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Send a Text Message to a Cell Phone from a VB.NET Application

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23 Aug 20063 min read 582.2K   25K   135   91
This article describes a simple way to send text messages to a cellular phone from within a VB.NET desktop application.

Sample Image - screenshot.jpg

Introduction

This article describes a simple way to send text messages to a cellular phone from within a VB.NET desktop application. The source code provided includes a relatively good list of carriers to simplify the task of connecting with a cell phone, and the task itself is really no more difficult than sending an email message through a desktop or web based application.

Getting Started

In order to begin, unzip the downloaded files and open the project provided. Within the project, you will find one main class: frmMain.vb. The main form is a Windows application form, and it contains a few controls necessary to capture the fields needed to properly form the message. These fields include:

  • Recipient’s phone number: Captures the recipient’s cellular telephone number (10 digit).
  • Recipient’s carrier: Captures the recipient’s carrier.
  • Sender’s email address: Captures the sender’s email address.
  • Sender’s email server: Captures the name of the sender’s email server.
  • Message subject line: Captures the message’s title or subject.
  • Message body: Captures the sender’s message content.

The application is simple, but could easily be improved by validating each of the required fields through the use of regular expressions or by at least validating that the text associated with each of the text boxes is not an empty string. To maintain the simplicity of the project, little in the way of error handling has been included.

The following figure (Figure 1) shows a properly configured collection of input fields in use:

Sample Image - 1.jpg

Figure 1: The Demonstration Application in Use

A quick review of the code will reveal that there is little going on there. The following imports were added to the top of the class:

VB
Imports System
Imports System.Net.Mail

The System.Net.Mail import brings in the support necessary to transmit the messages generated using the application. Following the imports and the class declaration, there is a Declarations region identified, and within that region is a collection of private member variables; these private member variables are created in order to supply each of the required elements of the message.

VB
#Region "Declarations"
     ' message elements
    Private mMailServer As String
    Private mTo As String
    Private mFrom As String
    Private mMsg As String
    Private mSubject As String

#End Region

At this point, the only thing left to do in code is to write the following three methods:

VB
#Region "Methods"
 Private Sub frmMain_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
        ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load

    ' set up the carriers list - this is a fair list,
    ' you may wish to research the topic and add others,
    ' it took a while to generate this list...
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@itelemigcelular.com.br")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@message.alltel.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@message.pioneerenidcellular.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@messaging.cellone-sf.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@messaging.centurytel.net")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@messaging.sprintpcs.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@mobile.att.net")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@mobile.cell1se.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@mobile.celloneusa.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@mobile.dobson.net")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@mobile.mycingular.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@mobile.mycingular.net")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@mobile.surewest.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@msg.acsalaska.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@msg.clearnet.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@msg.mactel.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@msg.myvzw.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@msg.telus.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@mycellular.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@mycingular.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@mycingular.net")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@mycingular.textmsg.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@o2.net.br")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@ondefor.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@pcs.rogers.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@personal-net.com.ar")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@personal.net.py")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@portafree.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@qwest.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@qwestmp.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@sbcemail.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@sms.bluecell.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@sms.cwjamaica.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@sms.edgewireless.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@sms.hickorytech.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@sms.net.nz")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@sms.pscel.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@smsc.vzpacifica.net")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@speedmemo.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@suncom1.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@sungram.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@telesurf.com.py")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@teletexto.rcp.net.pe")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@text.houstoncellular.net")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@text.telus.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@timnet.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@timnet.com.br")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@tms.suncom.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@tmomail.net")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@tsttmobile.co.tt")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@txt.bellmobility.ca")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@typetalk.ruralcellular.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@unistar.unifon.com.ar")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@uscc.textmsg.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@voicestream.net")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@vtext.com")
    cboCarrier.Items.Add("@wireless.bellsouth.com")

End Sub

Private Sub btnSend_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
        ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnSend.Click

' Collect user input from the form and stow content into
' the objects member variables

    mTo = Trim(txtPhoneNumber.Text) & _
        Trim(cboCarrier.SelectedItem.ToString())
    mFrom = Trim(txtSender.Text)
    mSubject = Trim(txtSubject.Text)
    mMailServer = Trim(txtMailServer.Text)
    mMsg = Trim(txtMessage.Text)

' Within a try catch, format and send the message to
' the recipient. Catch and handle any errors.
    Try

        Dim message As New MailMessage(mFrom, mTo, mSubject, mMsg)
        Dim mySmtpClient As New SmtpClient(mMailServer)
        mySmtpClient.UseDefaultCredentials = True
        mySmtpClient.Send(message)

        MessageBox.Show("The mail message has been sent to " & _
                        message.To.ToString(), "Mail", _
                        MessageBoxButtons.OK, _
                        MessageBoxIcon.Information)

    Catch ex As FormatException

        MessageBox.Show(ex.StackTrace, ex.Message, _
                        MessageBoxButtons.OK, _
                        MessageBoxIcon.Error)

    Catch ex As SmtpException

        MessageBox.Show(ex.StackTrace, ex.Message, _
                        MessageBoxButtons.OK, _
                        MessageBoxIcon.Error)

    Catch ex As Exception

        MessageBox.Show(ex.StackTrace, ex.Message, _
                        MessageBoxButtons.OK, _
                        MessageBoxIcon.Error)
    End Try
End Sub

Private Sub btnExit_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
        ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnExit.Click

' Upon user’s request, close the application
    Application.Exit()

End Sub
#End Region

At this point, the application should be complete. You may wish to build the solution and test it. Even though this example was intended to be simple, the overall concept may be used within an application to do some seemingly complex jobs. For example, if you were tasked with writing an application that monitored some sort of trend information such as a daily stock price, and were to alert a group of end users whenever the stock price exceeded some predetermined, agreed upon value, you could do something such as looping through a collection of users subscribing to the stock price monitoring service and direct a text message to each of these users indicating that the watched stock had surpassed the threshold value.

