Now SMS/MMS Gateway v5.0

Guide to New Features

 

This document provides brief documentation on some of the new features of the v5.0 release of the Now SMS/MMS Gateway.

 

For further information or clarification, please post any questions to the Now SMS/MMS Discussion Board at http://www.nowsms.com/messages.

 

This document covers the following subjects:

 

• Receiving Messages from an Operator MMSC
• Routing Outbound Messages through an Operator MMSC
• Options for Processing Received MMS Messages
• Support for Value Added Service Provider (VASP) Connections (MM1, MM4, MM7, EAIF)

 

Other new features will be covered in future updates to this document.

 

Receiving Messages from an Operator MMSC

 

When a GSM phone or GSM modem receives an MMS message, what it actually receives is an MMS notification message. The MMS notification message arrives via an SMS message (usually two concatenated SMS messages). The MMS notification message contains header information about the MMS message, plus a URL pointer (e.g., http://host.name/path/file.mms) to the actual MMS content. In order to receive the MMS message, the receiving device must initiate an HTTP connection to retrieve the URL with the MMS message content (this URL generally points to content residing on the operator MMSC).

 

In earlier releases of the Now SMS/MMS Gateway, when the gateway received an MMS notification message, it would always attempt to retrieve the MMS message content via HTTP over the default internet connection of the PC running the gateway software. While this worked for some installations, this did not work for retrieving MMS message content from many operator MMSCs. The reason that it would not work in many installations is that the operator MMSCs were either firewalled off so that they were inaccessible from the internet, or they were on private IP addresses within the operator network.

 

The v5.0 release of the Now SMS/MMS Gateway includes configuration options that allow the gateway to automatically initiate a GPRS connection when an MMS notification message is received. Rather than retrieving the MMS message via HTTP, the gateway can make a connection to the operator WAP gateway to retrieve the MMS message content from the MMSC through the WAP gateway using WAP protocols. As almost all MMS compatible phones issue their MMS requests through a WAP gateway proxy, this allows the gateway software to appear just like a standard MMS compatible phone.

 

Note that you can still not use an MMS compatible phone as a GSM modem if you want to be able to receive MMS messages through the gateway. This is because an MMS compatible phone intercepts the MMS notification and tries to process it automatically, never forwarding it to the gateway. You must use a GSM/GPRS modem device to take advantage of this feature.

 

Before continuing, you will need to determine the GPRS APN (Access Point Name), the IP address of the WAP gateway, and the MMSC Message Server URL that are used for sending/receiving MMS via your operator network. These settings are operator dependent, and it may be advisable to check the MMS configuration settings on a working mobile phone to determine the correct settings. Note that your mobile operator possibly has multiple GPRS APNs and multiple WAP gateways, and you need the settings that are appropriate for MMS, not for WAP browsing or general internet connectivity.

 

With most GSM/GPRS modems (except for some PC card modems that allow GPRS access through a network connection without using dial-up networking), NowSMS cannot simultaneously use the modem for both sending/receiving SMS messages and accessing GPRS data.

 

The gateway allows you to define separate settings for receiving MMS messages for each SMSC connection that is defined to your gateway. (Recall that the first stage of receiving MMS messages is that an MMS notification message is received via SMS.)

 

From the "SMSC" page of the Now SMS/MMS Gateway configuration dialog, highlight a connection for which you want to configure settings for receiving MMS messages, and select "Properties".

 

The screen that is displayed will vary depending on the type of SMSC connection selected. But for any of the types of SMSC connections that can receive SMS messages, there will be a check box for whether or not the gateway should attempt to "Receive MMS Messages" for MMS notifications received via that SMSC connection.

 

 

To configure the "MMS Settings", ensure that "Receive MMS Messages" is checked, and then select the "MMS Settings" button.

 

 

The "MMS Settings" dialog specifies how to receive MMS messages associated with any MMS notifications received over the SMSC connection.

 

The "MMS Server URL" is the URL address for the operator MMSC. While this setting is primarily used when sending MMS messages, the gateway will acknowledge MMS message receipt to this URL.

