Instant Messaging of future

As technology becomes main agent for human interaction nowadays, more and more people connecting to each other indirectly, could via voice, text and video. The  way is texting via instant messaging (IM).

When SMS and voice communication is so yesterday, im offer more attractive and add value to the communication. The killer features is group messaging and ability to attach rich media file into the chat. Other high demanded feature such as share location, virtual activity also available depend on protocol and device.

There are so many IM protocol currently available. From the legendaries ICQ, IRC from the first dot-com booming during new millennia. Then internet giant enters the competition for their users such as Yahoo with Y!msgr, Google with Gtalk, Microsoft/Hotmail with Live (recently acquired Skype), Facebook Chat, AOL and many more that has no significant user. The most recent is smartphone/service vendor to push their own protocol. There are RIM with Blackberry Messenger, Nokia with Ovi chat,  Whatsapp, some local brand like Nexian Messenger and Esia Messenger. 

Remember old day where we can only send SMS within same operator/network, operator never thought the SMS could be one of their revenue machine. But when SMS inter-operator is available, instantly SMS become ultimate revenue generator.  Imagine internet with no inter-networking capability, telephone with no inter-operator switching,  email can only send to same domain user, closed group IM has no future, unless it can communicate thru all protocols/provider.

So IM service provider should start collaborate the chatting inter-operates across protocol. Some already started with limited partners, like Ovi can talk to Gtalk, Y!msgr to MSN (maybe with Skype too?), but still not as one global inter-protocol IM. Only by all-connected protocol, IM will be considered important way to socialize at least for years to come. No more one ID for every protocol if we want to chat with people in the group.

Setting up gammu with smsd

Gammu is the most popular program to build customized sms  server. It can connect to various of handset, from the oldest model until recently launched model.  Also it support populars os(es) such as Microsoft Windows and Linux Ubuntu. 


To setup gammu under windows simply download win32 binary from gammu site. For Ubuntu, even easier. 

$ sudo apt-install gammu

That's all.

Once installed try edit gammurc (gammu config files). Windows version, config file will be in same folder as gammu.exe. For Ubuntu version, the config file is in /etc. Edit where needed. 
My working setting is :


[gammu]

port = /dev/ttyS1
;model = 6110
connection = at19200
;synchronizetime = yes
logfile = /home/says/gammulog
logformat = textall
;use_locking = yes
;gammuloc = locfile
;startinfo = yes
;gammucoding = utf8
;rsslevel = teststable
;usephonedb = yes


To test out :

$ gammu --identify

On success connection it should display our gsm modem properties.

Manufacturer         : Nokia
Model                : 6150 (NSM-1)
Firmware             : 4.12 E (02-12-98)
Hardware             : 2320
IMEI                 : 493002107068660
Original IMEI        : 493002107068660
Manufactured         : 1298
Product code         : 0502690
Simlock 1     : MCC+MNC      00101, opened, factory, counter 0
Simlock 2     : GID1          0000, opened, factory, counter 0
Simlock 3     : GID2          0000, opened, factory, counter 0
Simlock 4     : MSIN    0000000001, opened, factory, counter 0
MSID          : 823c21bb67cc5d6aab0f3caae6
MCU checksum  : 4057
DSP ROM       : 4


Next is configure smsd engine. Create a smsd config file. Ussually named smsdrc. Edit where needed. Put the file in same folder as we running Gammu. I strongly recommend using files style, as you can easily to customize the system.

[smsd]
PIN = 327426
logfile = /home/says/sms/logs/smsdlog
commtimeout = 10
sendtimeout = 20
#receivefrequency = 0
#resetfrequency = 0
deliveryreport = log
phoneid = mdsms

inboxpath = /home/says/sms/inbox/
outboxpath = /home/says/sms/outbox/
sentsmspath = /home/says/sms/sent/
errorsmspath = /home/says/sms/error/
inboxformat = standard
transmitformat = auto

The main part of the system just to read incoming sms save it to /inbox, send any message that we put in /outbox. Next gammu smsd able to do the rest.

Next, create an agent just to read message source to be send out, and retrieve incoming msg in inbox to store in your database. last thing is create nice fancy interface, of course dont forget the user authentication. Then hola, your own sms server is ready to serve.

Download : php agent to read & delete files

SMS spam, regulate it or block it?

