Integrating SMS Messaging with your Rails Application Blythe

Integrating SMS Messaging with your Rails Application Blythe Dunham blythe@snowgiraffe. com spongecell. com / snowgiraffe. com

Why SMS? Oldest most reliable means to communicate with mobile users Cell phone agnostic Everybody is doing it Great way to receive emergency messages at the bar SERVER IS DOWN SPARKS ARE UP

Popular Applications to Send SMS Standard Email yournumber@gatewayaddr Example: 2065551234@txt. att. net Find your provider gateway Instant Message AOL (US only) Skype (small fee) Other Teleflip RIP remindblast. com - Send SMS reminders to be awesome or do laundry Facebook SMS app Cell providers web page (ex. http: //www. t-mobile. com)

Overview: One Way Messaging Mobile Terminated (MT) or Outbound Party at A 1 A Beach front Ave Black Box of Your application & gateway & other Mobile Terminated (MT)

Overview: Two Way Messaging Mobile Originated (MO) or Inbound Respond with "ROCK" for Free party tix Black Box of Your application & gateway & other MT MO ROCK

Simplest approach: SMS as email

Pros and Cons of sending SMS through email The Good • Free to application (end-user with phone might pay) • Easy to integrate. Only email setup required. • Excellent for use with known numbers • Emergency Messages with plugins like Exception Notification

Pros and Cons of sending SMS through email The Tricky • User carrier must be known • additional user input • storage considerations • No delivery confirmation • Supported by most US but not all cell phone carriers • No two way messaging

Giant Black Box Explained: SMSCs, SMS Gateways, Service Providers Before exploring the other available SMS options, lets look at how SMS works

SMS Centers (SMSC) SMSC

GSM Modem SMSC GSM Modem (Cell Phone) AT Commands Super App

GSM Modem APIs and Applications • Kannel in C (open source) supports an API • Ruby. GSM - Written by Unicef for Rapid. SMS to inexpensively send text messages

GSM Modem Lo. Down Advantages Cheap Can use almost anywhere Two way messaging support Disadvantages Difficult to setup Slow Doesn’t scale (only 6 to 10 messages per second) Must connect modem to a server

Talk directly to all SMS Centers SMSC Awesome App SMSC

Mission Impossible: Coding for each SMSC Large number of SMS Centers Each use different and proprietary communication protocols Don’t do this unless you are me!

SMS Gateway translates SMSC protocols SMSC SMS Gateway Rockstar App SMSC

SMS Gateways Free Open Source Gateways Kannel - written in C supports many SMSCs and also acts as a WAP gateway Must setup/configure on a server yourself

Pay the middleman! • Charge for sending messages • ~ 5 cents per message • Bulk discounts • Provide convenient APIs • Most provide two way messaging • Can help obtain short code

SMS Gateway: Sending Outbound (MT) Typical approach for Outbound messages is simple: • Create an account • Buy credits (or messages) • Start sending messages through the API

Ruby Outbound (MT) message with HTTPS http = Net: : HTTP. new(CLICKATELL_BASE_URL, 443) http. use_ssl = true http. enable_post_connection_check = true http. start {response = http. request_get(url_string)}

Choosing an API (if you have a choice) • HTTP/S (GET & POST) - By far the easiest to implement - Great for sending < 10 k messages a month • SMPP - Best for bulk messages (over 10 k per month) - Leaves Connection open • STMP - send through mail Other options (not so hot) • FTP - Bulk option for legacy systems • XML (use HTTP if available) • SOAP (use HTTP if available) • Com Object (Seriously? What wah? )

SMS Gateway: Two way messaging and MOs 1. Typically enable Outbound messaging 2. Obtain or rent a short code 3. Respond to Inbound MOs 1. Use a provider campaign management tool ($$$) 2. Parse yourself and write some regexp! /^OPT(s*[-_]? s*)OUT|STOP|END|QUIT| UNSUBSCRIBE|EXIT|HALT| FUCK(s*[-_]? s*)OFF|REMOVE|CANCEL)/i

Two way messaging: Pull Setup a cron task to pull new messages every few seconds.

Two way messaging: Push Provide a callback URL that service provider invokes for each new message

Do I need a short code? If your awesome app is: • • • A giant spam machine Implementing two way messaging (Recommended) Sending > 5000 messages per month

Shared (Rented) Versus Dedicated Short Codes Shared short code shared with others requires keyword like "RUBY" Dedicated short code all to yourself Takes around 2 months to obtain $1000 for a selected code or $500 for a random code per month

Chewing on a Cactus Sms gateway service providers(connection aggregators) will help with this process or you can go directly through the CSCA in the US 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Choose a short code (selected or random) Apply by sending registration data for 3, 6 or 12 months Receive approval email from CSCA Pay all up front $500 per month for Random, $1000/mo for Selected Apply for approval from each wireless service provider Sign a contract with each provider Implement and Test each connection with each provider

Opt out concerns • Handled by most providers • Implement yourself - Tracking - Opting out different senders

Choosing a Service Provider Cost: how many sms messages will you send per month? Credit vs. sms Hidden costs Monthly fee Coverage: does the provider cover all needed areas? Implementation Time: is the API you want to use easy to integrate? Opt-out: is it handled? Two way messaging: is it supported? Do you need it? Help with short code cactus eating experience?