 

If the MMS message content needs to be received over a specific network connection, such as a GPRS modem, check the "Use Specific Network Connection (GPRS Modem)" checkbox.

 

In the "Network Connection", select the name of the network connection that is to be used. NowSMS can use any of three different types of connections to make a GPRS connection. The different available connections are listed in the drop-down field associated with this configuration field. The different types of connections are prefixed with the text "Modem:", "Dial-up:", or "Network:", and are described below:

 

a.)    "Modem:" refers to a standard GPRS connection to be initiated over a GPRS modem. Select the modem that should be used for this connection. (Note that only modems that have a Windows modem driver defined for the modem can be used. If your modem does not have a modem driver supplied by the manufacturer, you can use one of the "Standard" or "Generic" modem drivers available when defining a modem in the Windows Control Panel.)

b.)    "Dial-up:" refers to a dial-up networking connection defined on the current PC. This setting can be used if you have advanced requirements and wish to create a custom dial-up networking profile.

c.)    "Network:" refers to a particular network interface card installed in the PC. Some PC card GPRS modems, such as the Sierra Wireless Aircard 750 provide GPRS access via a network driver interface. To tell NowSMS to use that specific network driver for connecting to the MMSC, select the named "Network:" driver.

 

The "WAP Gateway IP Address" field should contain the IP address of the operator WAP gateway which will act as a proxy for connections to the MMSC.

 

For most GSM/GPRS modems, it is not possible for the Now SMS/MMS Gateway to connect to the modem to send/receive SMS messages as the same time as a GPRS connection is active (Network Connection type = "Modem:" or "Dial-up:"). For these situations, the "Modem Used" setting should specify the name of a modem that is used by the Dial-up networking profile. If the Now SMS/MMS Gateway is using the modem to send/receive SMS messages, it will automatically release the modem when it needs to initiate a GPRS connection, otherwise the GPRS connection will not be able to be properly established.

 

The "GPRS APN" field specifies the GPRS Access Point Name (APN) to be accessed for connecting to the MMSC. This setting is operator dependent, and it may be advisable to check the MMS configuration settings on a working mobile phone to determine the correct settings. Note that your mobile operator possibly has multiple GPRS APNs and multiple WAP gateways, and you need the settings that are appropriate for MMS, not for WAP browsing or general internet connectivity. Note that this setting is only available when using a Network Connection of type "Modem:". For other connection types, the GPRS APN must be configured for the connection external to NowSMS.

 

The "Login Name" and "Password" parameters specify a username and password to be used for connecting to the GPRS network.

 

The "Test Connection" dialog verifies that the Now SMS/MMS Gateway can initiate a network connection to the specified profile, and that it can make a connection to the specified WAP gateway over the connection. (The "MMS Message Server URL" is not tested at this time.)

 

"MMSC Routing for Received Messages" is described elsewhere in this document.

 

 

Routing Outbound MMS Messages through an Operator MMSC

 

Similar to how the Now SMS/MMS Gateway allows recipient phone number masks to be defined to route SMS messages to different SMSC connections, this version of the gateway allows recipient phone number masks to be defined to route MMS messages to different MMSC connections.

 

The "MMSC Routing" page of the gateway configuration dialog specifies outbound routes for MMS messages.

 

 

By default, the Now SMS/MMS Gateway will act as an MMSC and perform direct delivery of MMS messages to recipients using a combination of SMS and WAP technologies.

 

However, there are certain closed operator configurations where it can be desirable to route MMS messages via an operator MMSC, or to reformat MMS message content to be delivered as a multimedia WAP push.

 

The "Default Route" setting specifies the default route to be used for delivering MMS messages. This setting can specify "Direct Delivery" utilizing the internal MMSC, "Convert MMS Message to Multimedia WAP Push", or it can specify any of the other routes that are defined in the "Additional Routes" page.

 

For example, if you wanted to setup the gateway so that it routed all outbound MMS messages to an operator MMSC over a GPRS modem connection, you would first define this routing in the "Additional Routes" list, and the return to the "Default Route" prompt to select that routing as the default route for the system.

