How to subscribe to SMS content in Joomla with Ozeki NG SMS Gateway
After you have read the benefits of using
SMS functionality in Joomla you can gain technical information on
this solution. This page provides you detailed information on how to
adopt SMS solutions on your web site with the help of Ozeki NG SMS Gateway.
A configuration guide will demonstrate how to download and install the
"Ozeki subscribe to SMS content module" (available on this page) to be
able to start SMS services on your web site.
After you have installed and configured this module a form will appear
on your web site in which visitors can subscribe and unsubscribe to your
SMS content. Learn more about this SMS solution on this page where you
can also find a requirements list and step by step setup instructions
with video tutorials.
Prerequisites
In order to setup this solution you need to find a way
to connect your system to the mobile network. You can do this
by using an Internet connection or you can
setup a wireless connection by attaching a GSM phone/GSM modem to your computer. To help you make a
decision, we have prepared a webpage for you:
Internet based SMS connections vs. GSM modem based (wireless) SMS connections.
Depending
on what you select, you need the following prerequisites.
Prerequisites for Internet based connection to the Mobile network
If you wish to connect your system to an SMS service
provider over the Internet you need the following components:
Figure 1/a - Prerequisites for Ozeki NG SMS
Gateway IP SMS connection
In this case you need to find an SMS service
provider who can reach the mobile phones in your area. This SMS
service provider should be able to provide SMS service through
the Internet. To find such a provider, you can check our
website where we list some of them:
SMPP SMS Service providers.
Once you have found such a provider, you need to sign up for
their service to get the connection parameters. You can use these parameters
to configure your Ozeki NG SMS Gateway software.
Prerequisites for wireless (GSM modem) connection to the Mobile network
If you wish to connect your system to the mobile
network wirelessly, you need a GSM modem or GSM phone, that you
can attach to your computer with a data cable. In this case your Ozeki
NG SMS Gateway software will operate this phone and will send and receive
SMS messages wirelessly. To setup this connection method, you need the following
components:
Figure 1/b - Prerequisites for Ozeki NG SMS
Gateway GSM modem connection
Your checklist (for GSM modem connection):
*The SIM card will come with a plan, that will
determine how much money you will spend on each SMS.
System architecture
How to subscribe for SMS content in Joomla
Users can subscribe to the subscription lists of Ozeki NG SMS Gateway if
they send an SMS from the form on Joomla web site after they have selected
"Subscribe" option on this form. You can provide
this keyword during the configuration of Ozeki NG SMS Gateway (see below
this page). Figure 2 demonstrates this process. In the configuration guide
you can learn how to install Ozeki SMS module to adopt this service.
Figure 2 - How to subscribe to SMS content on Joomla web sites
After users subscribed
to your list they will receive a welcome message (that also can be specified
during the configuration) and from this time they will automatically receive
SMS contents.
How to unsubscribe from SMS content in Joomla
If SMS contents are not required by users any more they can easily
unsubscribe from the subscription lists of Ozeki NG SMS Gateway by sending
an SMS from the form on Joomla web site. They need to select
"unsubscribe" option on the form and send the message. This keyword can be
provided during the configuration, as well. On Figure 3 you can examine
this process.
Figure 3 - How to unsubscribe from SMS content on Joomla web sites
Ozeki NG SMS Gateway sends SMS messages with the help of
a GSM modem that is
attached to the computer with a data cable or it connects directly to the SMS
center of the mobile service provider over the Internet
(IP SMS).
Configuration of this solution
To send SMS messages from Joomla with Ozeki SMS module please
follow the steps of this installation guide and watch the video tutorial,
as well.
Installation steps:
I have already downloaded the
mod_ozeki_subscribe_to_sms_content.zip
file (Ozeki subscribe to SMS content module) and I saved it to the desktop
(Figure 4).
Figure 4 - Module packed on desktop
To be able to install the module you need to log into the
Administrator Back-end of Joomla (It is supposed that Ozeki NG SMS Gateway and
Joomla have already been installed on your computer. Please find the
installation guide of
Ozeki NG SMS Gateway on this page.) (Figure 5).
Figure 5 - Log into administrator back-end
After login, click on "Install/Uninstall" in "Extensions"
menu (Figure 6).
Figure 6 - Install an extension
To browse for the downloaded mod_ozeki_subscribe_to_sms_content.zip file
click on "Browse..." in "Extensions Manager" (Figure 7).
Figure 7 - Browse a package file
If you have found the downloaded module, select it and
click on "Open" (Figure 8).
Figure 8 - Select package file
Then click on "Upload file & Install" in "Extension Manager"
(Figure 9).
Figure 9 - Install module
After you installed the module click on "Module Manager"
menu item in "Extensions" menu (Figure 10).
