Ring the phone based on API request - api

Is possible to ring verified phone when I send API request? I would like to call myself when somebody logged in to server or e-mail or something secure risk. The API request is ok from my side - will do program. I don't want make a call, just ring. Better gratis, I'm able to verify my number - not spam from my side. Better gratis. SMSs are expensive for this security feature. Thank you for your help.

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Login and Verify with only phone number using Nexmo or Twilio

This is an authentication flow, which logs in the user with only the phone number provided (Whatsapp style). The Steps are:
User enters phone number and sent to server.
Server generated 4 digit random key, and save the pair (phone,key) in DB.
Server asks 3rd party SMS service to send key to phone.
SMS service sends message.
User enters the key from sms, and together with phone, sent to server.
Server checks the pair against the DB.
If pair exists, server sends back a token for further calls.
What I am trying to understand is where services like Twilio and Nexmo fit in (or replace parts of the flow).
From what I understand, looking at Nexmo for example,
I can replace steps 2 and 3 with an API call to:
https://api.nexmo.com/verify/
and save the request_id from the response in the DB as pair (phone,request_id).
And now, when the user enters a 4 digit code and sends it back,
I need to call:
https://api.nexmo.com/verify/check/json
providing it with request_id and code.
But where do I get the request_id?
Do the server needs to send it back to the client, the moment it gets it from Nexmo?
I can't see the benefits of using Nexmo here, what will it save me?
Answer to your first question: the request_id is part of the response to the first verify API call. See: https://docs.nexmo.com/index.php/verify/verify
As to what are the benefits of Nexmo here, I believe you have two options:
Generate your own code, use Nexmo to text it to your user, have the user submit the code back to your application, verify code against your own database.
Use Nexmo verify service to generate and send the code to the user, store the returned request_id in your db, have user submit code to your application, call Nexmo verify API to validate code.
In some ways the first option is easier as it is less API calls. However the benefit of the second option, using Nexmo Verify, is that they provide a whole lot more capabilities into the service to fall back to a voice call if SMS isn't working, filter out virtual phone numbers to prevent spam, you don't have to pay for failed SMS attempts, reporting/analytics, etc. etc.
Hopefully that helps a little.

How to push something to user in a rest API?

We already have a system in place that uses Restful APIs in order to send let's say SMS. All of our clients are using our server to send their requests to Rest API so we drop connections except our server IP to handle authentication.
Now policy has been changed. We want to expose our APIs to the outside world. We now want to be able to push to user under specific circumstances. Let's say that I want to send a delivery report to the user when SMS has been delivered. Or when something has been scheduled for a specific time, when that time arrives user get notified.
How to handle these notifs? Has anyone used the same or similar approach?
Assuming you can reach your clients back via HTTP. The model to do this is to use callbacks. When someone posts a scheduled job on your server, they should also post a callback URI where your server can notify when the job is complete.
Sample below:
https://schedulingSevrer.com/runSchedule?callback=http://clientserver.com/reportStatusHere
So when the job is done your callback will be like
http://clientserver.com/reportStatusHere?jobId=12345&status=complete
Or if your clients are mobile apps on Andorid you can use the Google Push notifications.

