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Show HN: TxtNet Browser – Browse the Web over SMS, No Wi-Fi/Mobile Data Needed

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Re: Show HN: TxtNet Browser – Browse the Web over SMS, No Wi-Fi/Mobile Data Needed

#71

Post by posguy »

lukeasch21 wrote: post #26
posguy wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you considered using T-Mobile's WebDigits ( https://webdigits.t-mobile.com ), AT&T NumberSync for computer or whatever Verizon and other carriers have to offer for handling SMS on a computer perchance? You could also use multiple phone numbers to send SMS to avoid SMS ratelimiting. FYI most carriers consider Person to Person messaging to be below 1 message per minute and run between 40% inbound to 60% inbound me…

Those look like interesting options, and they're surely be more reliable than relying on the phone's own SMS capabilities, but I wasn't able to find a public API for any of those services. As far as SMS rate limiting goes, I agree that multiple numbers would be good. Perhaps if there's a demand for it, I can create a feature that switches numbers from the database on the fly as it notices some are hung up. >FYI most…

Yeah, neither WebDigits nor other carrier offered services seem to offer a public API, it would be a matter of reverse engineering their website :c

Re: Show HN: TxtNet Browser – Browse the Web over SMS, No Wi-Fi/Mobile Data Needed

#72

Post by posguy »

shanebellone wrote: post #60
posguy wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you considered using T-Mobile's WebDigits ( https://webdigits.t-mobile.com ), AT&T NumberSync for computer or whatever Verizon and other carriers have to offer for handling SMS on a computer perchance? You could also use multiple phone numbers to send SMS to avoid SMS ratelimiting. FYI most carriers consider Person to Person messaging to be below 1 message per minute and run between 40% inbound to 60% inbound me…

SMS is limited to 1 message per 3-6 seconds. The modem incidentally limits throughput. Also, Google Fi has unlimited text/call for $20/m. Their SIM does work with USB GSM modems.

GSM is not available on AT&T or Verizon and T-Mobile is ending GSM support in under a year. Right now T-Mobile's GSM is running in a 200Khz carrier in the guard bands of LTE, making it perform worse due to the narrow bandwidth which means your allocated fewer timeslots which limits message throughput, and interference from the LTE carrier directly beside it degrades signal quality as well.

Nevermind most GSM stacks crash when receiving/sending many messages quickly, they aren't designed for high throughput messaging.

Sending via a carrier's multi-device calling/texting option where you bypass their cell network and connect to their servers over the web, or using VoLTE or VoNR is going to perform much better than GSM

Re: Show HN: TxtNet Browser – Browse the Web over SMS, No Wi-Fi/Mobile Data Needed

#73

Post by gnarea »

lukeasch21 wrote: post #66
gnarea wrote: post #58

This is pretty cool, but I wonder if you came across SMS Without Borders[1] and, if so, how your solution is different/better? On this note, just as an FYI, I'm leading the Awala project[2], which is a new computer network where compatible apps use the Internet when it's available, but can also switch to a fallback medium when it's unavailable. The only fallback medium we have today is a sneakernet, and SMS support[3…

Thanks for your comment. In all my research, somehow I never came across either of those two projects! SMS without borders looks the most similar to what I'm trying to accomplish but their goal is much more focused. I would say the biggest difference is the fact that they are focused on supporting personal 2-way chat services like email and telegram, and because you have to have Internet access when you sign up with…

Thank you so much for the feedback and the kind words!

Based on my limited/high-level understanding of the SMSWB and TxtNet projects, your assessment sounds about right to me.

Re: UX for Awala-compatible apps, I totally agree it's going to be difficult for people who are used to standard Internet apps, like web browsers. In fact, I'd say it's going to be even more challenging for people in those regions where they do have smartphones/PCs but have never had any connection to the Internet.

In both cases, I believe the solution is to totally rethink the common UX patterns we employ in networked apps, where the lack of connectivity would be treated as an exceptional event that the user has to sort out.[1]

This is top of mind for me and I'm actively working on a partnership with other organisations in this field to produce a guide for UX designers. I'm hoping we get to announce it and get to work on it in the coming weeks!

[1] https://awala.network/service-providers/ux

Re: Show HN: TxtNet Browser – Browse the Web over SMS, No Wi-Fi/Mobile Data Needed

#76

Post by autorun »

miki123211 wrote: post #21

I feel like this would be a perfect use case for Chat GPT (with something like the now removed web browsing plugin). Instead of sending the whole HTML page, the user could request just the information they want. You could even instruct Chat GPT to use abbreviations and shorter words as much as possible. This could even go through one of these extremely long-range but low-bitrate radio standards to provide web access…

this! I was thinking the same
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