How to send special characters via GSM modem using the built-in HTTP server

On this page you can find a demonstration on how to send special characters with GSM modems using the built-in HTTP server of Ozeki NG SMS Gateway. Please follow the screen shots and video tutorial below to learn the sending process.

System architecture

On Figure 1 you can see the process of sending SMS message containing a special character. Ozeki NG SMS Gateway processes the HTTP request that contains special characters. Finally it will send the SMS message containing the special character to the mobile phone of the recipient.

system architecture
Figure 1 - System architecture

To demonstrate how to send special characters with GSM modem using the built-in HTTP server I send a test message containing the character Ä. These are the steps of the process.

Log into Ozeki NG SMS Gateway with your username and password. Go to GSM modem connection and click on "Charsets" tab. Set the "Charset set selection policy" to Enforce (Figure 2).

specify the charset set policy
Figure 2 - Specify charset set policy

Now open HTTP Example page on www.ozekisms.com: HTTP SMS API - sendmessage method. On this page an example URL request can be found. Copy this example URL request and paste it into the URL field of the browser (Figure 3).

paste the example url request into the browser
Figure 3 - Paste the example URL request into the browser

Specify the phone number of the recipient mobile device (e.g. your mobile phone numer) and set the "Message type" to SMS:TEXT:FORMATTED in the URL (Figure 4).

provide the recipient phone number and the message type
Figure 4 - Provide the recipient phone number and the message type

Go to UTF8 URL Encode page on www.ozekisms.com: UTF8 URL Encode. Enter the character to be encoded and click on "Encode" (Figure 5).

encode the character
Figure 5 - Encode the character

The URL encoded version of the character will be returned. It needs to be selected and copied (Figure 6).

copy the url encoded version
Figure 6 - Copy the URL encoded version

Paste the URL encoded version of the character to the "Message data" field in the URL request (Figure 7).

provide the url encoded version as the message data in the url
Figure 7 - Provide the URL encoded version as the message data in the URL

Ozeki NG SMS Gateway will returns an XML form about accepting and forwarding the message (Figure 8).

ozeki ng sms gateway accepts and forwards the message
Figure 8 - Ozeki NG SMS Gateway accepts and forwards the message

In the "Outbox" folder of the admin user in Ozeki NG SMS Gateway you can see that the message containing the special character has been sent (Figure 9).

ozeki ng sms gateway sends out the message
Figure 9 - Ozeki NG SMS Gateway sends out the message

If you followed the steps of the test above you should receive character Ä on your mobile phone.