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What Is webhook? Android SMS Gateway Context

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What Is webhook? Android SMS Gateway Context. Glossary-style explainer of webhook specifically as it applies to Android SIM-based gateways versus aggregator APIs. Priced by devices and SMS send volume; BYO phone and operator credit.

Written by the SMS Gateway team for operators who run phones and airtime themselves — not for theoretical cloud SMS demos.

InformationAndroid SMS GatewayGlossaryEducation
Article
Published
March 28, 2026
Updated
April 12, 2026
Reading time
16 minute read

Key Takeaways

  • Webhook in Android SMS gateway context: our control plane POSTs JSON to your HTTPS URL when delivery or inbound events happen — you do not hold a socket open to the modem.
  • Verify signatures; ack fast; process async.
  • Priced by devices and SMS send volume. You use your own phone and operator SMS credit. Webhooks do not replace operator airtime.
  • Free 300 SMS lifetime still meters outbound you trigger from handlers.
  • Offline phones mean missed inbound until the app is back.
  • Developer Center owns live event fields.

What is a webhook for an Android SMS gateway? Your backend exposes HTTPS; we POST events (delivered, failed, received) so you do not poll forever. Guide: Webhooks. Two-way SMS. HTTP semantics.

Priced by devices and SMS send volume. You use your own phone and operator SMS credit.

A green webhook URL does not wake a sleeping phone — inbound SMS still needs the app registered on a funded SIM.

What a webhook is here

Register a URL; receive signed JSON when message state changes or inbound arrives. Confirm headers/payloads in Developer Center.

Events vs polling

ApproachProsCons
WebhookPush, low idle costNeeds public HTTPS + verify
GET by idSimple support pathChatty if abused
Block until DLRFeels syncTies workers to radio lag

Verify before you trust

Check X-SmsGateway-Signature (or current documented header). Reject forgeries.

Phone still has to be online

Delivery and inbound depend on the Android path — multi-device.

Retries and idempotency

Return 2xx quickly; enqueue work. Dedupe event ids so retries are safe — same idea as Ruby receive webhook.

Related reading

Webhooks API usage. 10DLC context.

Checklist

  • HTTPS endpoint registered.
  • Signature verified.
  • Fast ack + async work.
  • Idempotent handlers.
  • Device last-seen monitored.
  • Airtime funded.

Next steps

Fire a canary send and watch the callback, then size devices + volume.

Related product pages

Jump to the live product docs for this topic—not another long-form article.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Direct answers about what is webhook.

Is a webhook the same as the MCP stream?

No. Webhooks are server-to-server HTTPS callbacks from the gateway. MCP is your optional agent wrapper calling REST.

Can webhooks deliver SMS by themselves?

They notify your app. Sending still goes Android SIM → operator.

What if my endpoint is down?

Expect retries. Design idempotent handlers so duplicates do not double-send replies.
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You supply the phone, SIM, and operator SMS credit.

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