What is A2P SMS?
A2P SMS, or Application-to-Person Messaging, is when a business sends a text message to a customer’s phone, via a software system or app. This is different from the usual way people communicate via text, where two individuals just send each other messages. A2P messages are not meant to start a conversation & are often referred to as business SMS or enterprise SMS.
Some everyday examples of A2P SMS messages include:
- One time passwords & login codes from banks and other services
- Alerts about your bank balance, transactions, appointments & deliveries
- Order updates from the stores you shop at
- Marketing messages with exclusive offers & discounts
How does A2P SMS actually work?
Businesses can send A2P messages using a variety of numbers & identifiers, including long codes, short codes, toll-free numbers, or even their business name instead of a number. In India, for example, carriers require businesses to do some extra legwork before sending A2P messages, which helps keep spam messages out & makes sure the messages get to the right person.
How Onextel helps with A2P SMS – sending at scale & staying compliant
Onextel’s platform for sending SMS’s lets businesses send out OTP’s, transactional messages, & promotional A2P messages via the web, API, or SMPP – all while taking care of the necessary paperwork to stay TRAI-compliant in India. Plus, it’s got 99.99% uptime, which is reassuring to say the least, and can deliver millions & millions of messages every year.
Why does A2P SMS actually matter?
With A2P SMS, businesses can reach their customers in a way that people actually check regularly – whether it’s a bank alert, one off code, or order update.