What an SMS Aggregator Is and How to Choose One - Vibes

17 Jun.,2024

 

What an SMS Aggregator Is and How to Choose One - Vibes

Most mobile users send and receive SMS and MMS messages all day, blissfully unaware of what&#;s going on behind the scenes to get those plain text and multimedia messages from origin to destination. That&#;s because in their eyes, sending and receiving messages are one-step processes that happen in a split second. 

The company is the world’s best sms gateway appliance supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

And that&#;s more or less true when one person texts another. What they don&#;t realize is that when they receive SMS and MMS messages from brands, the important role one or more aggregators play in ensuring that the messages get from the brand to their mobile device quickly and successfully. 

What Is an SMS Aggregator?

An SMS Aggregator (sometimes called an SMS Gateway) is an organization with the technology to collect or &#;aggregate&#; a large volume of text messages from brands and distribute them to wireless carriers (AT&T, Verizon, etc.) for delivery to the consumer&#;s mobile device.

Aggregators serve a crucial role in the mobile ecosystem to help standardize the way in which businesses and applications communicate with consumers. Without an aggregator, the carrier networks would be left to sort out those details on their own across multiple millions of SMS and MMS text messages every day.

Every text message sent outside of the peer-to-peer network will be touched by an aggregator, which not only sets up the relationship between the carrier network and the text messaging software provider but also provides the gateway connection needed to transmit those messages from sender to recipient. 

Here&#;s how it works:

  • Unlike , where messages flow through the pipes of an internet network, a mobile device is tied to a single carrier. 
  • When someone sends a message from one person to the next&#;and even across carriers&#;the carriers sort out the messages between themselves and forward it to one another.
  • The process works differently for an organization sending out 1 million SMS text messages to current and prospective customers. 
  • That company will work with a third party to send the messages, and an aggregator subsequently steps in to divvy up the messages across different carriers in a logical manner. 
  • Acting as a direct connectivity pipe to those carriers, the aggregator may send a batch of 250,000 messages to four different carriers (e.g., T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon and Boost Mobile). 

With the right aggregator in your corner, you can simplify the process of building and maintaining connections with wireless carriers, speed up the campaign onboarding process, and have just one point of contact with your third-party service provider.

What is a Tier 1 SMS Aggregator?

Tier 1 SMS aggregators connect directly to wireless cellular carriers ensuring that SMS and MMS messages take the fastest path from your company to your customers. Tier 2 aggregators (or &#;sub-aggregators&#;) do not have direct connections with carriers and instead work with third parties to send and receive your messages.

This puts you at least one additional step away from the carriers that are handling your message delivery and you will find yourself paying more for the middleman.

There are only four companies that have direct connections to all major U.S. carriers&#;Vibes being the only independent one left.

&#;There are a lot of players out there right now calling themselves SMS aggregators,&#; says Robert Charney, Director, Business Operations at Vibes, which is one of just four Tier 1 aggregators. &#;But any Tier 2 provider probably has to make several &#;hops&#; before it can get those to the carrier for distribution.&#;

Why Tier 1 Matters for Your Business

By working with a Tier 1 aggregator, you gain access to a variety of benefits that help you be successful with your SMS marketing:

  • Better connection speeds. Tier 1 aggregators get the highest throughput between the carriers and the messaging providers, resulting in a higher level of successful messages sent. 
  • A two-way communication stream between the aggregator and carrier. For example, if an aggregator needs the &#;pipes opened up&#; for a high volume of messages for a specific campaign, the carrier will do that for them.
  • Proactive technical support. If there&#;s a technical issue at the carrier level, the Tier 1 aggregator is likely well aware of the problem and able to address it proactively (versus waiting to be alerted to the problem and reacting to it). 
  • Faster provisioning for Short Codes and SMS and MMS campaigns. Tier 1 aggregators handle the submission process for short codes, which allow companies to use the special 5- or 6-digit numbers for high-throughput, two-way SMS and MMS messaging. Vibes also enforces the short code compliance regulations set by the CTIA and individual carriers. Without direct connections to the carriers, Tier 2 aggregators can&#;t handle those intricacies on your behalf. In addition to Short Code provisioning management, Vibes reviews program briefs quickly and can generally get a campaign provisioned within 4-6 weeks (versus 2-6 months for a Tier 2 aggregator).  
  • More streamlined troubleshooting. With Tier 1 aggregators there&#;s less hassle for you when troubleshooting since it's all handled with one support team vs. multiple support teams with both the software company and the third party. For example, let's say there are service interruptions. Indirect connections with wireless carriers means these service interruptions are harder to find and resolve when they occur and messages must go through an additional organization, data centers, and at least one more API to reach their destination. The fewer cooks in the kitchen, the better.
  • Global reach. If you send text messages outside of the U.S. Tier 1 will ensure they are received, even at a large scale.
  • Better pricing for messages. Having an extra link in the chain means someone is taking an additional slice of the message fee, likely inflating your pricing.

