Category Archives: SMS Modem

MOBITEK Q24, MOBITEK S80

SMS Engine Basic Edition version 7.4 is Released for MOBITEK Q25

Version 7.4: E-mail notification function was added. Notification is send out on these 2 conditions:

    1. when engine is stopped; and
    2. when any modem is unable to initialize.

Click on “Notification” menu.

MOBITEK® SMS Engine is provided for free with MOBITEK® Q25 4G Modem, Type M only.

MOBITEK® SMS Engine — Basic Edition is able to work in:

  • Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 32-bit & 64-bit, 11 64-bit
  • Windows Server 2003, 2008, 2010 R2, 2016, 2019 32-bit & 64-bit.

How It Works?

 

More Information

How MOBITEK SMS Modem Can Be Used for Transactional SMS?

What is Transactional SMS?

  • used by businesses to relay transactional information.
  • through this type of SMS, businesses can reach subscribed customers directly to share important details that aren’t related to promotional activity.
  • most commonly automated, triggered by customer actions.
  • provide value to customers with personalized and unique text messages.
  • benefits of sending transactional messages via SMS:
    • fast deliver, deliver in a few seconds
    • convenient, all SMS sending to mobile number
    • high delivery rate, SMS open rate up to 98%
    • low cost and high return
    • integration capabilities
    • do not need opt-in

 

How does Transactional SMS work?

For “SMS API”, you can use either:-

For “SMS Server”, you can use:-

 

Transactional SMS Examples

How to Reset or Reboot MOBITEK S80 Modem on an Interval

  1. The reset command “AT+WRST” can be issued in either hyper terminal or QCOM.
  2. When MOBITEK S80 modem is reset/reboot:-
    • the state of QCOM as follows:-
      • “Close Port” button turn to “Open Port”
      • “Send Command” and “Run” buttons are greyed out
      • No command can be send out
    • the state of Red LED status as follows:-
      • stop blinking
      • turn off
      • turn on
      • blinking
      • all the above completed in less than 10 seconds
    • SMS Engine — Enterprise Edition is able to re-initialize the modem

 

TEST RESULT

TEST OBJECTIVE TESTING METHODOLOGY TEST RESULT
Can MOBITEK S80 support schedule reboot? E.g. reboot on 1 p.m. every day? Not applicable
Can MOBITEK S80 reboot every 3 minutes? AT+WRST?

+WRST: 0

OK
AT+WRST=1,”000:03″

OK
AT+WRST?

+WRST: 1,”000:03″,”000:03″

OK

 The reset is set to start at “15:46”. By right the port will disconnect at:

  • 15:49
  • 15:52
  • 15:55

The state of QCOM when the modem disconnect:

  • “Close Port” button turn to “Open Port”
  • “Send Command” and “Run” buttons are greyed out
  • No command can be send out

At “15:49” the port closed (below s.c. is taken around 1 minute late).

Open the port again at “15:51”. At “15:52” the port closed (below s.c. is taken around 1 minute late).
Can SMS Engine — Ent. Ed. re-initialise MOBITEK S80 Modem after modem is reset?
  1. Stop the service/engine
  2. Use hyper terminal instead of QCOM ( because during remote support, you will use hyper terminal)
  3. Set the modem to reset every 3 or 5 minutes (AT+WRST=1,”000:03″)
  4. Start the service/enigne
  5. Check the log file, it should show that “GSM modem not connected” every 3 minutes then follow by “Modem ID 1 initialized”.

Not sure how frequent the engine will check for the modem’s connection. The reset duration happen in less than 10 seconds. Probably it missed the checking:

  • between 17:10 – 17:19
    • status missing at 17:13
    • status missing at 17:16
  • between 17:19 – 17:28
    • status missing at 17:22
    • status missing at 17:25

The last 3 “initialized” status show the disconnect interval are 3 minutes.
When modem is reset, what is the status of LED?
  1. Open Hyper Terminal, enter AT+WRST=1,”000:03″ command
  2. Start the engine
  3. Monitor LED status
 Red LED status when the modem reset (less than 10 seconds):

  • stop blinking
  • turn off
  • turn on
  • blinking

 

AT+WRST

AT+WRST only has the <MODE>,<DELAY>,<REMAINTIME>:

Issued: AT+WRST=1,"000:03"

Response: +WRST: 1,"000:03","000:03"

  • 1 = enable reset
  • “000:03” = reset every 3 minutes interval
  • “000:03” = countdown for the next reset (3 minutes). this countdown is still active even the port is disconnected.