Twilio How to collect incoming SMS messages using .net efficiently

I created an application in VB.net that ties into a scheduling software. It keeps our employees up to date by sending them SMS updates. Employees can reply back to us. Sending messages works great. The application uses the Rest API to connect to Twilio. I can also get a list of incoming messages but I can't seem to get it in a way that works well for me.
Currently my application checks if there are new messages every 5 minutes. The application gets the messages list (with filter DateSent>=today) and then loops through the messages and copies the new ones into our scheduling database.
Is it possible to do a more efficient data pull for new SMS messages using VB.net only? Can I include a time filter in addition to current filter DateSent>=today to limit the result set? Any suggestions? (I don't do web coding unfortunately) Thanks.
Twilio evangelist here.
The best way to do this is just to use Twilios web hook to let Twilio proactively tell you each time its received a message. Whats a web hook you ask? Great question.
A webhook is simply an HTTP request that Twilio will make as soon as it received an inbound SMS messages to your Twilio phone number. You normally tell Twilio to make this HTTP request to a URL that you've created and published to a public website, which you can set up easily by using something like ASP.NET. In this scenario you can think of Twilio like a web browser that is making a request to a web application that you have created.
You can tell Twilio what URL it should request by opening the Numbers tab in your Twilio dashboard, and then locating and clicking the phone number you want to configure:
Now you set the URL you want Twilio to request in the Message Request URL field and click Save:
Now when Twilio requests this URL its going to pass a bunch of parameters with its request that you can use in your application logic. You can also do things like return TwiML back to Twilio in response to its HTTP request that tell it to do things like send an SMS right back to the person who just sent one to you.
If you're looking for a bit more of a step by step, the Quickstarts on our website are pretty easy to follow and will walk you through both sending an receiving text messages. The samples are in C# but are pretty straight forward so converting to VB.NET should be easy.
Hope that helps.
I am doing something similar with VB.Net and Twilio. My solution was to put up an Azure web site and an Azure SQL Database (the two can talk to each other). I set up my Twlio to call an .ashx asp.net web page on my Azure web site. Inside of that web page I have code that reads the incoming text message and saves it to my Azure SQL Database.
Works great, but my problem is the Azure database is in "the cloud" and my app\database that sends the original SMS is on mylocal network. Not sure how to cross that divide... (I should add that my local app can read the Azure SQL database, but seems ugly to have to call out to the Azure to get data. Would have preferred to have just saved it in my local db to begin with.)
Probably not a very helpful post, but maybe give you some architectural ideas. If you want to see my .ashx page just let me know.

PHP script to send and retrive sms from a website

I'm not sure where to begin, but got a case I need help from others where and if possible to solve.
Thing is, got a new alarm system at home, this system uses sms function so I can send a short code to my alarm asking for status if it`s ON or OFF, or i can turn it on/off from an sms.
Since both the sms number and code is strictly personal, I would not like to tell my carpenter the codes, but in the mean while he is working at my home, I can give him a login to my site, where he can see if the alarm is turned on or even turn it on/off by him self.
I would like to build me a website, that does the same.
Got a login to my site, when logged in, i would like the website to send an sms automatically, then retrieve the answer and display it on the website.
Is this even possible ? If so, anyone can past me in the right direction here ?
Thanks in advance =)
You can send an SMS from a website. Most mobile operators will gladly offer you an apropriate API.
For instance Deutsche Telekom has an API called "Developer Garden" that allows you to send SMS via a WebService and much more.
see here for an example: www.developergarden.com
Other providers may also offer such services.
you need an sms gateway ( we use these guys : http://inteltech.com.au/, but nearly any will do )
Your easiest option is to find one where you can insert SMS'es for sending via a URL, eg in our case the URL looks like this:
http://inteltech.com.au/secure-api/send.single.php?username=[user]&key=[longcode]&method=http&senderid=[id]&sms=[phonenumber]&message=[here's the message]
it's extremely simple to use. If your site handles the login otherwise, then you can use this for the rest.
Now, how to receive SMS'es is a bit tricker :)
But this provider, for example, offers you options to;
Send the reply as an email to a nominated email address.
Send the reply as an email to the original user who sent the message.
Send the reply as an SMS to a nominated mobile number.
POST the reply to your website or application . e.g. We can call a http/https request to your script
as you can see, both the email and the POST options are providing great ways to integrate.
I'd say if you don't handle incoming email already, then stick to the POST method.
voila :)

Sending sms through my application coded in vb.net

My client requires an sms to be sent to him, whenever an invoice is made on his system by any of the employees. I have no idea how to configure it. Do I need to buy any sms-server service?
How to integrate into my application?
Any help will be highly appreciated.
Thanks
I am not sure what country you are in. But in the UK i use this provider.
They have excellent examples
I can send SMS from my webserver, my Windows .NET Form application, a iPhone app if i wanted to. This is possible because it uses a simple HTTP Request API, so even using JavaScript AJAX from the client will work.
Just search for SMS Gateway and find your countries advisability. Look at a few and decide which one suits your needs and also the costs involved.
My Provider charger per sms.. no signup fees, no contracts, just top up.
Using a mobile phone is more involved, but obviosly it has the benefit that you control every aspect of sending, receiving and processing data.
for example 1, 2, 3
You can even buy a module from china just designed to interface via Serial to send/recieve SMS, and even use the GPRS to get/send HTTP request.
There is two option
1) have to buy service from provider or
2) you have to connect your mobile with pc and send msg using AT command
A lot of carriers will allow SMS via e-mail. This may be a better option for you.
Here is a list of the e-mail address formats for a number of carriers.