Key Takeaways
- Gateway-server pre-launch is radio + control-plane: paired phone, funded SIM, HMAC webhooks, canary, on-call — not a green CI badge alone.
- Isolate OTP from marketing device pools before customer traffic.
- Keys in env; webhook secrets separate; no secrets in git.
- OEM ceilings and plan caps still apply; no Unlimited SMS titles.
- Developer Center owns live REST fields.
- BYO Android and operator credit. We meter devices and volume (Free 300 lifetime; paid from $19/mo).
Summary
Pre-launch checklist for a gateway-server integration: control plane + Android radio readiness. Hub: Android SMS gateway server. Setup: device setup. Docs: Developer Center.
Shipping without a staff canary is not velocity. It is volunteering for a Monday morning OTP outage.
Go / no-go for the server lane
Your server holds API keys and webhook receivers. The phone holds the modem. Both must be green. Do not market Unlimited SMS — OEM ceilings and plan caps remain.
Context
Gateway-server checklists fail when teams treat the handset as optional infrastructure. It is the last mile. How the gateway works.
Launch sequence
- Pair phone; last-seen fresh; charging policy set.
- Fund SIM; know Free/Developer pause behavior vs paid metering.
- Env keys + webhook secret; HMAC verified on canary event.
- OTP pool ≠ marketing pool.
- On-call + spare charged device named.
Checklist table
| Gate | Pass | Wait |
|---|---|---|
| Device | Online paired + charged | Stale last-seen |
| Airtime | Balance + retry headroom | Empty prepaid |
| Server | Env keys; HMAC 2xx path | Secrets in repo |
| Canary | Staff number delivered | Accepted-only |
| Pools | OTP isolated | Shared unbounded queue |
Cost readiness
Budget canaries and retries. Free 300 SMS lifetime; paid from $19/mo. Operator airtime separate. Pricing.
Ops readiness
Runbook for offline phone and empty SIM. Train L1 on accept vs delivered.
Security readiness
Least-privilege send key; webhook HMAC; no OTP in logs.
Ship or wait
Any red gate blocks customer OTP. Soft-launch internal first.
Final gate
- All table rows green.
- Spare phone + on-call confirmed.
- No Unlimited SMS launch copy.
Next steps
Python OTP send: Python send OTP via API.
Related product pages
Jump to the live product docs for this topic—not another long-form article.
- SMS API documentationLive endpoint reference
- device and SMS volume pricingPlans and allowances
- Android SMS gateway product guideDefinition, product, and how to buy
- download the Android gateway appGet the APK
