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I want to write a piece of PHP code that will send SMS to any number in the world. I read somewhere one can use email to do this as follows.

user-number@carrier-domain.com ⇒ 1234567894@vnet.com

I tried this with my number and my carrier's website domain and it didn't work. I think the domain is something which is not publicly available so my job should be able to find it first. Am I right here? Also they can put some checks as what the source is when they receive the SMS so they reject. Is that true too?

On the other hand, is there any way HTTP can be used to do so?

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This is possible, but usually you'll need a special agreement with the carrier or a third-party who'll send the sms. And it'll cost you (here in germany starting at 8-10 Cent for a small number of sms).

There may be different ways to deliver sms, e-mail, http or a special api.

But a simple e-mail to number@telco.example.com will most likely not work. I have never heard of such method. Some telcos accept e-mails sent to these addresses, but the recipient has to allow/activate this.

Edit: Another method you could consider: connecting a gsm-module (or even an old mobile phone) to a server and send sms via at-commands over a serial/usb connection.

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You're right but my question was how do actually different carriers do that among them? Assume I am carrier a and you're carrier b, then how would your customers send my customers SMS through their phone? What request params are there and what would they need any agreement between them? – Umair Ashraf Jul 8 '11 at 11:40
I guess the smscs speak SS7 between themselves. SS7 is nothing one could connect to, you have to be a carrier (or a third-party with a large throughput). – trurl Jul 8 '11 at 12:11
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Check the web site of your mobile carrier, or contact their technical support. Email-to-SMS and HTTP-to-SMS gateways are specific to each carrier.

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