In summary, if you care about message reliability, speed, price, and want an overall peace-of-mind knowing your messages will reach the intended recipients in a timely manner, you want to partner with a Tier 1 Aggregator.

Common Customer Service Roadblocks

Aggregators don&#;t always provide the level of service you would expect. There&#;s nothing worse than sending an , submitting a help ticket or opening a chat box, only to be met with the sound of crickets. If this happens during a crisis, or during a time when you really need the support in order to make a quick decision, the time gap can be downright agonizing.

Here are 4 customer service roadblocks to look out for

  • No Direct Number: Some don&#;t offer customer service numbers, so there&#;s no one to call when you have a question or a problem. If you&#;re new to mobile, you probably have some basic questions that need answering. Good luck with that if there&#;s no one to call on the other end. 
  • Different Time Zones: While you may get someone to you back, it might be at 4:00 am your time. Make sure you understand what hours and time zone their custom service team operates in.
  • Impersonal: Others only offer a &#;self-serve&#; model that includes online chat or automated interactions handled by bots, which can escalate frustration levels when you encounter a problem with your SMS campaign. 
  • Lack of Industry Knowledge: Often times, support agents do not have the institutional knowledge or industry expertise to address your technical questions. They will have to make &#;one more&#; call to get the issue fixed.  At Vibes, each team member has 10+ years of experience in mobile messaging and knows the right person at each major carrier who can solve the problem.

If your aggregator doesn&#;t have a team of knowledgeable experts standing by, ready to help, then you&#;ll just be back at square one. 

8 Questions to Ask When Selecting an SMS Aggregator

Just because an aggregator says they are Tier 1 doesn&#;t mean they are a reliable provider. Before selecting your SMS aggregator, ask your prospective partner these questions:

  1. Are you directly connected to carriers and do you have relationships with the Big 3 carriers (T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon)? If the answer is no, you&#;re probably talking to a Tier 2 aggregator. Some might say they are a Tier 1 SMS aggregator through a partnership - which is the very definition of indirect connections - which is why it's important for you to know if they have direct technical AND commercial relationships with the carriers or if they are using a third-party aggregator to get that connectivity.
  1. Of the carriers you don&#;t have direct connections with, who do you use for those gaps? It&#;s typical for aggregators to use other partners for smaller, regional carriers. Remember, it&#;s your traffic that will be running through them, so you deserve to know the reliability of who&#;s carrying each one of your messages.
  1. &#;Can I speak with a few of your existing customers? During the conversations, be sure to ask how long provisioning took and what their biggest pain points were. Any extended timelines for the review of program briefs, feedback and/or provisioning may be potential red flags.
  1. &#;What is your general response time for service? Ideally, your aggregator should send you a quick response (i.e., &#;We received your request and we&#;re looking into it&#;) within an hour or two of submitting the ticket. Resolutions will vary based on the problem, but your aggregator should at least send that initial response quickly and then follow up with updates as they become available. 
  1. &#;How does your ticketing, incident management, and maintenance notification process work? When you open up a ticket with Vibes, there&#;s always going to be a real &#;person&#; there to talk to and interact with. If the aggregator you&#;re interviewing uses an automated system for these interactions, it may be another potential red flag.
  1. &#;What&#;s your compliance and provisioning teams&#; level of experience? You&#;ll ideally want to work with someone who has years of experience in the field, and that didn&#;t just start working for the company yesterday. 
  1. &#;What&#;s the average tenure of the team that&#;s managing carrier relationships? Again, look for a company whose carrier management team has an average tenure of at least 5-10 years. 
  1. &#;Can I speak with the person who handles short-code provisioning? If you&#;re going to be using short codes, talking to this person will help you gain a better understanding of their experience and how the process works. 

Once you have the answers to your questions, you&#;ll have a good idea of exactly what type of aggregator you&#;re talking to, how it operates and what its strong and weak points are. Use the information to compare features and services across multiple aggregators before making your final selection.