First of all, I need to declare, SMS Spam here is refer to those free promotional message, not those unethical premium SMS(es) services, that charge user per receive. Also, as long as the content does not violate ethical and law regulation, e.g terorrist, race issues, raise conflict, etc.

Flashing back in time,where sms just a new-comer service, sending an sms cost about one meal, people found it very effective way to communicate. As it getting popular, telco company along with some creative people start to making business based on this.

And anomaly, the more telco lower the sms cost the more telco got it revenue from. And now, it like almost email, we can send an sms at almost zero cost.

GSM network design to interconnected each other. Like mail server to deliver email, sms delivered by an alien called SMSC. So far, only telco have the SMSC. The best part for spammer is, due to the regulation, sender keep all the revenue, while by right, destination network has to deliver the message due to the regulation.

The world is too big to implement single anti spam policy. So some country start regulate kind of sms. Some even with government law that could bring spammer to court.

But is the regulation effective to combat spam, especially by those well-organized company? Company may change its name. As long as it has the benefit to its marketing, there will always people to send these message in any way. Some company might tear to ground, some can flee away, but sure they will find a way to survive...

So is it effective to set punishment ? I said NO!!
The most effetive way is just block message that telco 'thinks' a spam. Same as my opinion for site blocking. There could by several way of detection like blaclisted Smsc (learning the lesson from email's anti spam softwares). So then just let user to choose which are the best telco for them, especially some country has implemented MNP. Let user decide, whether they prefer protective telco, or they would rather loyal to "more liberal" telco.

Somehow we might found some promo are quite informative. For me, as long as it not costing us, why bother! Just delete the message. Case close and thank you!

Indonesia Cellular Tariff

Indonesia is very strategic country for any purpose, huge market place for other country to market their products, and unlimited of natural resources potential from mining, plantation, and fishery. as it grow, there's more and more people need telecommunication, wired and wireless.

Since first time introduced in Indonesia, cellular network has become vital sector that related to most people daily activity. First established cellular network company is Satelindo (now had merged to Indosat). Later, until now there are Telkomsel, Indosat, XL, Hutchison established their service in Indonesia respectively with GSM platform.

While most of existing GSM user complaining the heaven-like GSM tariff, government policy approve another platform license to operate in Indonesia, CDMA, specialized for local (regional) connection only and at low-end tariff. But this policy does not work, as now GSM and CDMA as some CDMA company also operating nation-wide and with GSM-style dial number, where CDMA supposed to use only local-style number, like 021-XXX for Jakarta and 031-XXX for Surabaya. So, these companies are now head-to-head competing for larger market share. But actually some of it are same company that owned major GSM network, such as Telkom Flexi (own by Telkom, also has share on Telkomsel), StarOne (owned by Indosat), Mobile 8, Esia (Bakrie Telecom) and new comer SMART Telecom & Sampoerna Telecom Indonesia.

As the competition war is on, but binded to government regulation on Interconnection tariff (Dirjen Postel, DepkomInfo), all the provider can only "play" on intra-network calls. There are some offered Rp. 10/second, Rp. 1/second, and Rp. 1/minute for voice calls. Some provider offer even 0 (yes Zero cost) for these kind of calls/sms during off peak hours. In this situation of course the larger network subscriber share gain more advantages. Means when provider T with 60% market share has promted Rp. 10/seconds, mean it's subscriber will be able to call to 60% of cellular user with that cost. Compare to these even set Rp. 1/minute, but only have 1% market share. What I'm trying to say is, somehow this kind of promotion is just not appropriate neither effective.

As cellular user need grows, the demand for data calls is rising. But none provider has offered a significant tariff reduction for data. Without these incentive, the main objective to launch 3G (and HSDPA) will need more time to penetrate. We're not talking about speed, neither corporate user where cost is not in consideration list. We are talking about majority user, middle-class user (like me), and I believe this is the biggest portion of user segment.

For me, with current need and price scheme, GPRS is more than enough. And what ever the promotion, I'll still loyal to my number, current provider, "S" from company "T" since the first time I use cellular phone, eight years ago.

Glossary
GSM : Global System for Mobile Communications
CDMA : Code Division Multiple Access
GPRS : General Packet Radio Services
HSDPA : High-Speed Downlink Packet Access