php SMS API Methods and Examples

1. Low-Cost Bulk SMS - Is It Really Worth It? While discounts and low prices can be an important driver of sales, it is also worth remembering the old adage that "you get what you pay for". Bulk SMS is no exception. Businesses can choose between paying less now and paying more later when problems arise, or paying a bit more for a better overall service with no glitches. When it comes to selecting a bulk SMS company for your mobile messaging, other factors besides price should be borne in mind php SMS API Methods and Examples Consider the coverage, reliability, network quality and customer service, as well as the pricing of their mobile messaging service. Products and services Does the bulk SMS company offer a rich variety of features and functions with its mobile messaging service? As well as offering a few different ways of sending messages, what really useful additional functionality does it offer? For example does it provide a HLR look up service so that you can confirm your contact information? Using HLR lookup to double-check phone numbers and subscriber identity saves money by eliminating invalid numbers. Other features to look out for are messaging scheduling and delivery status. Does the bulk SMS company offer two-way messaging, so that customers can easily follow up on your SMS messages? Having additional features such as these can save you money in the long run, as all of the data on your mobile messaging is readily available. Coverage and reliability Most bulk SMS companies will claim that they have complete coverage to anywhere in the world. Yet the real question is not just the coverage, but the reliability as well. If their primary route is blocked, do they have an equally efficient backup? When choosing a provider take a good long look at the operators and countries that they connect with, and ask if they have more than one route to that destination. Does this backup service come with all the features of the primary route? Make sure the secondary route provides binary SMS, offers Unicode characters (which will adapt SMS for hieroglyphic languages such as Chinese or a Cyrillic alphabets such as Greek), and that it will concatenate long messages. Even simple things like a local time stamp are important. Remember, the backup routes of any worthwhile bulk SMS provider will be just as good as their primary route. Network qualit Sometimes when an SMS provider offers to send bulk SMS messaging at a very low cost this is because the quality of their network is a bit below par, causing the message to be delayed or even lost along the way. If a text message doesn't reach its destination it is a waste of your time and money. In an ideal world your bulk SMS company would have direct routing -- or even its own network -- shrinking the delivery chain. After all, a more direct route provides more reliable routing. If a bulk SMS company

2. offers a free trial use it to test the quality of their network. It is also worth bearing in mind that some providers will offer several routing options for your mobile messaging, letting you decide whether cost or speed is more important on this occasion. Customer service Although it may seem straightforward to send mobile messages, throw in the variables of different mobile operators and geographic locations, and the potential for problems with your bulk SMS messaging can increase. The best solution is to use a bulk SMS provider that offers round the clock customer support seven days a week, 365 days as year -- be it via live chat or email... or both. This way you can get help regardless of the time zone, day of the week or national holidays. Usually, low cost providers need to cut corners somewhere so that they can discount their service. Unfortunately it is often their customer support that suffers. Yet this is frequently the most important component of your relationship with your bulk SMS company. Pay close attention to the level of support on offer by bulk SMS providers, and look for ones that have a written service level commitment guaranteeing to provide a certain amount of customer support. Payment method and minimum orders Payments for bulk SMS messages are nearly always required in advance. Once the prepayment has been made some providers will convert the money to credits, which will be deducted after the text messages are send. Others just keep a monetary account which is debited after the messages are sent. In either case, the SMS provider may require that a minimum amount of messages are sent, sometime within a particular time limit. It's worth remembering that some companies also charge a signing-up fee. When choosing a bulk SMS company examine their payment structure and be sure to ask about additional fees or minimum orders. Likewise, if you plan to send out a massive amount of messages, see if they will offer you a better rate. Credentials If you are preparing for your messages you should consider the bulk SMS supplier's background. Are they a well established provider within the industry or a relative newcomer? Are you happy to go with an unknown quantity for your mobile messaging needs or would you prefer someone with more experience? Do they come across as knowledgeable experts in the field -- their website should give you a clue. Could they provide expertise to help your business develop in new geographical markets? As you can see, there are several key factors to consider when looking for a bulk SMS provider, only one of which is price. The quality of their service and coverage, along with their commitment to customer care are also vitally important.