&#;Why Vibes is the Right Tier 1 Aggregator

Being one of only four Tier 1 aggregators in the U.S. is an honor we live to uphold. It means that mobile carriers know they can rely on us as the conduit between mobile marketing messaging software and the carriers themselves. They know that we only support quality mobile marketing, never spam, and that we work with our customers to ensure appropriate use of SMS marketing messaging.

As a Tier 1 provider, we offer:

  • Unrivaled throughput and uptime.Our SMS uptime record since is 100%. We run our messaging software in multiple independent geo-diverse regions in an Active-Active configuration, so all regions are processing messages. &#;&#;
  • A system that processes tens of thousands of messages per second to ensure successful message delivery at scale 100% of the time (i.e. reliable marketing that reaches your audience when you need to reach them).
  • 60+ US carrier connections including Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile.
  • Unbeatable time to market - it takes us generally 3-4 weeks to provision new short codes, while the industry average is 8+ weeks.
  • Proactive carrier performance monitoring.
  • Message delivery receipts.
  • Access to mobile disconnect files.
  • 24/7/365 Vibes-employed, award-winning customer service.

In summary, an SMS aggregator that has direct connections to all the top carriers, redundant systems to ensure message deliverability/reliability, an ability to quickly provision new short codes, proactive carrier monitoring (letting you know when a carrier is having trouble), and a US-based support team that you can call directly 24/7/365 over the makes for a great Tier 1 aggregator.

The Bottom Line

The SMS aggregator you choose to work with will have a direct impact on the success (or failure) of your mobile marketing campaigns. 

Tier 1 aggregators are the only ones who have direct carrier connections and as a result offer better delivery speed, faster provisioning, and reliable technical support. To ensure aggregators are who they say they are, make sure to drill down on their experience level and ask about their relationships with carriers before routing any messages through them.

Using low-code application programming interfaces (APIs), Vibes makes it easy to set up and start sending SMS and MMS text campaigns. With our average 3 day connection setup, you can be sending texts through our high-performance network in no time and at a price that's hard to beat.

If you&#;re not convinced then consider this: if only 80% of your mobile subscribers receive your promotional text message, you&#;re leaving money on the table with those customers who never received your message, due to spotty delivery. You&#;re paying to reach 100% of your mobile customers. Make sure you&#;re actually connecting to them.

Connect with Vibes today to learn more about bulk SMS messaging and tier 1 connectivity.

What's programmable SMS, and how can you use it?

Imagine automating communication processes with personalized text messages delivered at the perfect moment. Programmable SMS can help you do just that. This type of SMS makes it easy for developers to programmatically send and receive text messages on a large scale, which has implications for sales, marketing, customer service, healthcare, and transportation industries.

In this blog post, we&#;ll explore what programmable SMS is, how it differs from plain old SMS, and how it works. We'll also look at the different types of numbers you can send programmable SMS from and various use cases. Whether you're a seasoned developer or a business owner looking to enhance your customer engagement, this guide will give you an overview of programmable SMS and its potential to transform your communications strategy.

What is programmable SMS?

Programmable SMS is the ability to programmatically send and receive SMS messages using APIs (application programming interfaces). Programmable SMS allows developers to integrate SMS capabilities into their software applications, websites, or systems, allowing these platforms to automatically send and receive text messages based on predefined rules or triggers.

The difference between programmable SMS and traditional SMS lies in the level of automation and integration. Traditional SMS is the familiar method of sending text messages manually from one mobile device to another. It's a person-to-person (P2P) communication method that requires no programming or integration with other systems.

On the other hand, programmable SMS is typically used for application-to-person (A2P) communications. Programmable SMS allows businesses to automate sending SMS messages, making it possible to send large volumes of messages at once or to send messages based on specific triggers or events.

For example, a business might use programmable SMS to send appointment reminders, delivery notifications, marketing messages, or two-factor authentication codes.

How programable SMS works (the basics)

Programmable SMS is a powerful communication tool that allows businesses to send and receive text messages automatically and programmatically via APIs. Here's a simplified version of how it works:

1. API integration

The process begins with integrating your software or application with an SMS gateway through an API. The API is the software intermediary that allows two applications to communicate with each other. In this case, it's your business application (like a CRM, website, or app) and the SMS gateway.

