Use your VB.NET application for SMS messaging

See how to send and receive SMS messages by using your Visual Basic.NET applications. It is a great choice to communicate with your clients or employees with simple text messages. Choose which is the best method for your system by downloading a database and a HTTP API example.

In the 1st example the database server is between your SMS Gateway and VB.NET application. In the 2nd example the HTTP API of Ozeki SMS Gateway can be directly reached.

Introduction

You can implement SMS functionalities into your Visual Basic.NET program, so it can send SMS messages through Ozeki SMS Gateway. By using a database server (MySQL, MSSQL, Oracle) you can send or receive SMS messages with SQL statements like INSERT or SELECT, but you can also use 'sendmessage' request of the HTTP API to post your message to the mobile network. These two-options guarantee speed, reliability and safety to offer a professional and reliable solution. In the following paragraphs you can read some possibilities of the above-mentioned benefits. You can find links to two detailed setup guides that include example source codes and detailed explanations.

How to send and receive SMS in Visual Basic.NET using SQL

In this example your Visual Basic.NET application and the Ozeki SMS Gateway share a database server. To send an SMS message the Visual Basic.NET application must insert a database record into the database using an SQL request. Ozeki SMS gateway will read this database record and will send the SMS. Messages can be received the similar way. If an SMS comes in, the SMS gateway will insert it into the database. The VB application can pick it up from them through a standard database connection (Figure 1).

Read more: How to send and receive SMS messages from Visual Basic.NET through a database server

How to send and receive SMS in Visual Basic.NET using HTTP

This example explains how to use HTTP request in VB.NET to submit text-messages to mobile phones. After implementing this example, your Visual Basic.NET application will be able to deliver text messages to the cell phones of mobile users through Ozeki SMS Gateway, by calling its HTTP interface. Ozeki SMS Gateway will be responsible for converting these HTTP requests to SMS messages and for delivering them to the recipient handsets (Figure 2).

Read more: Step by step guide that explains how to use HTTP to send SMS from VB.NET.

How to test sms sending with Visual Basic

To test sms sending from your visual basic code you have two options: You can use the built in sms tester connection or you can setup two sms gateways to have a more realistic testing environment. If you setup two sms gateways, you need to configure the first SMS gateway as an SMPP simulator. This SMS gateway will provide SMPP server service to the second SMS gateway. It will operate the same way the SMSC of a mobile network operator would operate. The second SMS gateway will connect to the first using an SMPP client connection, and it will provide SMS API service to your VB application.

Benefits

By implementing the above configurations with Ozeki SMS Gateway, several benefits will open for you. You will have a very reliable notification system, that can be configured to notify the intended person directly. You will be able the react instantly to incoming SMS messages and you will be able to track message delivery status using delivery reports. The above configurations can be used independently of mobile network operators. You can configure Ozeki SMS Gateway to use GSM modems or IP SMS connections to send your SMS messages. If one provider fails, or the provided throughput is not sufficient, you can switch to another provider. You can use HTTPS or secure database connection; thus you can build a secure notification system. By using this next generation, you will be able to provide a professional service for your mobile users. Your work will be more efficient, faster and nonetheless more accurate.