matrix-sms-bridge VS SmsMatrix

Currently, I use Android Messages and use the messages website to check my texts but, in the process of steadily de-Google ing as much as I can, I would like to try and move away from android messages web and see if there is something that I can self host. I understand that I will need to use some sort of provider for the sms/mms itself, which is just a fact of life, but.... I have looked around both here and elsewhere and have found a lot of people who have suggested a couple different things. It seems to be either using XMPP or Matrix server that is self hosted, and more often then not Twillio or some trunk service that can be programmed accordingly. I would prefer not to use Twillio or the like due to A) My main number is on my cell phone and would prefer not to port it out to another provider and B) I would also like to not pay for the additional cost for something that I am already getting with my cell phone provider. For Matrix, I had found https://github.com/tijder/SmsMatrix and was able to get a private matrix server setup and working, but the bridge itself seemed a little wonky, but super close to what I wanted. While testing it I realized there was no mms or group messages. So that wasn't an option. I did also find https://github.com/benkuly/matrix-sms-bridge but it looks like it might also have the same restrictions, unless I am reading something incorrectly. For XMPP, without using Twillio or some other SIP provider per https://mndrix.blogspot.com/2017/02/selfhosted-google-voice.html as well as other tutorials suggesting the same, I did find Project Maxs (http://projectmaxs.org/homepage/) which looked interesting but after testing it and looking further, looks incomplete, and also might not be exactly what I am looking for to send the messages to and from the server, even if I were to try and pair it up with something like Tasker. I was wondering if there were any suggestions on what I might be able to setup, for either XMPP or Matrix, something else that I didn't see, or even a completely different route that I have overlooked.

There's also https://github.com/benkuly/matrix-sms-bridge which works with this android SMS server. Both were updated in the last 2 months but I never tried them (As I use JMP.chat personally and I use my SIM card for data only)

You could try using Matrix with an SMS bridge. The only one I've used is SmsMatrix, which works okay for the most part. Only the people who use Matrix need to install that app on their phones, and then it uses a bot to send you that message. When you message the bot, it sends an SMS from your phone to that person. Idk how it works with group chats though.

Your use case is quite different from my business requirements it seems. We are looking to send and receive SMS from the providers API as opposed to a specific phone or device. I think the android SMS app integration is probably a better fit for you: https://github.com/tijder/SmsMatrix

I am running my own home server, everyone in my family has an account they use there (the domain is our surname). Non-techy people use it and like it (past the initial setup, since setting up a custom domain requires a few more clicks than :matrix.org account). I am not waiting for the day, though, when they will need to set up a new device without access to the old one.

> I personally haven't met any "real" people who are even aware of Matrix. When I broached it with a non-IT friend, they were actively uninterested in unifying messaging applications as they had "facebook friends" and "whatsapp friends" and interacted with them differently.

I tried to sell it too with the "unify your messaging apps", but this is a wrong selling point to new users. First they need to start using matrix as their messaging app, realize that it works well, including VoIP and video calls. Once trust is there, only then start thinking about using bridges. Because there will be rough edges (e.g. federated voice/video calls do not work).

Because of the way bridges integrate to third-parties, they are not bug-free. Reliability is just not great yet. Maybe except a hosted service, Beeper[1], which is run by people who know most about these bridges and can provide support.

To sum up, I am using Matrix for my family network, and some bridges personally; I am not yet planning to spread the use of bridges beyond myself. Besides the encryption setup, I like the UI a lot. I also use gomuks[2] from time to time, which is a terminal matrix application. I have not stumped into server-side problems.

I am donating monthly to Tulir[3], the most prolific Matrix bridge developer (and, to my knowledge, co-founder of beeper). Because I started using Matrix because of the bridges.

Oh, and I love the Matrix sms bridge[4]. I set it up to see if it works, and I am not going back. It's great.

[1]: https://www.beeper.com/

[2]: https://github.com/tulir/gomuks

[3]: https://github.com/tulir

[4]: https://github.com/tijder/SmsMatrix

You can use an sms bridge, if you want, I have used this one for a while, though there are some other in development. I haven't looked in to it, though.