What is the best way to send messages or notifications from HA to multiple devices when an event occurs? Could a bot send a message to a group chat in say FB Messenger, Skype or other? I saw there’s Telegram integration, but I am not sure how far it goes.
Thanks!
Well, that depends on if you want all the recipients to install a special notification service or if you want to use the service of choice for each user.
I’m using Join for Android for all my notifications to our family-phones, but there is nothing stopping you from sending the same message to different recipients using different notification service.
I don’t mind everyone using the same service. In fact, it will be more convenient this way. Ideally, however, both phones and PCs will be able to receive the notification. That’s why I was thinking of messages to a group chat. Any options for that?
Here are Home Assistant’s supported notifications platforms.
Scroll through the list and choose the platform that best meets your needs. For example, Pushover has clients for Android, iOS, and desktop browser. There’s an unofficial native client for PC.
FWIW, I use the REST platform to send SMS via IFTTT. It works fine for our household (Android and iOS phones) and requires no additional apps (but you cannot have actionable notifications). I also receive the SMS message on my PC via Windows “Your Phone” app.
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Is the SMS service paid? Or is it free only for the US? I would need this internationally.
Html5 sends to any device with browser no app required. Also allows actions
Requires login to HA from browser then turn on to setup.
Allows send to all or send to specific user.
According to IFTT’s website, they allow for 100 free SMS messages per month, in the USA and Canada. Internationally, it’s much less, 10 free SMS messages/month.
Based on my location, I get 100 messages/month which is more than enough for my needs. I chose to use SMS because it requires no additional apps on our phones (Android for me, iOS for my wife) and it doesn’t require access via cellular data (yes, you heard that right, our phone plans don’t include mobile data). Our respective messaging apps (Android Messages and iOS iMessage) are always on, by default.
If you want international messaging then SMS might not be the best option. Whereas SMS remains popular in the USA and Canada (unlimited texting for most phone plans) it is less popular in other parts of the world or, in some areas, unavailable (or ridiculously expensive). A messaging system that communicates via cellular data might be more appropriate (basically anything other than SMS).
I use Pushbullet and have never had any problems.
You may use MQTT together with MQTTwarn. MQTTwarn is very flexible on configuring which MQTT messages to be sent where and on which platform.
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