On 02/06/2020 00.09, micky wrote:
How hard is it to send a text from a PC, if you don't know, didn't ask,
the cellular carrier for the cell phone?


A couple days ago I bought some elastic online, and they offer to find
it in the store and bring it out to the car.

They say when the order is ready they will text me the store's phone
number.

The webpage first said order was in process and then pending pickup. 90
minutes later I went there and they brought it out, as they said they
would.

But the text never came.

I would have expected it the text to be sent automatically when the
order status is changed to pending pickup. But that assumes a PC can
send a text** and I thought they would have to know the cellular carrier
prefix to do that. That seems like a big hole that should be plugged.

To do it professionally, you contract a gateway service with someone
that does it. Or, you implement such a gateway - say, with a mobile
phone connected to a computer with appropriate software.

The free mail to sms service is offered by some providers, it is not
universal. For example, over here none provides it currently (they did).
Instead, they may offer a web page where clients can send SMSs as if it
were from their phones (for a fee).


--
Cheers, Carlos.