SMS Server/Group SMS?
 

Anyone ever built a server or use an app/service to send Group SMS? If so, which one(s) did you use?

I would like to use a system like this for emergency notifications. This would not be unsolicited SMS, but used for work issues. Since SMS doesn't use my servers, I think it may provide communications when other stuff may be down.

You want commercial or to roll your own solution?

Commercial wise, we use Blackboard's product for emergency notifications. Either doesn't work well at all, doesn't work with our weird setups, or the stuff that isn't working is due to policy/proceedure/etc on our end. But, a lot of large schools and such use it.

I've seen several open source projects that will send sms using a tethered phone of a certain type. Looks easy to set up, but I don't have the re$ource$ to play with to actually implement it and test it. Simple enough -receive some sort of authenticated message somehow, then start sending texts to whatever numbers in your db qualify. Need one of several certain type/models of phone with certain firmware versions, cell account for said phone on a carrier that allows sending messages like this, and after that it is basic programming/scripting to tie it all together.

How many people are we talking about?

For my friends and I, most group communication is done using GroupMe. There are android and iOS apps and it can also be used on regular phones just like texting anther number, but all messages are sent to everyone on the group roster.

It works great for the 15-20 people we have in our groups. However, I have no experience with how it might work on a large scale.

Looking at messaging about 35-40 people.

I use GroupMe for personal stuff, and like it a lot, but wouldn't want to use it in this context. I am looking for something business grade.

I'll check on blackboard and see what that's about.

Any others?