Figure 10 - Start module manager
Click on "Ozeki subscribe to SMS content module" in the
list to be able to edit it (Figure 11).
Figure 11 - Click on installed module
Now enable the module by checking "Yes" option next to
"Enabled" and set its parameters:
IP address - the IP address of the computer on which Ozeki NG SMS
Gateway has been installed. In our example it is "127.0.0.1"
HTTP server port - It is the HTTP Server Port of Ozeki NG SMS Gateway.
As I do not change it, it will be the default port: "9501"
Username - I use the default "admin" user of Ozeki NG SMS Gateway.
Password – I use the default password of the admin user ("abc123")
Subscription keyword - the keyword that allows to subscribe to the
SMS content (subscribe)
Unsubscription keyword - the keyword that allows to unsubscribe from
the SMS content (unsubscribe). Finally, click on "Save" at the top right
corner of the interface (Figure 12).
Figure 12 - Set module parameters
Now you need to configure Ozeki NG SMS Gateway. Log into
the software with your username and password. First, add a new service provider
by clicking on "Add new service provider connection" (Figure 13).
Figure 13 - Install a service provider
Select "Loopback connection" in the list and click on
"Install" next to it (Figure 14).
Figure 14 - Install loopback connection
In "Loopback settings" tab check "overridable" option next
to the telephone number box then click on "OK" (Figure 15).
Figure 15 - Set phone number to overridable
Now click on "Management" console on the top right corner
of the interface to go to the Management view. Click on the "admin" (Standard)
user (Figure 16).
Figure 16 - Click on admin user
In the configuration form of the admin user click on
"Advanced" tab and check "overridable" option and click on "OK" (Figure 17).
Figure 17 - Set admin's phone number to overridable
Then click on "Contacts" icon in the Toolbar of Ozeki NG
SMS Gateway (available in the top left corner of the interface) and select
"New group" (Figure 18).
Figure 18 - Create new group
In "General" tab you need to provide a name for the group
(e.g.: joomla_subscription_group) and click on "Subscribe/unsubscribe" tab
(Figure 19).
Figure 19 - Provide a name
In "Subscribe/unsubscribe" tab enable "Allow automatic,
keyword based subscription and unsubscription" option. Then provide the
subscribe and unsubscribe keywords and their response messages that will
be sent to users if they enter one of the keywords (Figure 20).
Figure 20 - Enable subscription to user group
Now go to "Management" view again and click on "Add new
route" in "Incoming" section (Figure 21).
Figure 21 - Create a new incoming route
Select "loopback" as "Source" and "admin" as "Destination".
In this way all messages coming from loopback connection will be forwarded
to the admin user (Figure 22).
Figure 22 - Set source and destination of the route
Then add a new outgoing route, as well, so click on "Add
new route" in "Outgoing" section. Select "admin" user as "Source" and
"loopback" as "Destination". Enter the following condition into
"Condition 3" field:
If the message body is
"subscribe" or "unsubscribe", messages will be forwarded to "admin" user
(Figure 23).
Figure 23 - Outgoing route settings
Now in the line of the default route you can find "Edit"
option. Click on this "Edit" button and set the "Destination" to "SMPP".
In this way you can ensure that no messages will be sent out through the
loopback connection (Figure 24).
Figure 24 - Default out settings
The enabled module can be seen on the front page of Joomla
Users need to enter phone number into the "Phone number" field of the form and
select "Subscribe" and click on "Send SMS" to subscribe to SMS content
(Figure 25).
Figure 25 - Subscribe with a test number
In Ozeki NG SMS Gateway you can see messages that have
been sent for subscription (they contain "subscribe" keyword) and greeting
messages can also be tracked (Figure 26).
Figure 26 - Sent message in Ozeki NG SMS Gateway
If you click on "Contacts" in the Toolbar of Ozeki NG SMS
gateway you can see users who have subscribed to the group (joomla subscription
group) (Figure 27).
Figure 27 - Subscribed user in addressbook
To unsubscribe from the list users need to enter the
phone number, select "Unsubscribe" and click on "Send SMS" (Figure 28).
Figure 28 - Unsubscribe with a test number
In Ozeki NG SMS Gateway if you click on "Contacts" you can
see the unsubscribed users as they are placed into "joomla subscription group
unsubscribers" group (Figure 29).
Figure 29 - Unsubscribed user in addressbook
Among sent messages in Ozeki NG SMS Gateway you can also
find messages sent for unsubscribe from the service and response messages,
as well (Figure 30).
Figure 30 - Sent message in Ozeki NG SMS Gateway
Thank you for reading this guide!
Related pages:
Further readings:
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