FAQs - SMS Text Messaging

When you need both email and SMS text alerts there may be several ways to do this. Most environment monitors will have an Ethernet/IP connection for a local area network. This allows their associated monitoring software packages to ‘monitor’ the devices and issue email alerts when an alarm condition arises. SMS text alerts may be generated by the software linking to an ‘email to SMS’ text service. This assumes that the environment monitor hardware does not have a built-in GSM SIM card holder via which it can issue a text. For some products it is also possible to put an SMS-Gateway device onto an Ethernet/IP network. The SMS-Gateway can be used by any compatible device on the network to issue an SMS text alert as required.

We do not generally supply SIM cards for hardware based SMS gateways and recommend that clients take out a monthly contract or use a pay-as-you-go SIM. This us due to the fact that we ship worldwide and it is always best for the client to deal direct with their own mobile SIM network partner.

The SMS gateways we supply do not have a built-in battery and therefore will require backup power protection from a UPS system when the mains power supply fails.

A fixed IP SIM card has its own unique IP address allowing any device installed with a fixed IP SIM card to be connected via a network. The fixed IP SIM card means that the network address is fixed and not assigned by the network. Environmental monitoring base units with internal modems can be installed with fixed IP SIM cards allowing them to be remotely connected to (over a mobile network) for remote diagnostics. The SIM can be set to send SMS text messages as required and may or may not have phone call capability. Fixed IP SIMs also tend to be mobile network agnostic allowing them to search for the strongest network signal in the locations where they and their devices are installed.