Adding SMS to website question

I have tried to research SMS gateways to integrate into our website.
Basically it is a networking site for an industry and we want the
ability for members to send text messages from our website to another
members phone. We have a page for sending messages (part of VBulletin
forum) and would want to add this, perhaps by allowing members to add
their cell numbers to our database (not for public view) and then
other members could simply type the text in our form, and click "send
to cell phone".

I cant get a handle on costs to us...is it approx. 5cents per message
sent, a number I keep seeing, charged to us (website owner) or is
that
charged to receiver of message? If so, is there a way for the sender
to be charged instead of us, by making it more of a direct phone to
phone message somehow, yet the message creation and "send' function
still appearing on our website, somewhat invisible to sender/
receiver,
with phone numbers not revealed to either unless they include it in
message obviously.?


Also, any handle on costs to implement, or are these gateway
companies
only charging per message with no substantial startup, except for our
coding to integrate it with VB?
Thanks.

Hello, "Phil" <thinkofanamefast@aol.com>!
Tue, 8 Jan 2008 07:03:31 -0800 (PST) 18:03:31 in alt.cellular.nokia you wrote:

P> I have tried to research SMS gateways to integrate into our website.
P> Basically it is a networking site for an industry and we want the
P> ability for members to send text messages from our website to another
P> members phone.

We can offer Oxygen Mobile ActiveX Control ( http://www.smsactivex.com/ ) for this purpose.

P> If so, is there a way for the sender
P> to be charged instead of us, by making it more of a direct phone to
P> phone message somehow, yet the message creation and "send' function
P> still appearing on our website, somewhat invisible to sender/
P> receiver,
P> with phone numbers not revealed to either unless they include it in
P> message obviously.?

Theoretically it is possible, but you should sign special agreement with cellular network operator: this cannot be done without the Operator.

Best regards, Maxim Vyalkov.
Oxygen Software - tools for your mobile phone.
Oxygen Phone Manager II - all you want from your mobile phone.
http://www.opm-2.com/
http://www.oxygensoftware.com/

P> I have tried to research SMS gateways to integrate into our website.
P> Basically it is a networking site for an industry and we want the
P> ability for members to send text messages from our website to another
P> members phone. We have a page for sending messages (part of VBulletin
P> forum) and would want to add this, perhaps by allowing members to add
P> their cell numbers to our database (not for public view) and then
P> other members could simply type the text in our form, and click "send
P> to cell phone".

P> I cant get a handle on costs to us...is it approx. 5cents per message
P> sent, a number I keep seeing, charged to us (website owner) or is
P> that
P> charged to receiver of message? If so, is there a way for the sender
P> to be charged instead of us, by making it more of a direct phone to
P> phone message somehow, yet the message creation and "send' function
P> still appearing on our website, somewhat invisible to sender/
P> receiver,
P> with phone numbers not revealed to either unless they include it in
P> message obviously.?


P> Also, any handle on costs to implement, or are these gateway
P> companies
P> only charging per message with no substantial startup, except for our
P> coding to integrate it with VB?
P> Thanks.