 

MMSC Routings can use any of the following MMSC connectivity protocols:

 

MM7 - An XML/SOAP based format for MMS messages to be transmitted using HTTP POST. This standard is defined by the 3GPP.

 

MM4 - An SMTP based format for MMS messages to be transmitted between MMSCs.

 

MM1 - A binary format for transmitting MMS messages using HTTP POST. This is the protocol that is used for phone to phone MMS, so if you are routing messages to an operator MMSC over a GPRS connection, this is the protocol that is used.

 

EAIF - This is a Nokia proprietary variation on the MM1 format that is used for sending messages to a Nokia MMSC.

 

 

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"Account name" and "Account Description" are settings that identify the connection to the Now SMS/MMS Gateway only. These settings are not transmitted externally.

 

"Default Sender Address" specifies the default sender address to applied to any MMS messages that are transmitted over this connection. The "Default Sender Address" is used only if the message being transmitted does not include a sender address. This address can either be a standard e-mail address, or a telephone number. If a telephone number is specified, it must be specified in MMS messaging format (+phonenumber/TYPE=PLMN). If "Allow Sender Address Override" is checked, then submitted messages can include their own sender address. If this setting is not checked, the sender address for all messages transmitted via the MMSC connection will be changed to the "Default Sender Address".

 

When sending to an operator MMSC over GPRS, the operator MMSC will usually not allow a sender address other than the MSISDN of the sending phone. In these cases, it is usually best to leave the "Sender Address" field blank, and allow the MMSC to assign it automatically. To do this, leave the "Default Sender Address" field blank, and uncheck "Allow Sender Address Override".

 

The "Route messages to this account for recipient phone number(s)" field is an address mask for defining which recipient phone numbers should be routed to this account. For example, "+44*" would route all messages for the UK country code (44) to this connection. Multiple address masks can be defined. When multiple address masks are defined, they should be separated by a comma only (,) and no white space characters.

 

If this field is left blank, no messages will be routed to this connection, except under special circumstances defined elsewhere in this document ("Options for Processing Received MMS Messages").

 

The "Route Messages Via" option defines the protocol that will be used for routing the MMS message. Messages can be routed to an external host using the MM7, MM4, MM1 or EAIF protocols. Other options for message routing include "Direct Delivery" via the gateway's internal MMSC, or an option for the MMS to be converted into a Multimedia WAP Push message to be received by the WAP client on the recipient phone instead of the MMS client.

 

For MM7 connections, the "Server Address" field should contain a URL for posting to the MMSC. (The "http://" portion of the address is optional.) For example, http://192.168.1.1:8080/mm7. The "Login Name" and "Password" specify an optional login name and password that will be used to login to the MMSC using HTTP Basic Authentication. Other MMSC connectivity fields do not apply for MM7 connections.

 

For MM4 connections, the "Server Address" field should contain an IP address or host name of the MMSC. This field can also include a port number in the format, hostname:port, where "25" is the default port if a port number is not explicitly specified. The "E-Mail Domain" field specifies an e-mail domain that should automatically be appended to phone numbers when routing via this MMSC connection.

 

For EAIF connections, the "Server Address" field should contain a URL for posting to the MMSC. (The "http://" portion of the address is optional.) For example, http://192.168.1.1:8080/eaif. The "Login Name" and "Password" specify an optional login name and password that will be used to login to the MMSC using HTTP Basic Authentication. Other MMSC connectivity fields do not apply for EAIF connections.

For MM1 connections, the "Server Address" field should contain a URL for posting to the MMSC. (The "http://" portion of the address is optional.) For example, http://192.168.1.1:8080/mm1. Note that when you are using MM1 to connect with an operator MMSC over GRPS, this "Server address" is the "MMS Server URL" that would normally be configured on a mobile phone to connect with the operator MMSC. The "Login Name" and "Password" specify an optional login name and password that will be used to login to the MMSC using HTTP Basic Authentication. As MM1 connections are frequently used to connect with an operator MMSC over a GPRS connection, additional parameters can be specified to have the gateway automatically initiate a GPRS connection and post the MMS message to an MMSC over GPRS through a WAP gateway.