2. Crafting a message

Once you&#;ve set up the integration, you can create an SMS within your business application. This SMS can be anything from promotional messages, appointment reminders, and one-time passwords (OTPs) to customer service responses.

3. Sending the message

The API facilitates sending the crafted message to the SMS gateway. The gateway is responsible for delivering your message to the recipient's number. It does this by communicating with telecom operators.

4. Message delivery

The telecom operator delivers the message to the recipient's mobile device. This entire process happens within seconds.

5. Receiving messages and status reports

Not only can you send messages programmatically, but you can also receive messages and delivery reports. The SMS gateway communicates with your software application through the API, updating it with the status of the sent message or incoming messages.

Bonus: Two-way communication

Some programmable SMS services offer two-way communication, allowing recipients to reply to messages. These responses can be received and processed by your business application.

By using programmable SMS, businesses can automate their communication processes, customize messages based on customer data, track delivery and read rates, and more&#;providing a versatile, efficient way to reach and engage with customers.

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What kinds of messages can I send with programmable SMS?

It&#;s important to note that when we refer to &#;programmable SMS,&#; we&#;re referring to the capability of programmatically sending both SMS and MMS.

SMS, or short message service, is the protocol used to send mobile text messages from a person or application. SMS messages can be sent in high volumes and arrive in seconds.

MMS, or multimedia messaging service, is similar to SMS. However, MMS can send multimedia messages, which can include photos, videos, audio, or GIFs. While this type of messaging is more costly, the inclusion of multimedia can create a more engaging brand experience.

Whether you should send an SMS or MMS message will depend on your use case. SMS will suffice if you send a two-factor authentication (2FA) code, for example. But if you&#;re sending marketing messages or using messaging for customer support, the additional capabilities of MMS will enhance user engagement and experience. Luckily, you can send both kinds of messages via programmable SMS.

Take advantage of insights from 1 billion+ messages with our Guide to SMS and MMS. Download your copy to learn from Telnyx Messaging experts and shape your ideal SMS/MMS strategy.

What type of numbers can I send programmable SMS from?

You can send programmable SMS from several types of numbers, each with its own characteristics and use cases. Here are the three most common types:

Short codes

Short codes are five- or six-digit numbers used for high-volume A2P messaging. They can send many messages per second. However, they&#;re not voice-enabled and can take weeks to set up.

Toll-free numbers

Toll-free numbers are 10-digit numbers that start with a specific three-digit code (like 800 in the US). They can be used for both A2P and P2P messaging and can send hundreds of messages per minute. They&#;re voice-enabled and can be set up in up to 48 hours.

10DLC (10-Digit Long Code)

10DLC numbers are a type of long code number specifically designed for A2P messaging. They can send 5&#;15 messages per second and are a good choice for businesses with high-volume SMS campaigns.

The type of number you choose for sending programmable SMS will depend on your specific needs, such as the volume of messages you need to send, the speed at which you need to send them, and whether you need voice capabilities.

To learn more about these number types&#;and to find out which use cases are most popular for each&#;check out one of our other posts: Types of numbers and their business use cases.

Programmable SMS use cases

Programmable SMS is incredibly versatile and can be used in a wide variety of contexts to streamline communication and improve customer engagement. Below are some common use cases.

Transactional alerts

Businesses can use programmable SMS to send transactional alerts such as purchase confirmations, shipment notifications, and delivery updates. These types of messages help to keep customers informed in real time.

Appointment reminders

Medical practices, salons, personal services, and other businesses that rely on appointments can use programmable SMS to send reminders automatically, reducing the likelihood of no-shows.

Two-factor authentication (2FA)

You can use programmable SMS to send one-time passwords (OTPs) or verification codes as part of a 2FA system, enhancing the security of online services.

Marketing campaigns

Promotional texts or exclusive offers can be sent to subscribers, providing a direct line of communication to customers via SMS marketing campaigns.

Customer service

Businesses can offer support via SMS, responding to queries and resolving issues quickly. You can also set up automated responses to frequently asked questions to free agents up to answer more respond to more complex problems.

Emergency alerts

For organizations that need to communicate urgent information, programmable SMS can be used to quickly send emergency notifications or critical updates.

Surveys and feedback

Post-purchase or service, businesses can send a quick survey or request feedback, aiding in customer service improvement.

Internal communication

Programmable SMS isn&#;t just for external communication. Companies can also use it for internal communication, such as for sending shift reminders or updates to employees.

