title: How to send INR symbol (₹) in SMS string when sending SMS from an online Web SMS server (msg91)?
body: <p>Currently I am using the following code in a function in the Controller that sends an SMS to the user as soon as he/she signs up.</p>
  
  <pre><code>$mobileNumber = Auth::user()-&gt;mobileNumber;
          $name = Auth::user()-&gt;firstName;
          $msg = 'Dear ' . $name . ', Thank you for joining ₹100! You referral link is www.xxxxx.in/join/' . $mobileNumber . '. Start referring your friends now!';
          $encodedMsg = urlencode($msg);
  
          $response = Curl::to('http://sms.wxxxxxxs.co.in/api/sendhttp.php')
              -&gt;withData(array('authkey' =&gt; '108xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx272',
                  'mobiles' =&gt; $mobileNumber,
                  'message' =&gt; $encodedMsg,
                  'sender' =&gt; 'RUPEES',
                  'route' =&gt; 'template',
                  'country' =&gt; '91',
                  'campaign' =&gt; 'Sign UP SMS',
                  'unicode' =&gt; '1'))
              -&gt;post();
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I tried changing the code many times. Tried removing the <code>'unicode' =&gt; '1'</code> at the end of the <code>Curl::to</code> function. I also tried NOT encoding the <code>$msg</code> and sending the SMS, but all in vain. There's a <code>?</code> symbol being displayed instead of the <code>₹</code> (INR) symbol in the SMS received on my cellphone. My phone is Moto E 4G and it does support the rupee symbol. :)</p>
  
  <p>When I send the SMS directly from the SMS server panel, I do not face this problem. Please help!</p>