At the rate this is happening, it might not be long before I find no need for a mobile phone line. With free internet connections (such as your WiFi at home and work), you can still stay connected without cellular coverage. While it is already a possibility to make free phone calls from just about anywhere, sending text messages was a different issue altogether.

Well not anymore. You would not be able to send free text messages but they are still a lot cheaper than what you are paying your cellular networks. And the best part is, you do not need an additional account because chances are, the account you are using for making your free phone calls support this feature as well.

Preparations

Beofre you begin, you would need a software called SMSoIP. I decided to link to the page because the software is currently being developed and thus, newer versions are expected frequently. The current version I am using for this tutorial is v1.1 BETA and it works great.

Download the version that works for you and copy it to the storage of your choice (Main Memory or Storage Card is fine). Using a file explorer, tap on the software to open it. There is no need for installation. For easier access, you might want to create a shortcut in your Programs folder so that you do not have to always use File Explorer to get to the program.

The first thing you want to do is to set up a Provider. This will be the settings provided by your VoIP proivder. The screen above is what you will get if you select New from Options in the Provider page. For easier visual, please refer to the SMS settings page provided by VoipStunt which is the provider I use. Scroll down that page until you get to the header Using HTML SMSlink.

Settings That You Will Use

Name: The name of the provider. You can name this anything but once you name it, you will not be able to change it (could be a bug).
Link: This is the link that you use to send SMS through a web browser and is usually the string of letters just before username. In this case it would be https://myaccount.voipstunt.com/clx/sendsms.php?
Username: Your username as provided by the VoIP provider.
Password: Your password as provided by the VoIP provider.
From: The number you want to appear as the recipient (some providers allow you to use a name).

What Are Variable And Value?

Variable is the text used by your provider. For example, if your provider calls your username ‘login’, then you put in login in the variable field. In my case, VoipStunt uses username so I put that in. If your provider uses Username, then you do not have to make any changes. At this point, I am not sure if it is CAPS-sensitive so do try and let me know.

Value is your account data. For example, if your username is ‘John’, then you put John in the value field for Username. Same goes for password.

What About The Other Options?

There are some options that I do not use such as ‘Extra’ and ‘Balance Link’. I am not sure what ‘Extra’ is for but it seems I do not need it for VoipStunt settings. ‘Balance Link’ is the URL for determining the amount of credits you have left. Unfortunately for VoipStunt, I do not know the link and have also left it blank. Let me know if you find out.

The Completed Screen

If you are using VoipStunt, then your screen should look something like this, except for the value fields of Username, Password and From.

Tap ‘OK’ to go back to the ‘Providers’ screen and then tap ‘Cancel’ to go back to the main screen.

How To Send An SMS

Now you are all set to send an SMS. If you go to ‘Contact List’, you would notice that it is empty and you might assume that you would have to put in the ‘Phone Number’ on your own. Not necessarily. Tap on the ‘All’ button which is just below the big box and it will load your contacts into the field. (Note: This process might take a while, depending on the size of your phone book). Scroll down to the contact you want to send the text message to and tap the name. (Note: You might see some blanks if you have contacts without numbers, this is normal). The number will appear in ‘Phone Number’. If it is not in the right international format (which is the same as when making free calls), then you can edit it in the field itself.

Type in your message in the box itself. For your convenience, it has a character counter on the top right to ensure that your message is within the 160 character limit.

When you are ready, tap ‘Send’. You will notice that the ‘Status’ in the bottom left of the program will change to reflect the activity (in this case it would change to ‘Sending SMS’). A pop up box will appear with a URL. If you notice, this URL is the same as what you would have pasted into a browser to send a message as shown by VoipStunt. Tap ‘OK’. If all goes well and the message gets sent, ‘Status’ (located at bottom left) should change to ‘Response‘ as seen below. Otherwise, go and check your ‘Provider’ settings as there is most probably an error there.

Problems

There is one problem with using this option though. The recipient who receives your message will see it from your VoipStunt username, even if you had put in your phone number in the ‘From’ field. I have authenticated my number but the error still comes up. Same goes if you sent a text message through the browser.

This problem however does not arise if you use the desktop version of the VoipStunt software for sending text messages. Hopefully this issue can get sorted out soon.

Tags: free software, guide