Modem — instance to send SMS

How to send SMS to a GPS tracking device from flespi via your telecom service provider?

Essentials

Modems in flespi allow sending configuration SMS to the GPS tracking devices via a selected telecom service provider.

Modem types

The way a modem connects to the SMS server is described in the configuration field and may be one of the following:

  • flespi — built-in modem with limitations described above, you may safely create/delete it anytime, deliver SMS to phone numbers only

  • clickatell — a modem using clickatell API to deliver SMS to recipients by phone number

  • SMPP — a modem using standard SMPP protocol to deliver SMS to recipients by phone number

  • jasper — a modem using Jasper SMS API to deliver SMS to recipients by ICCID

  • pod-iot-suite — a modem using POD IoT Suite API to deliver SMS to recipients by ICCID

  • 1NCE — a modem using 1NCE API to deliver SMS to recipients by ICCID

How modems work

A modem is an instance to connect flespi and a telecom service provider. By default, each user has a flespi modem instance and 10 free SMS. 

SMS can be sent in two ways:

  • via the API by selecting address=SMS in the appropriate REST API call, or 
  • as a setting to device using the SMS button for a specific setting on the Commands & Settings tab or in Setbox:
    send command via sms

Priority

When you request to send an SMS, flespi finds the modem with the highest priority to dispatch the SMS. If sending via such modem fails, the modem with lower priority is used. You can adjust modems priority in the modem configuration.

Correct phone number format

The phone number of the recipient can be specified in one of the following formats:

  1. International — starting with a + sign and no longer than 15 digits. This format works for flespi, clickatell, and SMPP modem types.

  2. ICCID — 19 or 20 digits printed on the device SIM card. This format works for the jasper, 1NCE and pod-iot-suite modem type.

The wrong phone number format will cause a modem to reject the message. After that flespi will try to send the message via a lower-priority modem.

How to create a modem?

  1. Log in to the flespi panel
  2. Navigate to Telematics hub -> Modems and click the "+" button in the bottom right corner to add a new modem:
    create new modem flespi
  3. Give the new modem a meaningful name, set the priority, pick the modem type from the configuration drop-down, and fill in the required credentials:
    configure modem flespi

Modems API

To perform any operations with the modems, use the modems API.

Troubleshooting

In case of any issues, check the Logs & Messages tab on the modem screen:

flespi modem logs