FAQ about the SMS service
Short Message Service (SMS) is a text messaging service component of phone, Web, or mobile communication systems. The service allows for short text messages to be sent from one cell phone to another cell phone or from the Web to another cell phone. Text messages traditionally can’t exceed 160 characters including spaces. SMS was the most widely used data application, with an estimated 3.5 billion active users, or about 80% of all mobile phone subscribers at the end of 2010.
Here are some frequently Asked Questions from the general public.
Also known as Short Message Service, SMS is a text messaging service component of phones, Web, or mobile communication systems. It uses standardized communication systems which allows fixed lines or mobile phone devices and computers to exchange short text messages using credit.
On ZENTECH’s Platform one can send up to 160 characters including spaces. Any SMS text beyond 160 will be sent as a second page which will attract additional cost and will be counted as 2 messages. We recommend to always try to be brief and concise in your message content.
Your account will be credited immediately after you make payment and inform our account department. If your account is not credited 30 minutes after, please call us.
Messages sent on our platform are instant, once the recipient’s number is live and there is no network jam with the network operator (i.e. MTN, Vodafone, Tigo) the SMS will be delivered immediately at a click of a button.
Yes, you can personalize your SMS to your recipient with his or name depending on the relationship level. Our Platform allows you to personalise and even schedule at what time the message should be delivered in a particular date and time.
Any time you realise your credit is exhausted, and you are aware of how much SMS credits you need, you can purchase SMS credits by calling +233 503 104 161 / +233 302 268 650 for assistance. Please note: The amount of credit purchased should be greater than or equal to the total value payable for the amount of units you have selected.
No. The sender pays for the cost of sending SMS to you.
Yes, but this is limited to 50,000 and above bundles.
- It may be that the recipient’s number is off.
- Every SIM card has a message centre number, if this number changes, there is no way the SMS message will be delivered to the recipient.
- Also, if the recipient’s inbox number is full, the message will not be delivered until he/she deletes some old messages in the inbox or unless the messages were sent as flash.
If the messages were submitted to our servers, then yes you will be charged as we harge for all submitted messages. We advise you format your numbers properly to ensure delivery.
Yes, you can.
Yes, you can receive replies if you use a valid phone number as your sending ID.
No. This is only possible with our hosted sim services.
ZENTECH IT SOLUTIONS offers SME's the best prices for Bulk SMS in Africa and across the Globe. Our prices decrease with increase in quantity you will be purchasing. This means that the higher the quantity you buy, the lower the price per SMS. Please refer to www.zentechsms.net for our pricing.
Once message is successfully received by our platform, it will be processed and submitted to operator for delivery, operator will submit same to handset.
Message may fail to deliver on two occasions:
- Number is Invalid - Permanent failure, no retries done.
- Number is Valid but in Low/poor/bad/roaming Network Coverage - Message will be retried till validity period of the message gets over.
Based on validity period and retrial mechanism, this is totally under control of end operator (Network Operator).
If your client will submit messages to us through our HTTP API, please note that response code received from HTTP API submission does not indicate final status for delivery. Response code received on successful submission is 1701. Any other response code indicates that submission is not successful. Please make reference to the API document sent to your team for other error codes.
Delivery report for successful delivery are received from handset itself in GSM, all other status are received from operator (Network Operator).
- PENDING: This means messages have been submitted for sending.
- REJECTED: Message not delivered. This status could be caused by bad reception or out of service area. A few phone networks do reject SMS if the phone is unreachable without further attempts.
- FAILED: Failed means that the message has failed after it was submitted to the carrier for delivery.
- DELIVERED TO SIM OR HANDSET: Handset has acknowledged the message. Note - the time of the delivery report = time for the message to be sent, PLUS the time for the delivery report to get back to AQL. This means that e.g., a delivery report taking 10 seconds means the message was probably delivered in about 5 seconds.
- EXPIRED: The SMSC was unable to deliver the message in a specified amount of time. For instance, when the phone is turned off.
- UNKNOWN: An unknown error has occurred.
- UNDELIVERED: The SMSC was unable to deliver the message. For instance, when the number does not exist.
- ACKNOWLEDGED: The SMS was accepted by courier or service provider and will be sent.