The possibilities with programmable SMS are vast and can be customized to fit the specific needs of each business, improving efficiency, engagement, and overall customer experience.

How much does programmable SMS cost?

Costs for programmable SMS can vary depending on what type of number you&#;re using to deliver your message. However, choosing the correct provider will be the largest factor in determining the cost of your messaging. You&#;ll also want to pay attention to the costs associated with sending messages to different countries and the volume of messages you send.

To give you an idea of how much SMS pricing can vary between providers, here&#;s a quick comparison of Telnyx pricing vs. Twilio pricing for SMS:

SMS TYPETELNYXTWILIOLocal inbound and outbound SMS or 10DLC$0.004$0.Toll-Free inbound and outbound SMS$0.$0.Short code inbound and outbound SMS$0.007$0.

Additionally, some providers may charge more for inbound messages. Suppose you&#;re adopting SMS as a two-way customer support or chat channel. In that case, these additional inbound charges can add up quickly since you won&#;t be able to control the volume of inbound messages you receive.

Now that we've explored the ins and outs of programmable SMS, its various applications, and the cost implications, it's time to consider an important decision&#;choosing your SMS provider. This choice is crucial as it can significantly impact the success of your SMS strategy. The right provider ensures seamless integration and reliable service and offers competitive pricing and robust support.

Choosing your programmable SMS provider

Selecting a messaging provider can seem challenging, and the outcome impacts the success and ease of your messaging campaigns. Here are the top three factors you should consider:

1. Affordability

Is the service provided by a direct carrier that owns its own network or just a reseller of network services? Eliminating the middleman and partnering directly with a carrier could reduce your messaging expenses by as much as 70%.

2. Aid with regulatory compliance

Understanding the intricacies of messaging regulations can be a challenging task. Choosing a provider that integrates compliance and delivery controls and enhancements, such as seamless long message concatenation and management of opt-outs, is beneficial.

3. Hassle-free setup and premium support

Scaling messaging can be an intricate process. Your provider should ensure constant support, and there shouldn't be an extra cost for this service. The support quality is equally important, so go for a provider that consistently earns high praise for customer service.

Unless you have an extensive team of tech experts, consider a provider that offers a wealth of resources to help you start (like developer documentation, a Slack community, etc.). To simplify the transition, look for a provider with a streamlined, automated porting process with real-time CSR validation.

And when you're ready to incorporate programmable SMS into your strategy, Telnyx has the tools and expertise to help you succeed.

Choose Telnyx&#;s powerful SMS API for programmable SMS

Established in and licensed in over 30 countries, Telnyx delivers superior products and sets industry standards by eliminating the middleman. With a global network, full API support, and a team of programmable SMS experts, Telnyx makes it easy to port your existing numbers and start sending programmable SMS.

Partner with us to create your optimal communication solution. You&#;ll get award-winning support, compliance tips, and more affordable pricing than our competitors.

Talk to a Telnyx expert to learn how you can leverage programmable SMS in your industry to improve efficiency, engagement, and your overall customer experience.

Frequently asked questions about Telnyx programmable SMS

Does Telnyx operate its own network?

Yes. As a software-driven licensed telecom operator with its own private IP network built on a multi-cloud architecture with a global backbone, Telnyx can deliver a more direct and secure route for your messages. Connecting directly with all major cloud providers also allows Telnyx to offer unrivaled reliability to ensure you&#;ll always be able to send SMS or content-rich MMS messages across the globe.

Does Telnyx provide reporting and analytics?

From reporting on the health of the numbers you use to send messages, to the deliverability and click-through rates of your messages, Telnyx provides the tools and reporting you need to make changes to your messaging strategy that can help you improve the quality of your customer experience.

What type of support does Telnyx offer?

Your business is always running, so we&#;re always on. Telnyx provides 24/7 support 365 days a year from our network operating centers.. Telnyx offers , , and live chat support for every customer, free of charge, so you can get the help you need whenever an issue comes up. You can also become part of our Developer Slack Channel and join hundreds of developers for their insights and our support.

How easy is it to integrate with Telnyx?

We&#;ve done the heavy lifting for you. Our engineers have developed quickstart guides and tutorials that allow you to hit the ground running when you&#;re ready to integrate messaging into your application. Visit our Developers Center for a robust catalog of SDKs in a number of coding languages like Python, Ruby, PHP, Node and .NET to help you programmatically build a powerful SMS communications platform with ease.

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