Monitoring with SMS Text Alerts using Built-in Modems or Gateways

How to Send Alarm Alerts via SMS Text

For some installations an alert via email will provide sufficient notification of an alarm condition being trigged. For others an SMS text alert may be required. Where an SMS text alert is required, there are three ways to achieve this: an SMS Gateway device, Email-to-SMS Portal or built-in modem option for an environmental monitoring device.

SMS Gateway Devices

One way to send an SMS alert is to install an SMS Gateway device on the same IP network as the Environmental Monitoring device. The SMS Gateway will require a SIM card and programming for the phone numbers to send the SMS text alerts to. The SMS message is initiated by the Environmental Monitoring device when an alarm is raised for a measure parameter going outside the pre-set thresholds for the sensors attached i.e. temperature, temperature & humidity, water leakage, smoke detection or access control.

A typical combination is an HW Group STE2 R2 and an SMS-GW3 LTE device.

Email-to-SMS Portals

Network hardware SMS gateways provide one way to send SMS text alerts. An internet-based alternative is to use an email-to-sms portal such as https://aql.com/products/messaging/ or https://www.clicksend.com.

AQL typically provides up to 300 free text messages. Additional pricing bundles start from around £40 for 1000 SMS (4p per text).

With an AQL Email-to-SMS account, you can set up an SMS phone number distribution list and the email address to activate the list from. On receiving an email alert from an environment monitoring device or software package such as SensDesk or RoomAlert, the portal account will forward the alert message email via an SMS to your predefined mobile phone numbers.

Built-in Modem Option

Some environmental devices including the AKCP sensorprobe+ SP2+ and sensorprobe+ SPX8 can be supplied with an optional internal modem option. The modem options can send up to SMS text messages or make phone calls to up to 10x mobile/phone numbers.