Send USSD via sms

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Lars Nielsen, MobileNation ApS - Denmark
New member
Username: Larsmservice

Post Number: 5
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 - 11:20 am:   

Hi there.

A simple question;)

I've learned that other software like nowSMS supports sending USSD messages via sms. Have a look at this site. http://ozekisms.com/index.php?owpn=379&info=c---message-types/ussd. Quite simply one types in the USSD address in as part of the MSISDN, like: "*123*+4561616161#". If phone supports this it will open up the ussd menu for *123#.

Without having tested the above link, i'd like to hear if it's possible in nowSMS?


;)Lars
Des - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Desosms

Post Number: 4211
Registered: 08-2008
Posted on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 - 04:25 pm:   

Hi Lars,

Currently no. However, we do get asked for this periodically, and it is probably time for us to revisit.

We have always questioned the value (and asked for use cases) of simply sending a USSD command and not being able to see the response ... such as appears to be the case in the example you cited.

The use cases we more typically see is using USSD to query the balance on a pay-as-you-go SIM, where the balance is sent back via USSD.

In our perspective, it is pointless to support sending a USSD command unless you also have a way of processing the response. And we lacked a good idea of how to process the USSD response.

But I did sit down with one of my colleagues today to discuss this, and we agreed it would make sense to simply treat any USSD response as a received message. Taking it a step further, what we decided made sense was to work something like this.

User submits:

PhoneNumber=#225#
Text=USSDBalance:

USSD command #225# is sent, and the text of the original message (which could be blank) is used to prefix the text of the USSD response, and is treated as a received message.

Having the ability to use the text of the submission as a prefix in the response makes it easier to setup 2-way commands to intelligently process the USSD response.

Unfortunately, this is not something that we support today, but we are going to explore supporting this in an update.

--
Des
NowSMS Support
Lars Nielsen, MobileNation ApS - Denmark
New member
Username: Larsmservice

Post Number: 6
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 - 07:37 pm:   

Hi Des.

I like your idea/point of view on this and look forward to see how you implement it. However, it's not quite what i meant.
The reason, and my idea behind is:

I've been doing quite a lot of USSD in Indonesia. USSD is massive popular in Indonesia, Nigeria and others.
As a serviceprovider, we are able to get our own page in the operator's USSD systems. The problem is that these are buried deep deep down. Seriously, it's like *116*1*6*877*5*678#. Generally impossible to lead traffic in there.
So i was looking at a solution where i send sms to recipient with link to the deep sub-menu. I've read it's possible, and te link i mentioned above to ozekisms describes it quite well. Via nowSMS with a modem installed i want to send a sms to a number. When sms arrives it should open the sub-menu of the ussd. At least that is what ozekisms claims to able to. Being a loyal nowSMS customer since Bryce was young;-), i want to use my favourite software for this.
It's simply a marketing tool for a deep buried submenu on an operator's USSD.

Hope i make sense;)
Lars Nielsen, MobileNation ApS - Denmark
New member
Username: Larsmservice

Post Number: 7
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 - 07:38 pm:   

On a webpage i would do something like: <a href="tel://*116*1*6*877*5*678#">Click here to launch USSD</a>
Des - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Desosms

Post Number: 4215
Registered: 08-2008
Posted on Thursday, November 22, 2012 - 02:50 pm:   

Hi Lars,

I don't read that in the link that you provided. The example is not sending the USSD link to another phone. The example is executing the USSD link on the modem.

In other words, it could cause the modem to connect to your service. But that doesn't really benefit anyone.

That's one of the reasons that we've been slow to support USSD commands over a modem...limited use cases. The balance query on a PAYG SIM is the best use case (and is one that other product can't support because it does not seem to capture the response).

It's very possible that I'm missing something, but I don't think sending a USSD command via a modem is a potential solution for what you're trying to accomplish.

The tel:// link on a web page is a good idea...I'm just not sure how widely supported it is...and when it is implemented, whether or not it will work properly with a USSD string.

--
Des
NowSMS Support
Lars Nielsen, MobileNation ApS - Denmark
New member
Username: Larsmservice

Post Number: 8
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Friday, November 23, 2012 - 08:12 am:   

Hi Des.

I am sorry. You are completely right. I was a bit too fast.
You wuld be amazed how popular USSD is in Asia and parts of Africa. Some Indian company even built a facebook-chat via USSD. Massively used in many parts of the world where the money is low and the phones are still the older Nokia's, Blackberry's etc.

I am not giving up though. I amlooking for sms-gateway's that support "fake" senderadress. If it will work i will be able to send sms to ussd-service and have the ussd reply to the senderaddress.

I am sorry for my disturbance. Give Bryce my best.

PS! Just recommended nowSMS to 2 companies in Indonesia. Hope they will see the light and buy;-)

;)Lars
Lars Nielsen, MobileNation ApS - Denmark
New member
Username: Larsmservice

Post Number: 9
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Friday, November 23, 2012 - 08:23 am:   

Just to give you a visual on the popularity of ussd in Asia, here is a pic from a store in Jakarta. These are all over the place. All with ussd codes and sms codes. https://dl.dropbox.com/u/109969/Captured/VheCJ.png

image