Alpha Feature: SMS Control

This is an alpha feature in initial development.

Basically, this allows you to register your cell phone with your account and then send text messages to us to control settings like DND, forwarding, failover, etc. The concept is that if you're out and about and want to forward your calls as an example, one quick text message would take care of it.

Some things planned:

- Adding more security

- Adding e-mail/sms confirmations of all actions

- Adding an option to include a PIN number in the command

Testing SMS Number: 95495

Commands Available Now:

VOIPO1 FWD NUMBER (Enable Forwarding to a Number)
VOIPO1 FWD OFF (Disable Forwarding)
VOIPO1 FWD ME (Forward to Your Cell)

VOIPO1 DND BUSY (Enable DND - Busy)
VOIPO1 DND VOICEMAIL (Enable DND - Voicemail)
VOIPO1 DND OFF - (Disable DND)

VOIPO1 FAIL VOICEMAIL (Set Failover to Voicemail)
VOIPO1 FAIL NUMBER (Set Failover to Number)

For the early testing, you need to prepend VOIP1 to all commands. When this is rolled out to the public, you'll be able to text the commands directly to VOIPO (86476) without the need to prepend.

If you are logged into vPanel, you can access https://secure.voipo.com/features/sms to add your cell number so it'll match up your account.

Let us know if you have any issues with this. We'd also like to get some feedback as to how useful everyone feels this will be, how you'd like to see it work, and what commands you'd find useful.

This is a great idea!

The only question I have is.....

If you have multiple numbers, then how can you specify which one you are changing? It seems you could only specify one. Of coarse this would only apply to about 1% of us...

;):)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VOIPoTim

This is an alpha feature in initial development.

Basically, this allows you to register your cell phone with your account and then send text messages to us to control settings like DND, forwarding, failover, etc. The concept is that if you're out and about and want to forward your calls as an example, one quick text message would take care of it.
.

---

Why not just use short numeric codes or even the same *nn codes and save the text message cost. It is cheaper to me to spend voice time than SMS time (AT&T) ;( You could have voice confirmation of the requested action.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gbh2o

Why not just use short numeric codes or even the same *nn codes and save the text message cost. It is cheaper to me to spend voice time than SMS time (AT&T) ;( You could have voice confirmation of the requested action.

---

This is a good point especially for the aged cell phone users.

I have texting disabled on mine and my wife's phones, since we were getting mostly spam and paying for the messaging.

Voice would be a great communicator, but I understand that texting seems to be the way of cellular and the way of the world.

I imagine SMS scales better than a voice line?

* codes on SMS will help those that use it remember one list.

I agree with the comments regarding the desire for a voice interface to issue these commands remotely. (Shouldn't come as a surprise--I've been vocally requesting that feature for years--not just with voipo.) While this is a good intermediate step for most cell phone users, it does have significant limitations in comparison with a remote voice interface:

1. It can only be used from SMS-capable devices (e.g. not your friend's POTS phone).
2. For most customers, each SMS costs $0.20 or so--I, for one, will not purchase a $5/mo SMS package from my provider, because I don't use 25 msgs/mo yet. When the packages are included in most mobile plan prices, (I'm not holding my breath) it will be more useful.

That said, don't drop the feature. :) Also, may I suggest a callback bridge feature? command: CALLBACK [NUMBER]. This command will cause voipo to call the registered mobile phone (or specified number) and provide a dialtone to the answering party. The call made by the callback target party is charged against the voipo account. The main selling points of this feature would be the person who has a direct DID at their desk but is not allowed long distance outbound calls, or the mobile phone user who wants to place an international call at a more reasonable rate than that charged by their mobile provider...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gbh2o

Why not just use short numeric codes or even the same *nn codes and save the text message cost. It is cheaper to me to spend voice time than SMS time (AT&T) ;( You could have voice confirmation of the requested action.

---

As a follow-up...
The other SIMPLE option could be to have different call-in numbers for different functions. By that, I mean one number by which to set and/or change failover, another number by which to set and/or change forwarding. That would require a bit of users setting up their phone to have the numbers in their address book to accomplish tasks for which they feel they may have use. DIDs are cheap! And, the system wouldn't even be restricted to cell phones. ;)

Best would be to call your own number, so easy anyone will know it !!!
Then choose from
Press 1 to leave message, press 2 to control your options, press 3 to retrieve voicemail etc

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VOIPoTim

This is an alpha feature in initial development.

If you are logged into vPanel, you can access https://secure.voipo.com/sms to add your cell number so it'll match up your account.

Let us know if you have any issues with this. We'd also like to get some feedback as to how useful everyone feels this will be, how you'd like to see it work, and what commands you'd find useful.

---

I tried to access it in VPANEL and it told me I was nt authorized to view that page.
Has it been pushed out to all accounts yet? I re-booted by the way.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NY Tel Guy

I tried to access it in VPANEL and it told me I was nt authorized to view that page.
Has it been pushed out to all accounts yet? I re-booted by the way.

---

You have to already be logged into vPanel. It's kind of a backdoor to it right now while in testing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VOIPoTim

You have to already be logged into vPanel. It's kind of a backdoor to it right now while in testing.

---

I just tried for the first time after logging in and got the same thing...

Yup, me too.

Here is what the response says after you login and try to access the link provided:

Exception Caught: You are not authorized to view this page!

Confirm same here right after logging in, FF3 if that matters.

Let me have someone make sure it was added to all accounts access wise. We have a ton of "hidden features" only on some accounts, so maybe they haven't pushed to all. Give me a few mins and if not, it'll be enabled on all.

