Shared SMS Shortcode Service Provider for Multi-Originator Messaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Businesses face challenges in sending SMS messages to consumers due to stringent regulations, limited technological options, and high costs associated with using Short Message Peer to Peer Protocol (SMPP) gateways, which require expensive shortcode registration and lengthy certification processes.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that allows multiple message originators to share a common SMS shortcode, where a service provider determines opted-in recipients and transmits messages using a shared shortcode, enabling businesses to send SMS messages without individual registration and certification for each originator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If businesses use SMPP gateways with registered shortcodes to send SMS messages, then message delivery reliability is improved, but costs and registration complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple originators share a single registered shortcode through a service provider, combining their messaging capabilities under one certification. This allows businesses to access reliable SMPP gateway delivery without each individual business needing separate registration and certification processes.
Solution Approach 2:
A service provider acts as an intermediary between multiple originators and the SMPP gateway. The service provider holds the registered shortcode and manages message routing, enabling originators to send messages through the reliable SMPP infrastructure without direct registration requirements.
2Reliability
If businesses purchase registered shortcodes and undergo certification processes, then SMS message delivery becomes more reliable, but time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The service provider completes the time-consuming registration and certification processes in advance, obtaining the registered shortcode before multiple originators need to send messages. This preliminary action eliminates the time delay for each individual business.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple originators combine their messaging needs under a single pre-certified shortcode, allowing them to immediately access reliable SMS delivery without undergoing separate certification processes.
3Ease of manufacture
If businesses use SMTP gateways for SMS delivery, then setup simplicity is improved, but message delivery reliability and consent management deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The service provider acts as an intermediary layer between originators and the SMPP gateway, simplifying the setup for originators while ensuring reliable delivery through the certified infrastructure. Originators only need to interface with the service provider's simplified API.
4Loss of information
If multiple originators each obtain their own registered shortcode, then message originator identification is improved, but costs and regulatory compliance complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments message identification by including originator-specific information within the message content or headers, while maintaining a single shared shortcode. This allows differentiation between originators without requiring separate shortcodes for each.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple originators share a single registered shortcode to reduce compliance complexity and costs, while the system maintains the ability to identify and track messages by their specific originator through alternative identification mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
To enable multiple message originators to share an SMS shortcode, a service provider that administers the shared shortcode determines which of the recipients of an outbound SMS message have subscribed to SMS services of the particular originator. Only messages to recipients that have specifically opted in to receive messages from the particular originator are sent by the service provider through an SMS gateway. To opt-in to SMS message services, a user sends an opt-in message to the service provider. The content of the opt-in message includes a code that uniquely identifies one of the plurality of originators.