FrontlineSMS allows you to text message with large groups of people anywhere there is a mobile signal.

Phones and Modems for FrontlineSMS

Hi Everyone,

I'm Adam the new Intern at FrontlineSMS. One of the most difficult issues (that has come up all over the forum) is around finding the right phones and modems that work with FrontlineSMS. As a very small development team with a limited budget it is difficult to get our hands on as many phones as we would like to test. One of my first jobs here at FrontlineSMS has been to update and collect the list of phones that have been tested and discussed throughout Ning.

As we continue to expand our list of phones we wanted to share the list we have collected so far and so I have been keeping all of the information in a Google doc. Feel free to view it here, but keep in mind it is a work in progress. I have been conservative and have only included verified or expected connections. Essentially the phones on this list may work with other OS, even though they have not been tested.

This main page of phones is here: FrontlineSMS PhoneList

And you can see the full data set that powers this spreadsheet here.

Throughout the summer I want to keep updating and improving this list. To include all of the phones and modems that work, we really need your help. You, our users, have tested lots of phones in lots of different configurations and so we would like to compile that information here.

If you have a phone or modem that you have used in the field that isn't on our list please respond to this group. Let us know what OS you are using, what you used to connect the phone, any problems you encountered. With your help we can help to compile a growing list of phones

Thanks,

Adam

Tags: compatability, modems, phones

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Pete Taylor on January 17, 2011 at 6:36am

Hi, have been trying a few modems:

OS: Windows XP

Huawei E1550 (unlocked with Orange SIM card)

FLSMS version 1.6.16.3

Works fine.

Have also tried a Huawei 156G which is locked to Three, is recognised in the non-working devices section but can't get it to connect (which may be my three SIM).

Pete

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Permalink Reply by kiwanja on January 17, 2011 at 6:42am

Thanks for this, Pete! Glad you have one working device. ;o)

Is it possible that the Three modem requires a PIN? If so, it will need removing before FrontlineSMS will be able to communicate with it. Also, if there's any Three software running in the background then that might be hogging the port.

Nice to meet last week, by the way. \o/

Ken

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Permalink Reply by Pete Taylor on January 17, 2011 at 12:43pm

nice to meet you last week too - at the moment just trying out a few things to come up with some ideas.

- I suspect it might have something to do with the three SIM as it was a mobile broadband SIM rather than a regular mobile SIM - have ordered a stack of mobile SIMs from O2, T-mobile and Vodafone to experiment with - ideally looking for a PAYG contract without an expiry date on the credit.

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Permalink Reply by Ananda Galappatti on January 18, 2011 at 5:38am

Hi Adam,
I'm a brand new user, so I don't know if it's me, my GSM service provider or the modem, but I'm having a hard time getting the modem to send messages.

Windows XP
FLSMS 1.6.14
Huawei E160

I am able to connect (and the modem shows in the 'working devices section'. I have received messages (from my service provider) but have not been able to receive message from other mobiles. I have not been able to send any messages yet - I get a 'Pending' status remark which has been in place for nearly an hour. When I last tried, I did manage get a 'Sent' status on a couple of messages after nearly an hour's wait, but they never arrived at their destinations!

Any advice?
Thanks,
Ananda

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Permalink Reply by Ananda Galappatti on January 18, 2011 at 5:45am

Hi. Quick update. The 'Pending' status remark just turned to 'Failed'. Am just on my way to a phone shop to try out some other modems. By the way, I'm trying this from Batticaloa, Sri Lanka.

AG

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Permalink Reply by kiwanja on January 18, 2011 at 5:52am

Hi Ananda

Thanks for your post - sorry you're having problems sending. I'll answer this here, but if you still have problems could you start a new thread on the Forum here (this one is for devices which are proven to work, or not, rather than support trying to get them work, if that makes sense!).

So, this won't be your modem. If it's connecting and receiving, then you're likely fine with the E160. Have you:

1. Checked that no other software is running on your computer which might cause FrontlineSMS to fail sending?

2. Do you have credit on the SIM card? If not, you won't be able to send until you top up.

3. If you right-click on the device name in "Phones", is it set to send?

4. Have you tried entering the contact numbers you're trying to send to in full international format, with the + <country code>?

I don't think this is going to be a big problem to fix, but you'll need to just play around a little. The fact the modem connects is a good sign, so I'd not waste your time looking for another.

Let us know how you get on!

Ken

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Permalink Reply by Ananda Galappatti on January 18, 2011 at 7:22am

Thanks Ken,
I sort of wondered if I was posting in the right place, and hoped for the best! Will create a new thread in case I dont figure this out. Points 2, 3, 4 were all fine, but was not able to rule out 1.

I have actually now swapped modems (to a generic nameless chinese model) and new sim card, and found it was possible to send messages but not to receive them. Will figure this out, and keep you posted (elsewhere)

Many thanks again for the swift advice.
Ananda

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Permalink Reply by Loyce Kyogabirwe on February 3, 2011 at 4:49am

Hi Adam,

In Uganda, Zain now rebranded to Airtel worked for me only that it is a little bit expensive compared to other bulk SMS services. I tried Orange,MTN,Warid and Ug Telcom, the all did not have an idea of Frontline sms

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Permalink Reply by Robert Mulondo on March 31, 2011 at 8:36am

Hi Loyce,

Good to know that you have used FrontlineSMS before in Uganda. Am trying to set it up on my laptop but having trouble on which modems to use, did you use Airtel internet modems or your phone with an Airtel simcard?

What has been your experience with the other network in uganda?

Hope to hear from you then get frontline running on my laptop.

Thanks,

Robert

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Permalink Reply by Domingo Liotta on March 2, 2011 at 9:55am

Hi Folks:

Just a short update on my previous post. Its seems the Huawei E Series modems are easier to find in Argentina and a bit more cheaper than the out of supply phones.

I think Ill be trying a couple of types soon with windows 7 I'll update on the results

Be well

Domingo

(reporting from Argentina)

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Permalink Reply by jacob Schou on March 15, 2011 at 4:52pm

OS: Win 7 32 bit

USB Modem Huawei E122, DK SIM card

FLSMS 1.6.16.6

Works well.

Good work!

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Permalink Reply by Florence Scialom on March 17, 2011 at 7:10am

Hi Jacob,

Great to hear you got your modem working well. I have now added the Huawei E122 onto our crowd sourced data base of devices which have been tested with FrontlineSMS: http://devdb.heroku.com/pub. This database is just getting started, and serves as a way for users to report devices they have tested with FrontlineSMS, and find out what other users have tested too. You can read more about it here.

We will be adding all of the information to the database from this Ning discussion thread, as well as from other sources too, so as the database grows we hope it will become more and more useful for FrontlineSMS users.

Thanks and Best Wishes,

Florence