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Is it possible to plug a mobile SIM card into a computer and use it to send/receive text messages?

I have seen Is it possible to receive SMS text messages on the computer? But they accept google voice as a solution, and I am interested specifically in as i've asked.

I've seen this question Can a SIM card reader be used to access mobile data? As in, use 4G/mobile broadband? It mentions LTE adaptors, though that doesn't mention text messages.

Giacomo1968
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barlop
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  • this thing mentions something though it's programmable so maybe requires some configuring https://www.selectiveintellect.net/blog/2021/8/19/setting-up-sms-sending-and-receiving-using-a-usb-gsm-dongle-by-zte This link mentions a device though maybe requires flashing https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/lpur29/is_there_an_usb_dongle_which_allows_you_to/ .. also https://gist.github.com/ethaniel/d7f9c3192041c64c89d2c5b49527d0e2 though that's linux – barlop Aug 07 '22 at 00:57
  • The issue is while SIM adapters work, they are — to the best of my knowledge — data only and are effectively mini hotspots not too dissimilar to the mobile hotspots that use SIMs for connectivity. Meaning a mobile hotspot will typically be Wi-Fi only. But a USB version of a “hot spot” would be USB data connectivity only. While text/SMS messages are indeed data, to the best of my knowledge text/SMS messages need an actual phone number to send/receive text/SMS data. – Giacomo1968 Aug 07 '22 at 00:57
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    Its a bit messy - I've seen it done over a specific client. The LTE adaptor I have (some random aliexpress one that's basically a screenless android phone with a webui) won't work directly on windows 11, cause I have no idea what the driver is, but can connect to linux.... so OS might matter. – Journeyman Geek Aug 07 '22 at 01:00
  • @Giacomo1968 well whether it supports a hotspot or not is secondary.. (And by the way I have seen usb adaptors that don't take a sim card, but can switch between acting as a wireless client - connecting to WiFi, or act as a wireless access point /hotspot.. so in theory there's nothing about usb that prevents it from being a hotspot.. anyhow i'm not caring much re whether it does hotspot or not) – barlop Aug 07 '22 at 01:00
  • @barlop You completely missed my point. I am not saying that these USB adapters are mobile hotspots. But from a technical point of view they are _similar_ to them. In the case of a mobile hotspot, the SIM is used in conjunction with a router that is a part of the hotspot. In the case of these USB adapters, the USB adapter is not a router but effectively _just_ a data modem that connects to a USB port and is seen as a modem by the system. Again, without a phone number I don’t believe text/SMS stuff would work at all. – Giacomo1968 Aug 07 '22 at 01:04
  • @Giacomo1968 well, you may be onto something in that I have seen a sim card in a router/modem and the router/modem didn't show the mobile number associated with the sim card. Maybe the stick needs particular technology for texts and they tend not to have it. Perhaps GSM technology seems some might have it – barlop Aug 07 '22 at 01:20
  • @Giacomo1968 what about something like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363150419273 "USB Cellphone SIM Card Reader SMS Copy/Cloner/Writer/Backup GSM/CDMA+CD Driver" – barlop Aug 07 '22 at 01:21
  • @barlop Maybe. But in my experience these USB SIM card modems are mainly sold in — for lack of a better term — poorer countries where having things like a static cable modem and such are not practical. So people buy these things and use SIM cards for connectivity. And since mobile carriers can control what SIM cards they will allow on their network — and what devices can use those SIM cards — the chances of you doing what you describe if you are _not_ in a country with mobile providers who support this is pretty much zero percent. – Giacomo1968 Aug 07 '22 at 01:23
  • @barlop Nope. That won’t work. That is self-described as a “USB Cellphone SIM Card Reader SMS Copy/Cloner/Writer/Backup GSM/CDMA+CD Driver” Note the word “modem” is never used? All that does is read the data on a SIM card. Much like an SD card reader only reads data on an SD card. It does not have the modem inside of it to connect to a cell provider’s tower. It even clearly states, “Read, edit, backup your telephone directory and SMS for your GSM devices. Allows you to copy different number to one sim card, including phone book, SMS, ring tones, photos, etc.” – Giacomo1968 Aug 07 '22 at 01:26
  • Let us [continue this discussion in chat](https://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/138336/discussion-between-barlop-and-giacomo1968). – barlop Aug 07 '22 at 01:37
  • Voting to close because the other two questions linked to already clearly answer the issue: The reality is a USB SIM card reader can only read (and write?) to SIM cards with proper software. And there are indeed USB SIM modems that work for data… Not not all the time and not in a way that would allow SMS/text messaging. Many of these USB SIM modems are just getting power from the PC it connects to and are effectively tiny mobile hotspots. And past any of that, many cell phone providers do not allow such devices to connect to their cell tower networks. The other questions already answer this. – Giacomo1968 Aug 07 '22 at 02:02
  • @Giacomo1968 the other questions don't cover it. One accepts google voice. The other doesnt mention sms – barlop Aug 07 '22 at 02:04
  • I believe that between these comments and text in chat I explained as much as I can. As for why the other questions cover it, sorry but this question adds nothing new. Done here. – Giacomo1968 Aug 07 '22 at 02:05
  • @Giacomo1968 All i'm trying to explain to you is that the other questions aren't looking for what I ask for here. That doesn't mean your comments here don't address the question, or that you can say more than you have. – barlop Aug 07 '22 at 02:21
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    HP hs3110 (which is rebranded Huawei MU736) can send and receive SMS on Windows (and maybe on Linux too, but I couldn't find the right software). For receiving Windows the built-in Messaging is enough, for sending eg. [this](http://awx.black-it.eu/en/software/mobile%20broadband%20sms%20toolkit/index.htm) works. It's an old modem with some problems though, I can't recommend it. – gronostaj Aug 07 '22 at 06:18
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    I've done this a long time ago - I don't know how if it can be done on new network technologies. If your network supports it you can get a USB GSM modem, and then send it AT commands to send SMS messages. (Googling GSM modem send SMS will come up with quite a few answers) – davidgo Aug 07 '22 at 08:26

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