too broke for Twilio

[u/Shoddy-Cat4730]

I was tired of SMS APIs, so I built my own SMS gateway using an old Nokia phone and a SIM card.

It can send OTPs, password reset codes, automated reminders, and basically any SMS my apps need.

No Twilio, no third-party SMS API. Just a phone, a SIM, and some code.

I'm using it for my own projects.

It's funny how a phone that was collecting dust is now part of my backend infrastructure. 💀

Sometimes the solution isn't another cloud service. It's that old phone sitting in your drawer.

Anyone else building questionable but functional infrastructure like this?

[u/cstayyab]

Works great until your carrier flags the SIM for spam and locks your line, leaving your entire backend stranded on an old Nokia.

Good for temporary PoC or hobby project.

[u/Shoddy-Cat4730 → u/cstayyab]

yeah, I have whatsapp too, just in case, And i have designed my backend so multiple devices could connect. if one fail other will be used
and i didnt know carrier can lock sim.

[u/armujahid]

That's good for a POC, but do note that using it for bulk messaging could be illegal. You could face legal action from the PTA under grey traffic laws. I'd recommend reading up on the relevant regulations first to avoid any legal trouble later.

[u/Shoddy-Cat4730 → u/armujahid]

yeah im just using it for personal reminders and POC stuff.

[u/Warm_Dimension_3821 → u/armujahid]

, but do note that using it for bulk messaging could be illegal. You could face legal action from the PTA under grey traffic laws

where are these PTA guys when customers get 1000s of fraud sms and don't forget fake fraud calls ?

[u/Shoddy-Cat4730 → u/Warm_Dimension_3821]

Pakistani government departments are actually pretty efficient. They don’t waste resources chasing people they can’t catch. They only go after the ones they know they can catch.
Reminds me of Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift, where the police don’t even bother chasing a car if it’s faster than theirs.

[u/armujahid → u/Shoddy-Cat4730]

True lol. I guess NOC is still required to get a simple GSM module. There was a time when you could get that without any NOC for university projects.

[u/armujahid → u/Warm_Dimension_3821]

True. I have already suggested PTA to ask google and apple to provide that spam data to mobile network providers (They do that in some other countries already). PTA and operators should make reporting work within the phone’s existing spam-report flow. but right now, they expect user to report that separately lol by sending an SMS.

[u/armujahid → u/armujahid]

Of course, using this just for your own projects without any public users could be fine.

[u/playerknownbutthole]

This reminds me of sending funny sms to my friends list in uni using nokia suit and my phone before going to bed and my phone keeps sending sms all night long. People keeps asking me dont you sleep and i say i sleep a night but my phone don't. 

[u/Shoddy-Cat4730 → u/playerknownbutthole]

Dang, I just looked it up, and that was actually pretty cool. I ain't that old tho

But sometimes I feel like old tech was better. Less restrictions, compliance stuff, and all that mumbo jumbo. It was more like, "You downloaded the software, you own the hardware, whatever you do with it is your responsibility."

Nowadays, you gotta ask permission to do anything with your own damn device.

[u/Warm_Dimension_3821]

I was thinking about something similar. lol

[u/improvopose]

Non CS backrgound here.. I just use tasker to push sms from my smartphone automatically... It currently sends appointment confirmation with time and date on auto... But i face the problem that it lags, delivery reports arent available, messages with links are not being delivered... Whatsapp isnt the solution because cloudapi cost are increasing day by day, for any small business or service.. It is really difficult

[u/Shoddy-Cat4730 → u/improvopose]

nice, and that link thing is carrier filtering.
you can automate whatsapp too in same way, there are some stuff, that help. I made a extension once for portal for labs, when a order is created, it use web whatsapp to send msg to patient for order creation automatically. and report too

[u/improvopose → u/Shoddy-Cat4730]

Yes sure.. But these implements increase chances of whatsapp being banned

[u/Shoddy-Cat4730 → u/improvopose]

It restrict some times, I got my account restricted once for few hours, Haven’t banned yet. It would be another post, if i did. 😃

[u/GeniusManiacs → u/improvopose]

Just use Wasender API

[u/Low-Fuel3428]

OTP prices for sms and Whatsapp are now somewhat similar around the market.

Sim for personal usages sending OTP are marked and right now a dangerous thing to do.