MSISDN (Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number) is the actual phone number you use to reach a mobile user, in all its international format glory – be it number you dial or message to. Put simply, it’s the mobile number in a standardised way.
How does MSISDN work?
The MSISDN is basically the number tied to a user’s SIM in the network’s records (it’s what the HLR points to) – in that the network would look at this number to connect calls and messages. Written out in international code, country code followed by the national numnber, it uniquely identifies a user whwenever you’re sending a message across borders – which is pretty much the point of MSISDN. Its quite different from other SIM-based insderfiers: the MSISDN is the actual number that can be dialled, while other codes like the IMSI are just used internally for SIM management. When sending an SMS via an API, you would enter the MSISDN as the phone number of the recipient
How Onextel helps with MSISDN
For businesses looking to send messages or make calls through Onextel, the MSISDN is the number you specify as the recipient (ideally in international format for the best chance of getting the message delivered). Onextel has tools that can validate these numbers before sending (checking to see that they are valid and active and which network they’re on), making for cleaner lists and better delivery.
Why it matters
Its actually pretty simple – the MSISDN is the mobile number people use to get a hold of customers – so getting it right is really important. Getting the right format is key to making sure any messages or calls you send arrive – and it also makes things a lot clearer when reading API documentation – the standard term for the phone number is usually just “MSISDN”. And by validating the number before sending, you can avoid all those wasted messages to dead or invalid numbers.