 

If the MMS message content needs to be sent over a specific network connection, such as a GPRS modem, check the "Use Specific Network Connection (GPRS Modem)" checkbox.

 

In the "Network Connection", select the name of the network connection that is to be used. NowSMS can use any of three different types of connections to make a GPRS connection. The different available connections are listed in the drop-down field associated with this configuration field. The different types of connections are prefixed with the text "Modem:", "Dial-up:", or "Network:", and are described below:

 

d.)    "Modem:" refers to a standard GPRS connection to be initiated over a GPRS modem. Select the modem that should be used for this connection. (Note that only modems that have a Windows modem driver defined for the modem can be used. If your modem does not have a modem driver supplied by the manufacturer, you can use one of the "Standard" or "Generic" modem drivers available when defining a modem in the Windows Control Panel.)

e.)    "Dial-up:" refers to a dial-up networking connection defined on the current PC. This setting can be used if you have advanced requirements and wish to create a custom dial-up networking profile.

f.)      "Network:" refers to a particular network interface card installed in the PC. Some PC card GPRS modems, such as the Sierra Wireless Aircard 750 provide GPRS access via a network driver interface. To tell NowSMS to use that specific network driver for connecting to the MMSC, select the named "Network:" driver.

 

The "WAP Gateway IP Address" field should contain the IP address of the operator WAP gateway which will act as a proxy for connections to the MMSC.

 

For most GSM/GPRS modems, it is not possible for the Now SMS/MMS Gateway to connect to the modem to send/receive SMS messages as the same time as a GPRS connection is active (Network Connection type = "Modem:" or "Dial-up:"). For these situations, the "Modem Used" setting should specify the name of a modem that is used by the Dial-up networking profile. If the Now SMS/MMS Gateway is using the modem to send/receive SMS messages, it will automatically release the modem when it needs to initiate a GPRS connection, otherwise the GPRS connection will not be able to be properly established.

 

The "GPRS APN" field specifies the GPRS Access Point Name (APN) to be accessed for connecting to the MMSC. This setting is operator dependent, and it may be advisable to check the MMS configuration settings on a working mobile phone to determine the correct settings. Note that your mobile operator possibly has multiple GPRS APNs and multiple WAP gateways, and you need the settings that are appropriate for MMS, not for WAP browsing or general internet connectivity. Note that this setting is only available when using a Network Connection of type "Modem:". For other connection types, the GPRS APN must be configured for the connection external to NowSMS.

 

The "Login Name" and "Password" parameters specify a username and password to be used for connecting to the GPRS network.

 

The "Test Connection" dialog verifies that the Now SMS/MMS Gateway can make a TCP/IP connection to the specified "Server Address". Or, when an MM1 connection is used with a dial-up connection ("Use Specific Network Connection (GPRS Modem)"), the gateway will initiate a network connection to the specified profile, and that it can make a connection to the specified WAP gateway over the connection, and the "Server Address" is not tested at this time.

 

 

Options for Processing Received MMS Messages

 

By default, when MMS messages are received, they are parsed and stored to the MMS-IN subdirectory of the Now SMS/MMS Gateway installation. They are parsed and stored into a format compatible with the MMSCOMP utility included with the gateway. The header of each received MMS message is stored as a file with a ".hdr" extension in the MMS-IN directory, and a unique subdirectory is created for each received message, where the subdirectory contains the individual file components of the MMS message (these files are referenced in the ".hdr" file with an "X-NowMMS-Content-Location:" header).

 

This release defines additional processing options for received MMS messages. These options can be defined for each SMSC connection that is receiving MMS message notifications, and it is also supported for messages received from VASP (Value Added Service Provider) connections.

 

MMS messages can be posted via HTTP POST to an external server using the MM7 protocol. If you wish to route received MMS messages to an external application server via the MM7 protocol, you must define your MM7 connection under the "MMSC Routing" page of the configuration dialog before you will be able to specify that inbound MMS messages are routed to an MM7 connection.

