I've got an app that lets users send sms messages. Works great when the message < 160 characters. After that, things work less-perfectly. Seems like there are a few options here:
Manually break the message up into multiple SMSs, send each part as a separate SMS.
Use the multi-part send SMS function (sendMultipartTextMessage()).
Send the message as an MMS message (sendDataMessage()?).
Here's my novice take on it:
1)
most well supported across carriers. Users may get mad that you just cost them N separate messages though, instead of converting to MMS or something.
2)
not sure if this is supported by different carriers, and read that once the message is greater than 3 * 160 chars in length, gets converted to MMS anyway by different SMS apps - maybe stay away from this altogether.
3)
not sure how to do this, and older phones might not support MMS. To send an MMS using the android SDK, do we just use the SmsManager.sendDataMessage() method?
Thanks
This is quite an old post but it's high up on Google when searching for Android multipart sms, so maybe it helps someone.
Regarding part 1 and 2, it's pretty much the same thing. To use sendMultipartTextMessage, you need to break up the long message into an ArrayList of Strings. It then sends as many SMS as needed. In short:
SmsManager sms = SmsManager.getDefault();
ArrayList<String> parts = sms.divideMessage(longMessage);
sms.sendMultipartTextMessage(phoneNumber, null, parts, null, null);
Part 3: MMS is not an option, as it has been pointed out. The charges and all.
seems to me that the first option is what most mobile phones do by default. sms messages by design can only send a certain amount of characters (160 probbaly), just inform the user that the message is too big and if he still wants to send it anyway (informing also how many sms would the total be).
as for MMS and multipart as you said not every carrier supports it, so they dont seem to be the best option.
EDIT: as for how does MMS work on android-sdk check this thread out: Android SDK MMS
I would suggest the usage of option 2 when you are working on Androids GSM based handsets.
GSM based Mobile device takes care of segmentation in which breaking the messages to multiparts for sending in performed and also assembling of the multipart messages in to one message on receipt.
If you have a method which takes care of sending text messages, than by default use the options of manager.divideMessage as it will work even if the message segments required are only 1 in number.
I dont think you should have any problem sending messages using option 2 and it will also ensure that the receiver receives the message as a single message.
Else we need to write your our own protocol stack where in you write reference number and number of messages for the receipient to understand and recreate the complete message; which is not very tough. We can use byte arrays with headers and the messages can be sent as base64 encoded.
Also I dont know much about the limits the carriers enforce on the number of segments in multipart message; based on my test I was able to send and receive 160*8 segments properly. Based on the GSM standards the segments can be upto 255 but that count might depend on the service provider implementation.
Related
I am using smpp protocol to send Flash message. I am doing this to set data_coding to class 0:
dataCoding = ((dataCoding | 0x10) & 0xFC)
When this gets delivered it appears as:
Is there any way in smpp protocol using which I can make Class 0 Message appearing at top disapper?
Also, these messages get delivered to only a few phones. On some phones, they appear as normal messages. Is there anything else I should use, to make flash messages reliable and more friendly?
Regarding your first question on controlling the subject of the message. As Class 0 Flash messages are simply SMS's with just a different message class there is no such thing as a "subject". It is up to the mobile device to handle the immediate display of a flash message.
For the second question this could be for multiple reasons:
Mobile device was unable to receive the message due to being "out of range". In most cases mobile operators will adhere to the GSM spec and retry until they get confirmation from the mobile device but this is not always the case.
Mobile operator does not allow flash messages to be sent through to it's subscribers
Some mobile devices can disable the reception of flash messages
Some mobile devices do not have a mechanism to handle flash messages.
Without having more information it's hard to give you a concrete answer on the second part of the question.
I use Cloudhopper library to connect to SMSC and submit messages.
I split long message in a standard way:
split text into small chunks of 134 bytes
generate next reference number
create UDH 6 bytes with ref number
send parts one by one
I have several connections open in transceiver mode to SMSC. If I use only one connection to send all the parts, then most of the time the messages are merged correctly both on Android 5.0.1 and iOS 8.4.1, though sometimes quite rarely the concatenated messages have the last part from the wrong message.
If I use different connections to send the parts, then most of the time messages are concatenated in a wrong way, usually the last part belongs to some other message. So it looks like mobiles don't honor the included reference number at all.
