Problem Sending to large list of Numbers using HTTP

Problem Sending to large list of Numbers using HTTP SearchSearch
Author Message
Nuno Souto
Unregistered guest
Posted on Wednesday, August 03, 2005 - 11:37 pm:   

Hello,

I am testing the program for possible use in a bulk text messaging application.

I was trying to get a web page using PHP to post to the NOW SMS software to send the same message to several recipients, all is good except for the fact that the recipients no matter if I use POST or GET get maxed out at 631, 630 to be more exact as the 631 is only the first digit of the phone number.

Is there a better way to send to at least 10.000 numbers at once ?

Will I have to create a Distribution List every time and then submit the distribution list to the software?

I will have to create a new one every time, as the numbers will be changing.

And also the web interface and the software will be located in different servers not making this really easy...

Thank You
Nuno Souto
Nuno Souto
New member
Username: Nsouto

Post Number: 1
Registered: 08-2005
Posted on Thursday, August 04, 2005 - 05:17 pm:   

I forgot to mention, that I am submiting the message in this format:

?PhoneNumber=xxxx,xxxx,xxxx,xxxx&Text=Bla+Bla+Bla&Sender=AlphaSender

Will I have to make a HTTP request every 630 numbers ?

Thank You
Nuno Souto
Bryce Norwood - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Bryce

Post Number: 4730
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 07:16 pm:   

Hi Nuno,

You do not mention what version of NowSMS you are using.

At one point, we did have a limit of approximately 8000 characters on the size of the phone number field that is submitted. (The actual limit was 8191, and if your phone numbers are all 12 digits long, then allowing for the comma separator, 13*630=8190, leaving one byte over for the 631st number. So it definitely sounds like this is the limit you are running into.)

But we removed that limit some time ago. I'm not sure exactly when this limit was removed, but based upon this thread:

http://support.nowsms.com/discus/messages/1/5801.html

... it looks like we removed the limit starting with v5.50.

There is definitely not a limit in v5.51. And you can update by downloading the latest trial version from our web site.

-bn
Nuno Souto
New member
Username: Nsouto

Post Number: 3
Registered: 08-2005
Posted on Thursday, August 11, 2005 - 05:46 am:   

Hello Bryce,

Thank you for your reply, I did notice that thread and that is what found strange about it, I was using v5.51, I have now updated to version 5.51b and will try again, I went on searching for other solutions.

I will let you know as soon as I check it out again.

Thanks
Nuno Souto
Bryce Norwood - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Bryce

Post Number: 4748
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Thursday, August 11, 2005 - 09:48 pm:   

Hi Nuno,

Oops. I just tested, and this limit was never removed.

There is an update at http://www.nowsms.com/download/latestpatch.zip which corrects the problem.

-bn
Nuno Souto
New member
Username: Nsouto

Post Number: 4
Registered: 08-2005
Posted on Friday, August 12, 2005 - 01:06 am:   

Oh...

So thats why... I didn't even had a chance to test it, my router decided to die on me.

I will apply this latest patch imediately.

I have other questions though, but I will post them in another thread, although they are kinda of related to this, it has to do with all the other work arounds the limit I was looking for.

I will do some more testing on a couple of my ideas and then post the questions.

Thank You very much for all your support
Nuno Souto