Development & Testing / SMSC Simulator
We operate SMSC simulators in order to help the development and testing of SMS text messaging capabilities within applications. These simulators allow an application to be connected using the SMPP API. SMS messages can be sent from an application to mobile numbers and the SMSC simulators will simulate the delivery of the messages, including generation of delivery receipts back to the application.
The advantage of the SMSC simulators is that you can send SMS messages from your application without messages actually being delivered to mobile phones and without any SMS delivery costs. Stress testing of your application can also be performed as the SMSC simulators can handle high volumes of SMS messages per second.
To use the SMSC simulators you don’t need an account with us. Use the following SMPP details to connect to the simulators:
System ID: test
Password: test
Host: smsc-sim.smscarrier.com
Port: 2775
Alternatively, you may wish to use an SMSCarrier SMPP API account in combination with our SMSC simulators. This option would allow you to prove your application works with our own SMSCarrier SMS gateway service without actually sending and receiving live SMS. Once this had been done you could then request your account is updated to handle live SMS traffic. Sign-up for an account and then ask Support to configure your account to point at our SMSC simulators. Using an account that only routes to the SMSC simulators won’t cost you anything, however such accounts must not be used for stress testing your application.
If you wish to test your application’s SMPP compliance we recommend using our SMSCarrier SMS gateway service in combination with (i) live routing to real mobiles or (ii) routing to the SMSC simulators, instead of directly using the SMSC simulators.
Notes for using the SMSC simulators directly
In order to receive delivery receipts you must use transceiver (TRX) binds. Separate transmitter and receiver binds are not supported for delivery receipts on the SMSC simulators.
In order to receive delivery receipts, you must remain connected to an SMSC simulator from the point in time when you submit the short message until the delivery receipt is received. The SMSC simulators do not allow messages to persist outside of an SMPP session.
If a delivery receipt has been requested for a message, the message will be “delivered” in 3-13 seconds and a receipt will then immediately be returned to your application.
SMPP key points
When using software libraries that can be found through the Developer’s site you don’t need to be overly concerned with how SMPP operates. However, it’s important to understand the following key points:
Mobile numbers should be in international format.
In order to receive messages as they are sent from a mobile or delivery receipts, your application should have either an SMPP “RX” or “TRX” bind with the SMSC / SMS gateway.