I know that if the reference number is the same and there are hanging old parts in the database on mobile then it might concatenate wrongly, but this doesn't seem to be the case in my tests since the reference number is sequential and controlled to be different for wrongly concatenated parts.
What could be the problem or how could I approach it?
Hi anyone has some experience on scaling GCM XMPP ?
https://developer.android.com/google/gcm/ccs.html
Im reading docs there but Im not sure about this 100 pending msgs on 1 connection. I read somewhere that there is limit to 10 connections on server, is it right ? What f I will run 5 servers, each will open 10 connections, should it work well ?
Regarding 100 pending messages:
So apps can use "messages with payload" " to deliver messages of up to 4 Kb. This would be useful in a chat application, for example. To use this feature, simply omit the collapse_key parameter and messages will not be collapsed. GCM will store up to 100 messages. If you exceed that number, all messages will be discarded but you will receive a special message. If an application receives this message, it needs to sync with the server.
Regarding Server connection limit:
You can allow your server to send up to 4000 messages per second on the persistent connection. Knowing you are allowed up to 10 connections, you can possibly send many notifications fast (up to 40k notifications per second).
So you can speed up the message delivery on a device without eventually increasing the number of connections or number of servers but rather splitting your array of devices.
For faster delivery try these methods: 1. delay_while_idle - set to false 2. time_to_live - set to zero (but we have set to 30 for just in case) 3. Canonical IDs - Make sure Canonical IDs returned by GCM replace the old PushID in database 4. collapse_key - The most important factor - set it to random or TOD to avoid Google to throttle notifications.
In extreme case you can always airpush.
I have a technical issue that I can't resolve because the problem only happens on the other side of the planet that I'm on.
So I am hoping someone with a lot more Experience with these technologies can suggest an alternate approach or path to take in order to rectify it, or possibly right out "RECOGNIZE" the source of the problem.
THE SCENARIO :
I have developed an application for the Samsung Gear2 that sends SMS messages using its host companion android application.
In all tests I perform with the app pair, everything works as expected.
Messages are sent by the android device's SMS manager and received by the recipient no problem, even when adding and removing the leading 1.
10 and 11 digit numbers to and from the USA, with and without the leading + sign all pass.
However, when sending the apps to Samsung for review and testing, they keep having problems sending certain numbers. As far as I can tell the only thing different between the numbers that send and the numbers that fail is the fact that the first has a leading 0 and the second does not.
This would have to be coupled with the fact that they are testing this functionality
in a different Continent/Country than the 1 where my tests are being done(USA).
As my tests succeed to send and receive the messages regardless of whether
the number is a 10 digit version or 11 digit version of the same number.
Also discrepancies surfacing from the use of different Carriers (possibly Telecom in Asia) other than the one that I am testing with(Bell - USA)...
To be clear, I am simply composing messages via the Gear2 app and sending it to the android device via Samsung's Accessory Protocol which works flawlessly.
From there I use the basic implementation of the standard
Android's SMSManager
getDefault()
and
sendTextMessage(String destinationAddress, String scAddress, String
text, PendingIntent sentIntent, PendingIntent deliveryIntent)
with all null values exept the "destinationAddress","text",
and the "sentIntent".
THE QUESTION(s) : in order of most to least important
1. IS THERE a specific "routine" SMS app developers use to maximize the
success rate
of sent sms messages no matter what Country or Carrier the user sends the message from or to, and no matter if the entered number contains the leading exit and Country codes?
(ie: Adding or removing a plus(+) sign, per-examining the Locale
being used and adjusting the number accordingly using some sort of
"SMS Numbering Standard", Altering the Service Center Address / SMSC
Address (AT+CSCA), ect...)?
2. IS THERE some sort of information source detailing general "GOTCHAS" to look for
dependent upon the various Cell/SMS service providers/Carriers? (at least 4 that I know of).
3. Why would Android's SMSManger report "SMS Sent" if the message wasn't actually delivered.
NOTE: I realize that one can also listen for the "second" broadcast android sends
confirming that the message was "actually" received by the recipient, but that raises questions concerning how to rectify that situation, if it's at all rectifiable (at least from a programmatic perspective.)
4. Should my app, which is actually a Samsung Gear2 app integrated with an android app,
and merely delegates the responsibility of sending the messages to the android devices SMSManager, be held responsible for the message not being sent?
