The Basics
Shortcodes are 5 or 6 digit numbers used by brands and enterprises to send and receive mobile messages to end users. Each country has a registry where you can rend these codes. In the United States, this registry is called USShortcodes.com. You can send both SMS and MMS on a shortcode. All shortcodes technically support both SMS and MMS, however some aggregators and platforms do not support it. If you own a short code, you can upgrade it to support MMS. If your aggregator does not support MMS, you can also transfer your shortcode to one that does. MMS is supported on nearly every mobile phone that supports SMS.
The Options
Skycore can either:
- Provision you a new shortcode that is both SMS and MMS enabled.
- Upgrade your existing SMS shortcode with MMS.
- Transfer your existing SMS shortcode and enable it for MMS.
How do I know which option is for me?
If you do not already have a shortcode, then we can setup a new code. You can utilize one of our shared short codes while we get you setup. If you already have a shortcode, we need to determine if your aggregator supports MMS. If they do, we just turn it on and submit an updated campaign brief to the carriers. If they do not then you must consider either transferring your code to a new aggregator, or setting up a new code.
FAQ:
- How long does it take to provision a new shortcode?
- It takes 8-10 weeks to go live with all tier 1 US carriers with MMS
- Can I have Skyore manage my existing shortcode on my current aggregator?
- Transferring SMS platform providers is easy. We simply have the aggregators re-point your messages to our platform.
- Can I have Skycore transfer my existing shortcode to a new aggregator?
- Transferring SMS aggregators is easy. We work with your existing aggregator to make sure the transfer is seamless.
- Do you have a shared shortcode? How long can I use your shared shortcode?
- Yes. For as long as you need to.
- Can I use your Platform for MMS and another system for SMS?
- Yes. You can route SMS traffic to one place, and MMS traffic to another. Additionally, we can integrate through APIs with other platforms to provide a seamless experience.
- How can I run different campaigns on different platform providers?
- Some aggregators will support 'keyword routing' which enables two platforms to use the same shortcode. In other cases, the platform provider will support keyword routing and route certain campaigns to other platforms or systems.