 

MMS messages can also be forwarded to a specified e-mail address. (Each SMSC connection that is receiving MMS message notifications can forward to a unique e-mail address) When forwarding MMS messages to an e-mail address, a valid "SMTP Relay Host" (defined on the "MMSC" page of the configuration dialog) that will accept mail from the gateway for the e-mail address specified here is required.

 

 

Support for Value Added Service Provider (VASP) Connections (MM1, MM4, MM7, EAIF)

 

Value Added Service Providers (VASPs) are external application services that need to submit MMS messages to the Now SMS/MMS Gateway.

 

A VASP could be a customer that is submitting MMS messages through your gateway, or in some cases, a VASP account could be an operator MMSC delivering MMS messages to your gateway. VASP accounts are defined on the "MMSC VASP" page of the configuration dialog.

 

 

When you "Add" or "Edit" a VASP connection, the following screen is displayed:

 

 

"Account Name" specifies a login name for the VASP to login to your Now SMS/MMS Gateway.

 

In some cases, where a VASP does not have configuration settings to login to the gateway, you should specify an IP address. When an IP address is specified as the "Account Name", the Now SMS/MMS Gateway will treat any connections from the specified IP address as being from this defined VASP.

 

"Password" specifies a password for the VASP to login to your Now SMS/MMS Gateway.

 

"Account Description" is a descriptive field that can be associated with the VASP. It is not used for any purposes of the VASP making a connection to the gateway.

 

"IP Address Restrictions" specifies one or more IP addresses from which the account is allowed to login to the MMSC. If multiple IP addresses are specified, they should be separated by a comma only, with no white space characters. The "*" character is permitted as a wildcard to allow access from all IP addresses on a particular subnet.

 

VASPs can connect to the MMSC using any of the following protocols: MM7, MM4, MM1 or EAIF. The "Accept Connections via" setting allows you to select the protocols that this particular VASP is allowed to use when connecting to the MMSC. (Note: As EAIF and MM1 are very similar protocols, if MM1 is enabled, EAIF is automatically enabled, and vice versa.)

 

When a VASP connects to the MMSC using the MM7 protocol, it should make connections to the configured "HTTP Port Number" on the "MMSC" page of the configuration dialog, using a URL path of "/mm7" (e.g., http://host.name:port/mm7). Unless an IP Address is specified as the "Account Name", the application should authenticate to the MMSC using HTTP Basic Authentication using the configured "Account Name" and "Password" for the VASP account.

 

When a VASP connects to the MMSC using the MM4 protocol, it should make connections to the configured "SMTP Port Number" on the "MMSC" page of the configuration dialog. Unless an IP address is specified as the "Account Name", the application should use "SMTP AUTH" to authenticate to the MMSC.

 

When a VASP connects to the MMSC using the EAIF protocol, it should make connections to the configured "HTTP Port Number" on the "MMSC" page of the configuration dialog, using a URL path of "/eaif". Unless an IP Address is specified as the "Account Name", the application should authenticate to the MMSC using either HTTP Basic Authentication, or it can include the username and password in the URL using the following format (http://host.name:port/eaif/username=password).

 

When a VASP connects to the MMSC using the MM1 protocol, it should make connections to the configured "HTTP Port Number" on the "MMSC" page of the configuration dialog, using a URL path of "/mm1". Unless an IP Address is specified as the "Account Name", the application should authenticate to the MMSC using either HTTP Basic Authentication, or it can include the username and password in the URL using the following format (http://host.name:port/mm1/username=password).

 

When the Now SMS/MMS Gateway receives a message from a VASP account, four options are available for processing the received message.

 

"Standard MMS Delivery" means the message will be queued for outbound delivery by the MMSC as would any other MMS message submitted to the gateway.

 

"Receive to MMS-IN Directory" means that the message will be received and stored to the "MMS-IN" subdirectory of the gateway as a received message file, and will not be delivered externally to the gateway.

 

"Route via MM7" means that the message will be received and routed to an MM7 connection that is defined in the "MMSC Routing" page of the configuration dialog.

 

"Forward to E-Mail Address" means that the message will be forwarded to a specified e-mail address.