NOTE: I can't help but feel that Samsung is requiring me to handle
issues outside the scope and unrelated to the apps intended
functionality, Albeit , I do understand that at least part of the
issue has to fall back on me by Default, being the nature of the Gear2
apps dependance on the android device to complete the intended action
started by the Gear2 app, but how far must I go to ensure the standard
SMS abilities of a users android device beyond giving helpful feedback
as to what the underlying problem may be. I have to assume this
problem would exist using the device itself to compose the message
instead of the Gear2 app, given the exact same address/number .
5. Assuming that the app is being tested in Asia (South Korea, Samsung's Headquarters)... And assuming that the carrier being used to test SMS is SK Telecom
(Which I think is South Korea's top Carrier)...
Is it Mandatory to start all numbers with a zero in order to successfully send an SMS within the same Country? And if so is that the same in all Countries besides the USA and Canada(Which seem to work either way)?
6. Is this a common issue to deal with generally when developing sms applications, or can I single this particular situation out from the rest based on the unique variables introduced by Samsung's over diligent testing practices along with there unfamiliar
Telephony Service Providers and even more unfamiliar Geo-location/Country-code and numbering schemes.
THE PROBLEM *(only happens during Samsung testing) :
TEST 1:
Send SMS from stored contacts with number 010-6627-xxxx (11 digits)
Result:
SMS is reported by android's SMSManager as sent. The recipient
immediately receives SMS message.
Conclusion:
SMS delivery success.
TEST 2:
Send SMS from manually entering number 10-6627-xxxx (10 digits) (same number as previous without first 0)
Result:
SMS is reported by android's SMSManager as sent. However, the
recipient never receives SMS message.
Conclusion:
?
Unable to duplicate this problem (at least not in the USA) as both :
11 digit numbers (leading 1) AND 10 digit numbers
(no leading 1)
Successfully send the message as expected.
The problem only happens during device testing/certification by Samsung's app testing
department, and seemingly only when manually entering the destination address/number.
Stored Contacts (for some reason) always work.
After being denied certification of an otherwise "GOOD TO GO APPLICATION" 3 times by Samsung for issues UN-recreatable in my own testing environment I find myself turning the good folks at SOF with this "HAIL MARY PASS".
I do not change anything at all about the numbers that are sent to the SMSManager, But I'm wondering if maybe THAT'S the problem.
EXTRA INFO :
All devices used are using android 4.2 and higher.
My tests were all done using T-Mobile Galaxy phones and sometimes google/Gmail/GoogleVoice
sms/mms service From North Fla. USA.
ON A SIDE NOTE ABOUT SAMSUNG...
Samsung's testers are very sparse with the details of their testing enviroment including what may possibly be the issue from their standpoint which is unfortunate because I'm becoming certain that this issue is Trivial at best and probably easily fixable with a basic understanding of your own Country/Carriers methods for sending successful SMS messages.
It seems they are not even making an effort to enlighten me or TO make any neccesary
adjustments to their test numbers as any user would do in order to have a successful result.
ANY INSIGHT INTO THIS ISSUE WHATSOEVER WOULD BE IMMENSELY APPRECIATED!!!
Interesting question. I understand that the Samsung testing process can be quite rigorous.
From reading your info .. have you tried including that leading "0" yourself? E,g when a person manually enters 10 digits without a leading 0, you detect it and add this "0" . Also, how are this digits entered on a gear 2 device ? Do you implement your own keypad and ensure it captures the right digits ?
I guess that would be a starting point ..
V.
I have an app published that handles SMS messages. I have received some feedback about users wanting the app to handle SMS messages that come from a sender with letters instead of a plain old phone number. That is, if I understand it right, they sometimes receive messages not only from a sender number like "123-456-1234" but also from a sender like "LETTERED". I have never seen this before. In the emulator I tried emulating an SMS with such a sender using a command like sms send TESTSENDER MessageContent and the emulator says that it only accepts numbers +[0-9]*. Does any one else have any idea of what my users are talking about?
Your users are talking about companies that change their Sender ID to an alphanumeric number. Some examples of this are when your carrier texts you (i.e. my carrier texts me from 'Vodafone'), or when my dentist texts me about my upcoming appointment from 'DENTIST'.
Take a look at this answer for some info about how they do it: How do some SMS messages transmit the senders name?
If your app sorts texts or something similar, I imagine that you could just filter them the same way you would a standard telephone number.