Means:

  • AT+WRST is not able to do schedule reboot as we can’t specify the schedule time for the reset
  • AT+WRST is able to reset at any interval, i.e.: every 3 minutes
  • need to connect to the port again after every reset
  • the reset setting is always saved in the module even after every reconnection unless “AT+WRST=0” is issued

How to Solve “BadImageFormatException”

Applies to: SMS API v. 9.2 in Visual Studio Community 2019 and Windows Server 2019 64-bit

Problem: when SMS API v9.2 sample program in run in debug mode, Visual Studio Community 2019 always give this error :-

Inner Exception 1:

BadImageFormatException: Could not load file or assembly ‘Interop.MobitekSMSAPI9, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null’ or one of its dependencies.

This assembly is built by a runtime newer than the currently loaded runtime and cannot be loaded.

Solution: change the “Target Framework” of the project to “.NET Framework 4” with these steps:-

  1. Migrate the project “SMS API v. 9.2” to open in Visual Studio 2019.
  2. Open the project. Go to the project “Properties”. In “Application” tab, change the “Target framework” to “.NET Framework 4”.
  3. You will get below warning after changing the “Target framework”. Just click “Yes”.
  4. Close and reopen the project.
  5. Click “Start” button to start debugging the project. Please allow some times for the project to be built.
  6. After the project has completely built, try to click all menus and buttons to see if the problem occur again.

Does Shutting Down 3G Network Affect the Functionality of MOBITK Q24 and MOBITEK S80 SMS Modem (GSM Modem)

Question: Malaysia TELCO phasing out 3G soon, may we know if MOBITEK S80 (3G) and MOBITEK Q24 (2G) SMS Modem will be affected (not able to send out SMS)?

 

Answer no. 1: please refer to

3G Shut Down: Millions of Maxis & Celcom 4G customers may need 2G to make Calls

“Malaysia is among a limited countries around the world that have decided to shut down its 3G networks while maintaining 2G.“

“As a safety net, 2G network will still be maintained to ensure customers are able to make calls and SMS seamlessly, whenever 4G is inaccessible,”

 

Answer no. 2: please refer to

Digi begins shutting down its 3G network, here’s the full schedule

Digi CTO Kesavan Sivabalan said: “Our priority remains in ensuring high availability and consistency of our 4G network services, and to do so effectively, it is necessary that we retire the 3G network, freeing up crucial spectrum and resources that would now be channelled towards increasing capacity of the 4G network to support higher usage.”  Users with 3G devices can still stay connected to 2G after the 3G shutdown. While 2G is sufficient for basic voice calls and SMS, it is barely usable for internet services in this day and age.

 

Answer no. 3: please refer to

Malaysia has not fully shut down its 3G networks, over 440,000 users have not switched to 4G phones

Malaysia was supposed to shut down all 3G networks by the end of 2021 but it turns out that some 3G sites are still operational. This was revealed during the recent JENDELA update for the final quarter of 2021.

3G users can still use their existing phones after the 3G shutdown but their devices will connect to the slower 2G connection, which can be used for basic voice calls and SMS.

Therefore, as long as 2G network is maintained, MOBITEK S80 (3G) and MOBITEK Q24 (2G) SMS Modem can still send and receive SMS.

COM Port Number of MOBITEK E20 Modem Will Change If USB Port is Changed

Conclusion: COM Port number will change if MOBITEK E20 4G Modem connects to different USB port.

TEST OBJECTIVE TESTING METHODOLOGY TEST RESULT
To test if the COM port number of MOBITEK E20 4G Modem will change if USB port is changed.
  1. Connect MOBITEK E20 4G Modem to all 4 USB ports in Dell-E6410.
  2. For each USB port connected, check the Device Manager to see whether the COM port is change or not.
  1. USB port right bottom -> COM19
  2. USB port right top -> COM27
  3. USB port left bottom -> COM47
  4. USB port left top -> COM43

“Device driver software was not successfully installed” Warning Message

Applies to: MOBITEK S80 Modem

The warning “Device driver software was not successfully installed” can be ignored as long as there are 4 COM ports appeared when you plug in MOBITEK S80 Modem with PC.

 

The 4 COM ports are:-

  • Sierra Wireless AT Command Port (UMTS)
  • Sierra Wireless CNS Port (UMTS)
  • Sierra Wireless DM Port (UMTS)
  • Sierra Wireless NMEA Port (UMTS)