrier = BoostMobile) { $phcr = @myboostmobile.com }
else if ($phone_carrier = Centennial Wireless) { $phcr = @myblue.com }
else if ($phone_carrier = Einstein PCS) { $phcr = @einsteinmms.com }
else if ($phone_carrier = Nextel) { $phcr = @messaging.nextel.com }
else if ($phone_carrier = Sprint) { $phcr = @pm.sprint.com }
else if ($phone_carrier = T-Mobile) { $phcr = @tmomail.net }
else if ($phone_carrier = US Cellular) { $phcr = @mms.uscc.net }
else if ($phone_carrier = Virgin Mobile) { $phcr = @vmobl.com }
else if ($phone_carrier = Verizon Wireless) { $phcr = @vtext.com }

////
// end determine carrier code
////

//SUBJECT AND BODY OF EMAIL SHOULD BE LESS THAN 160 CHARACTERS TOTAL
$subject = “Text Message Subject”;
$message = “Text Message Content”;

//SENDS TEXT MESSAGE TO 503-869-4212
mail(“$phone_no$phcr”,$subject,$message,”From: email@yourdomain.com“);

} // end if condition

end PHP

heres a list of some of those email addresses mentioned above. Its an older list but may be helpful

http://www.codingforums.com/showpost.php?p=796277&postcount=3