← Back to the SMS gateway overview
This guide sets up the Android handset gateway: a spare Android phone with your own SIM sends the messages. It is available on the Business plan.
How it works: RepairBench queues the message; a small app on your gateway phone picks it up over the internet and sends it as a normal SMS, then reports delivery back. You pay your mobile carrier for the texts; there are no per-message fees from RepairBench.
Before you start
- A spare Android phone with a SIM on a plan with plenty of SMS. Keep it plugged in at the counter.
- A few minutes to install and pair the app.
Step 1 — Install the gateway app
On the gateway phone, scan this code (or open the link) to download the app:
Download RepairBench SMS Gateway (v1.3.0)
Because Android only allows the SMS-sending permission for specially approved apps, this app is not on the Google Play Store — you install it directly from the file above. When the phone asks, allow your browser to install unknown apps this once, then open the downloaded file to install.
The current published version is v1.3.0.
Step 2 — Turn it on and create a device
In RepairBench, open Settings → SMS Gateway. Tick Enable SMS sending and click Create gateway device. This generates a private connection token for your phone — treat it like a password.
Step 3 — Pair the phone
The settings page shows a pairing QR. In the app, tap Scan QR to pair and point the camera at the screen; the server address and token fill in automatically. (You can also type them in by hand from the same screen.) Tap Start gateway and grant the SMS permission when asked. Within a couple of minutes the status dot on the settings page turns green.
Step 4 — Choose which SIM sends (dual-SIM / eSIM)
If the phone has more than one SIM or an eSIM, open the app’s Pairing tab and pick the SIM that should send the messages under SIM / network. On a single-SIM phone there is nothing to choose.
Step 5 — Send from a job
Open any job for a customer who has a mobile number. In the SMS panel, type a message or use a template to drop in a short tracking or approval link, then send. You will see the message move from queued to sent to delivered as the phone reports back.
Keeping it reliable
- Keep the phone on a charger and on Wi-Fi.
- Exempt the app from battery optimisation (in the phone’s battery settings) so Android does not pause it.
- Keep your sending transactional — carriers may throttle a SIM that behaves like a bulk texter.
Troubleshooting
- Status dot stays grey/offline — open the app and tap Start; check the phone has internet; confirm the server address and token match the settings page.
- Messages stay queued — the phone is not checking in. Make sure the gateway is started and the SMS permission was granted.
- Re-pairing — if you regenerate the token, scan the new pairing QR again on the phone.
That is it — once the dot is green and a test message is delivered, your gateway is ready.