Also, please note that, whilst it does cost you a dime to send a message to a cell phone in this manner, it may well cost the recipient something to receive it. Bearing that in mind, as you test your version of the code, be mindful of any expenses you may be generating for yourself (if, for example, you are sending messages to yourself) or another person.

License

This article has no explicit license attached to it but may contain usage terms in the article text or the download files themselves. If in doubt please contact the author via the discussion board below.

A list of licenses authors might use can be found here


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Comments and Discussions

 
QuestionMessage not sending to a Nigeria number (+234) Pin
Member 1364749315-Feb-18 1:39
Member 1364749315-Feb-18 1:39 
QuestionGood Pin
Member 1206830211-Nov-16 9:15
Member 1206830211-Nov-16 9:15 
Questionsms application Pin
Member 1241676226-Mar-16 1:08
Member 1241676226-Mar-16 1:08 
Am developing an sms application using vb.net.
can anyone help me out to show where i might be going wrong in the following code as its not sending the messages.When i use PUTTY terminal it works fine with this modem.
following is the code
<pre lang="VB.NET">Public Sub sendsms()
If SerialPort.IsOpen Then
SerialPort.Close()
Else
SerialPort.PortName = ComboBox1.Text
SerialPort.BaudRate = 9600
SerialPort.Parity = Parity.None
SerialPort.StopBits = StopBits.One
SerialPort.DataBits = 8
SerialPort.Handshake = Handshake.RequestToSend
SerialPort.DtrEnable = True
SerialPort.RtsEnable = True
SerialPort.NewLine = vbCrLf
Dim message As String
message = RichTextBox1.Text
SerialPort.Open()
If SerialPort.IsOpen() Then
SerialPort.Write(&quot;AT&quot; &amp; vbCrLf)
SerialPort.Write(&quot;AT+CMGF=1&quot; &amp; vbCrLf)
SerialPort.Write(&quot;AT+CMGS=&quot; &amp; Chr(34) &amp; TextBox1.Text &amp; Chr(34) &amp; vbCr)
SerialPort.Write(message &amp; Chr(26))
MsgBox(&quot;Message Sent&quot;)
Else
MsgBox(&quot;Port not available&quot;)
End If
End If

End Sub</pre>
QuestionQuestion Pin
Mrnadim12-Jun-15 2:18
Mrnadim12-Jun-15 2:18 
GeneralMy vote of 5 Pin
Ali Al-Habbobi9-Apr-15 6:28
Ali Al-Habbobi9-Apr-15 6:28 
NewsHi Pin
Member 110639976-Sep-14 18:04
Member 110639976-Sep-14 18:04 
Questionhow to add idea or airtel subscriber Pin
Member 1054576527-Jun-14 23:34
Member 1054576527-Jun-14 23:34 
GeneralMy vote of 4 Pin
Agyemang18-Jun-14 6:37
Agyemang18-Jun-14 6:37 
GeneralMy vote of 1 Pin
Rixterz12330-May-14 10:27
Rixterz12330-May-14 10:27 
Questionmail server and carrier Pin
muhannadcs22-Mar-14 13:00
muhannadcs22-Mar-14 13:00 
GeneralMy vote of 1 Pin
Rixterz1237-Mar-14 5:39
Rixterz1237-Mar-14 5:39 
GeneralRe: My vote of 1 Pin
gggustafson30-May-14 6:05
mvagggustafson30-May-14 6:05 
Questionneed this for my thesis.. Pin
Member 1042107723-Nov-13 5:08
Member 1042107723-Nov-13 5:08 
QuestionMObile carrier in Tonga Pin
backblaze21318-Aug-13 19:12
backblaze21318-Aug-13 19:12 
GeneralThanks... Pin
Creeper_Stache3-Jun-13 4:50
Creeper_Stache3-Jun-13 4:50 
GeneralRe: Thanks... Pin
heemanshu bhalla8-Aug-13 8:22
heemanshu bhalla8-Aug-13 8:22 
QuestionPDA code for sending text message Pin
justoriko13-May-13 19:40
justoriko13-May-13 19:40 
QuestionNice job. Pin
Sir Mari05-May-13 5:30
Sir Mari05-May-13 5:30 
QuestionSending mail Pin
DOZDOZ16-Apr-13 5:06
DOZDOZ16-Apr-13 5:06 
QuestionSendng mail Pin
DOZDOZ16-Apr-13 4:59
DOZDOZ16-Apr-13 4:59 
Questionsend message via mobile though desktop application c# .net Pin
Aditya Malviya17-Dec-12 1:13
Aditya Malviya17-Dec-12 1:13 
GeneralMy vote of 4 Pin
Parthi Bun17-Oct-12 0:40
Parthi Bun17-Oct-12 0:40 
GeneralRe: My vote of 4 Pin
murti abdi20-Nov-13 7:01
murti abdi20-Nov-13 7:01 
QuestionAre there changes that need to be made in the code Pin
epodemik28-Jun-12 15:36
epodemik28-Jun-12 15:36 
QuestionDoubt in program Pin
Arunmozhidevan19-Jun-12 6:18
Arunmozhidevan19-Jun-12 6:18 

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