Topic Keywords: Android, CDMA, CDMA modem, GSM modem, LTE modem
One of the major benefits of supporting Android modems is compatibility with CDMA and LTE based networks. For years, US based customers have asked us about modems that can support Verizon and Sprint.
NowSMS has long supported GSM modems. GSM modems are specialized devices that accept a SIM card, and connect to a GSM-based mobile network, but are designed to be used by applications and other devices that require mobile network access. NowSMS can send and receive SMS + MMS messages over a GSM modem connection to allow for the development of interactive applications or services, and facilitate store-and-forward M2M (machine-to-machine) communications over a mobile network. Applications can use HTTP, SMPP, MM7, PHP, Java or other interfaces to send and receive these messages via NowSMS.
Of course, NowSMS also supports service provider connections for higher volume messing throughput. But, modems are good for prototyping or applications with lower volume messaging requirements.
With the 2014.05.30 release of NowSMS and NowSMS Lite, we added support for using Android phones as an alternative to GSM modems. One of the major benefits of Android phones is compatibility with CDMA and LTE based networks. In most of the world, GSM is the major mobile phone network technology, and LTE is essentially an upgrade for GSM. However, in the US, Verizon and Sprint use CDMA network technology (and are adding LTE for high speed data).
NowSMS is compatible with Android devices that run on GSM, CDMA and/or LTE.
The 2014.05.30 release was tested with a variety of Android devices running on the Verizon network.
However, it was not tested on the Sprint network. We have identified some quirks with how MMS is implemented on the Sprint network, and an update is required to support Sprint or Sprint-based MVNOs including Virgin Mobile USA and Boost.
An interim release, version 2014.06.15, adds support for Sprint. We will be building this support into the future releases of NowSMS. For now, a separate install of tis version can be downloaded here:
NowSMS/MMS Gateway Version 2014.06.15 with Sprint Support
NowSMS Lite Version 2014.06.15 with Sprint Support
An updated version of the NowSMS Modem app is also required on the Android device, which also identifies itself as Version 2014.06.15. From an Android device, download https://nowsms.com/apkdev for this version.
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