SMS Gateway: Android Phone

Background and Design Strategy

LibraryH3lp's SMS gateway uses a library-purchased Android phone. This allows patrons to text their library at a real phone number, as opposed to using a shortcode/keyword technique such as the AIM hack, which also works with LibraryH3lp via the regular AIM gateway.

The Android's open architecture and ability to run applications in the background enabled Eric to write an application that is installed directly on the phone. The application intercepts SMS messages sent to the phone and redirects them to a LibraryH3lp queue, where they are then delivered just like other IMs on the system. They can be transferred just like other chats and IMs arriving on your LibraryH3lp queues.

We like a few things about this approach to the SMS gateway:

1. Patrons text a phone number and don't need to use a shortcode/keyword combination.
2. Libraries are fully responsible for their phone and texting package, which means...
3. LibraryH3lp fees do not increase one bit. This is just another gateway.
4. The phone's mobile number can be redirected to another line, such as a reference desk line, for voice communications, in case someone tries to call it rather than text it.
5. If you staff your service with our web client, you get a character countdown when replying to texts, which is helpful in reducing the number of messages sent. (A long message will be broken down and sent as multiple SMS messages.)

Offline messaging is supported for SMS (and IM) gateways. If a patron texts you when your queue is offline, you'll get their message the next time that queue comes online.

The application is available for free in the Android Market now.

How To

Text setup instructions (the presentation above is more complte):

1. Search the Android Market for My Customer Cloud and install the application on your phone.
2. Start the My Customer Cloud SMS Gateway app on the phone, pick LibraryH3lp as your server, and press the MENU button. The MENU button appearance may depend on the phone, but it not the same as the HOME button.
3. Pick Settings.
4. Provide the name of the queue you will use for this gateway in the Admin site.
5. Click the green checkmark to have the app start automatically when the phone boots.
6. Click the phone's back button to return to the main My Customer Cloud SMS Gateway app screen.
7. Press the MENU button and select Password.
8. The password is unique to your phone and cannot be changed. ANy 0's are zero's.
9. Go to the LibraryH3lp Admin site and navigate to your chosen queue.
10. Add a new Android SMS gateway and give it the password from the phone. You will not be able to change the username in the gateway. That is normal.
11. On your phone, return to the main My Customer Cloud SMS Gateway app screen and press Start. When the app indicates it is running, you can send your first test SMS message to the phone.