I want a hidden features link :D

Found it here: https://secure.voipo.com/features/sms

Should be Toggle Active/Inactive
Not Toggle Active/Unactive

Perhaps you can make it Toggle Active/Inactive
So it matches the toggle state that you color the number on the list?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by usa2k

I want a hidden features link :D

Found it here: https://secure.voipo.com/features/sms

---

You get a gold star!

;):)

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r217...eedback-Needed

Call back built into HostGator as a web function, would be a great sales/support tool for HostGator Customers and VOIPo Support. Just include a link asking for a call to your phone if you need to hear a real person.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by usa2k

I want a hidden features link :D

Found it here: https://secure.voipo.com/features/sms

Should be Toggle Active/Inactive
Not Toggle Active/Unactive

Perhaps you can make it Toggle Active/Inactive
So it matches the toggle state that you color the number on the list?

---

I am able to get to that page but it is the same exact page I had all along, there is no reference to SMS on the page.

I tried to fwd my calls to my work no using the sms. First time when I sent the text message I typed in my work no incorrectly(I did not realize until I made a test call to my home). I tried to fix it by resending another text message with the correct no. It looks like the second sms is not updating the call forward no.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rx100

I tried to fwd my calls to my work no using the sms. First time when I sent the text message I typed in my work no incorrectly(I did not realize until I made a test call to my home). I tried to fix it by resending another text message with the correct no. It looks like the second sms is not updating the call forward no.

---

Could you reply with the text message that you sent, or rather PM me it.
________
Fetish Hentai

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NY Tel Guy

I am able to get to that page but it is the same exact page I had all along, there is no reference to SMS on the page.

---

Same for me as well. Do I need to be activated to use the special hidden features?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dtrose

Same for me as well. Do I need to be activated to use the special hidden features?

---

Ok I got there finally by signing in, going to the normal features tab and then adding /sms at the end of the URL

Sorry, there was a typo in my post.

https://secure.voipo.com/features/sms is correct URL.

I left out the /features/ part in the link.

While I don't suffer from this issue, you may want to also include the words (Active/Inactive) in case you have someone who can't distinguish Red/Green using VPanel to set up this feature.

I like the red and green, but I think it breaks accessibility rules.



Dan

Dan, thanks for bringing this up. I in fact, would not be able to tell the difference between green and red due to a visual impairment, so you are correct I think in saying that not including text labels does break accessibility guidelines and I would hope this would be kept in mind when designing any new features..

RA

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by orum

While I don't suffer from this issue, you may want to also include the words (Active/Inactive) in case you have someone who can't distinguish Red/Green using VPanel to set up this feature.

I like the red and green, but I think it breaks accessibility rules.



Dan

---

Awesome, as usual.

I know some of you have been using this because I see the logs.

Does anyone that uses it have any feedback on it?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ralfaro

I in fact, would not be able to tell the difference between green and red due to a visual impairment

---

I have a red/green deficiency, and I can confirm that it is difficult to distinguish the states... perhaps a flag or check mark would help?

I'd prefer to have a mobile version of the Control panel maybe at m.voipo.com, which would allow contol of the featre set.

I tried setting up forwarding last night with "VOIPO1 FWD ME", but I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't work, and I ended up disabling it. I checked vpanel this morning and finally figured it out -- my cell phone number is ABCDEFGHIJ, but vpanel showed the forwarding number as 1ABCDEEFGH. I'll send the actual number directly if it will help.

When I used "VOIPO1 FWD <explicit number>", it worked fine.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bwarden

I tried setting up forwarding last night with "VOIPO1 FWD ME", but I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't work, and I ended up disabling it. I checked vpanel this morning and finally figured it out -- my cell phone number is ABCDEFGHIJ, but vpanel showed the forwarding number as 1ABCDEEFGH. I'll send the actual number directly if it will help.

When I used "VOIPO1 FWD <explicit number>", it worked fine.

---

OK, so we need to look at the ME command. I'll add that to bug list.

Any chance in allowing email messages to access the same API as the SMS control (with a PIN of course since anyone could spoof the email message). It would be nice to be able to setup a cronjob to schedule DND during certain hours. :) I know that's alot to ask for, but figured since it's the same API, it might be easy to do.

Has anyone been using this more? So far no complaints on it. We can pretty easily add things to it so we're open to functionality suggestions with it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bubbanc

Any chance in allowing email messages to access the same API as the SMS control (with a PIN of course since anyone could spoof the email message). It would be nice to be able to setup a cronjob to schedule DND during certain hours. :) I know that's alot to ask for, but figured since it's the same API, it might be easy to do.

---

It would be pretty easy.

How much interest is there in a Web API like this?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VOIPoTim

How much interest is there in a Web API like this?

---

I would definitely be interested in a web API.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VOIPoTim

It would be pretty easy.

How much interest is there in a Web API like this?

---

I would really like a web service. Especially if I could add/delete call routes too. I could create a dashboard application that my family could use to control the phone settings (my route for private straight to voicemail, forwarding, etc.)

Dan

Web API would be great. Being able to schedule my own jobs to control things such as forwarding and DND would be great.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VOIPoTim

Has anyone been using this more? So far no complaints on it. We can pretty easily add things to it so we're open to functionality suggestions with it.

---

just tried it today for the first time and it worked like a charm. Not a bad deal since you can do it while in a meeting.

Count me in as well for the web interface. I think that for at least those of us that have data plans, simply opening up our browser and going to a web based interface that is taylored for mobile use and changing any of several options would be easier to use, with no need to memorize the sms commands and no need for confirmation text or email messages. I'm not saying replace the sms option but having this as a choice would be awesome.

RA

Can you add a command to toggle simul ring?