Skills and tools

Which programming language do you need

USSD and SMS course preview

USSD and SMS course outline

Chapter 2 outline

USSD Handling or signaling

What is USSD, why USSD, USSD and SMS compared

Types of SMS

Length of USSD sessions

Benefits and Drawbacks of USSD Applications

Options available to building USSD application

Uses or Applications of USSD Apps

The Applications we Will Build in this Course – Mobile Money App

Chapter 3 preview

Setting up Postman

Setting up Apache webserver and MySQL DBMS using XAMPP

PHP variables and data types

PHP functions

PHP functions - substr

PHP functions – count

PHP functions – array shift

PHP functions – array slice

PHP functions – array merge

PHP functions – explode

PHP functions – array search

PHP functions – join

PHP functions – array splice

PHP POST and GET HTTP methods

PHP functions – unset

Object Oriented Programming PHP (classes, objects member variables) – Part 1

Object Oriented Programming PHP (classes, objects member variables) – Part 2

PHP, PDO and MySQL Database – Connecting to database and handling Transactions

PHP’s hashing API – password hash and password verify

Understanding HTTP protocol structure

PHP functions – str replace

Building and testing USSD menus chapter preview

Factors to consider when choosing USSD gateway aggregator

Designing our Application Database – Part 1

The Application USSD Menu

Designing our Application Database – Part 2

Two ways of consuming an API

Creating the entry point to our USSD and SMS application

Setting up in Ngrok

Creating a USSD service code and adding a callback URL

Exploring USSD aggregator

Testing your first USSD application

How to track your USSD sessions and session errors

Restructuring app entry point file and the Menu class

Understanding the source code for your first USSD application

Adding the USSD main menu

Completing the logic for the application entry point file

Testing the USSD register menu

Adding a constants file – util.php file

Completing the USSD register menu

Testing the send money menu

Testing the USSD withdraw menu

Completing the check balance menu

Testing the USSD check balance menu

Completing send money menu

Testing USSD menus using Postman

Completing the ‘Main menu’ USSD menu

Completing the withdraw money menu

Designing ‘Go back’ and go to ‘Main menu’ USSD navigation

Testing the ‘Go back’ and ‘Main menu’ on Postman

Completing the ‘Go back’ USSD menu

You can use Finite state Machine to create the menu

Linking application Logic to USSD menu chapter preview

Establishing a database connection

Wiring user registration logic to USSD menu

Completing the register user logic

Testing user registration from end to end

Replay USSD menu for invalid menu option

Handling invalid menus instead of ending user session

Removing invalid menu options from user USSD string

Testing the invalid menu option functionality

Other locations where you will handle invalid input menu

Persisting user invalid menu option in a database

Completing check user wallet balance and user PIN correctness

You can store invalid menu options in in-memory databases such as Redis instead

Adding country code to user receiver phone number

The structure of the Transactions class

Removing a runtime syntax error in our code

Testing send money feature from end-to-end

Send money logic

Test the check balance feature

Wiring check balance logic with check balance menu

How do we withdraw cash

Structure of the Agent class

Completing withdraw cash logic

Testing the withdraw feature

Wiring send money logic to send money menu

Testing the working application with simulator instead of Postman

Receiving USSD notifications in your server

Wiring withdraw cash logic to withdraw cash menu

Implementing USSD notifications feature

Adding SMS functionality chapter preview

Generating an API KEY for API access

Exploring AT SMS products

Exploring ‘Sending SMS from a short code’ API docs

Creating a short code

Setting a callback URL for incoming messages

Testing logic for user registered via SMS shortcode

User registered via SMS can check wallet balance via USSD

Testing callback URL script using Postman

Registering a user via SMS shortcode

Sending SMS from a short code by consuming REST API via Postman

Installing composer

Exploring receiving an SMS to a Short Code API reference

Installing AT PHP SDK via Composer

Exploring AT gateway SDKs

Testing ‘send user wallet balance as SMS’ from a short code

Designing SMS class and 'sendSMS' method

Connect sendSMS logic to checking user wallet balance in USSD

Creating a sender ID in the USSD and SMS gateway

Send user wallet balance as SMS a Branded SMS

Sending bulky SMS

Premium SMS or content

Creating a subscription product

Adding a subscription product callback URL

Two-way SMS communication using a short code

The subscriber table in our database

Add a unique constraint to 3 columns in subscriber table

More function in the Sms class

Exploring premium SMS or content docs

Completing subscribing and unsubscribing users function logic

Wiring the premium SMS callback URL script to the SMS class logic

Testing subscribe and unsubscribe to premium SMS logic

Sending premium SMS or content

Completing the sendPremiumSms function logic

Testing fetch user subscription functionality

Subscribing users with checkout token functionality

Fetching user subscriptions from gateway

Wiring user subscription with checkout token

Moving app from sandbox to live environment chapter preview

Common adjustments when moving from sandbox to live environment

Requirements for Premium SMS Shortcode Request

Requirements for USSD Service Code Request

Requirements for sender ID or branded SMS Request

Requirements for Two-Way SMS Shortcode Request

Test INVALID ENTRY – Live environment

Test user registration via USSD – Live environment

Explore AT’s live environment

Test user registration via SMS shortcode – Live environment

Test Go Back and Go to Main Menu – Live environment

User subscribes to a premium service from mobile phone – Live environment

User subscribes to a premium service from mobile phone – Live environment

User subscribes to a premium service from mobile phone - Freeze time

User subscribes to a premium service from mobile phone – Live environment

Monetizing USSD and SMS skills chapter preview

USSD SMS and Banking

News premium SMS application

How to monetize your USSD and SMS skills