Developer Integration Concerns

Save message information Do you need to save a history or audit trail for reporting? Lots of messages to send? Can't send in real time (before controller action times out? )

Inside the SMS ORM: Check out SMS ON RAILS Draft Message Delivery By Date Outbound Status Time Sent Service Provider UID Sender/Username Password Favorite beer Phone. Number White. List? Do. Not. Send? Phone. Carrier Name Email gateway

Outbound Status: Produce and Consume • Web action creates an Outbound record with status NOT_PROCESSED • Cron task processes messages with status NOT_PROCESSED and marks them SUCCESS or FAIL Controller Action Producer NOT_PROCESSED SUCCESS Cron/Background Task Consumer

Locking and Delivering: Outbound Status No transactions; no take backs When delivering a message, try locking Outbound ORM object SUCCESS NOT_PROCESSED PROCESSING FAILED

Bulk Message Delivery • Use batch API call to send multiple phone numbers the same msg • For huge deliveries, use SMPP to maintain an open connection • Set delivery date and send to provider in advance • Lock multiple records with your database (My. SQL FOR UPDATE) • Use Multiple servers

Bulk Message Delivery Tips • • Reduce contention for competing servers storing data • Assign a group of records (ID mod X srvrs) to each server • (non dedicated servers) put tasks on staggered timers (ex. every 2 min) that execute for a shorter duration(ex. 45 seconds) Identify fatal errors and stop the task • Fatal, stop task: Ex. No response from service provider • Single message error: Mark failed and continue processing • Cron to Recover messages in 'PROCESSING' state with updated_at field > duration of consumer task (ex. 10 min) • Delivery status background task to request delivery information • Set priority on messages

Sanitize Phone Numbers Phone. Number. create!(: number => '(206)-555 -1212 ') Phone. Number. find_by_number('12065551212') == nil Your database without data integrity

Sanitize Phone Numbers Sanitize all phone numbers before search or insert or update Store with country code (for USA auto add a 1 for 10 digit numbers not inputted with a + or 0) My database runs on flowers

Outbound Attributes: White List and Opt Out Save safe numbers on a white list and enable checking to • prevent accidents (test mode) • restrict access Store Opt-Out Information • Prevent paying for a message to a recipient provider opted out • Can make a distinction between opt out, opt in, and bounce, abuse s

SMS Gateway Service Providers Short List of Providers http: //www. redoxygen. com http: //www. redrabbitsms. com/ http: //clickatell. com http: //quios. com http: //messagepub. com/ http: //www. openmar. Meket. com/products-and-services/message-and-contentdelivery. html http: //www. mobilemarketing. net http: //www. textmarks. com/ http: //www. mozes. com/ Long list and comparison table of providers: http: //www. developershome. com/sms. Gateway. Prov. Comp. asp

Useful References General SMS: http: //www. developershome. com/sms/ Provider Gateway addresses: http: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/SMS_gateway Sms On Rails Engine: http: //github. com/blythedunham/smsonrails Clickatell Gem: http: //clickatell. rubyforge. org/ Exception Notification Plugin: http: //github. com/rails/exception_notification/tree/master Kannel: http: //www. kannel. org/ Rapid. Sms http: //mobileactive. org/tagging/rapid-sms Ruby. GSM http: //mobilehacking. org/index. php/Ruby. GSM More Mobile Tools: http: //mobilehacking. org/index. php/Main_Page Common Short Code Admin(CSCA) http: //www. usshortcodes. com/

o m SMS On Rails Engine: SMS in minutes script/plugin install git: //github. com/blythedunham/smsonrails Support for: Not included: (yet) • Email Gateway Integration with phone carrier email domains • Clickatell HTTPS Integration • ORM/DB tables and migrations to store messages • RESTful admin views to show message history • Safe Locking and delivery • Safely store phone numbers • Dynamic parameter substitution e D • Crons tasks or bulk message delivery • Stale message recovery • Pretty UI with rounded corners customized to your application • Inbound Message support Please log tickets on github!

Questions? Yo Dawg, I heard you like Rails Apps so I put an SMS Rails App in your Rails App so you can SMS yourself to be awesome

Photos Trash can http: //www. flickr. com/photos/knittingskwerlgurl/396165625/ Flowers http: //www. flickr. com/photos/blondepowers/2722511769/ Timepiece: http: //www. flickr. com/photos/lebron/223223725/ Bear http: //www. flickr. com/photos/guenterleitenbauer/697065143/ Email http: //www. flickr. com/photos/charuca/2448685976/ Golden gate: http: //www. flickr. com/photos/h 2 orange/63606734/ Beetles: http: //www. flickr. com/photos/lhtang 2006/3490285407/ Computer Cat: http: //www. flickr. com/photos/sammrowe/3491788169/ Giant: http: //www. flickr. com/photos/andreatallone/2841979961/