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Our Text Messaging system is becoming more reliable, faster and more consistent
We’re eager to announce changes to our Text Messaging system that will make SMS reminders and alerts faster, more reliable, and consistent. This change will be rolled out over the next week or so, and no action is required on your part.
Very soon, all text message reminders and alerts will be sent from our new 5-digit short codes: 31415 in Canada, and 69620 in the United States. This change will allow us to send text messages faster, more reliably, and consistently from the same number. We also confirmed we are in compliance with telecom industry regulations.
Until now, ReCollect has operated a text message service using a pool of standard 10-digit phone numbers. While this has worked great for many years, there are several drawbacks:
- Wireless carriers may filter legitimate content as spam. Many wireless carriers use machine learning software to protect their users from spam and other undesirable messages. This technology is meant to protect people, but it can also result in false positives, such as blocking legitimate messages sent from ReCollect.
- Residents are confused by messages that come from new numbers. The wireless industry recommends not sending more than 200 messages/day from the same number in order to not be blocked. This means we need to maintain a large pool of phone numbers to send from. While we try to always send people messages from the same number, it isn’t always possible, and then results in confusion.
- Carriers may start blocking all messages from applications. Last year, Rogers Wireless in Canada indicated that they would start blocking all automated text messages sent from 10-digit numbers. They have since delayed this change indefinitely. However, we want to make sure we are ready when it happens, or if another carrier decides to do the same.
- ReCollect is unable to investigate problems. With 10-digit numbers, there is often no way for us to be alerted when messages are blocked or discover the cause of those problems.
ReCollect’s new short codes have many advantages
- Reliable: The delivery of messages is guaranteed by mobile carriers, and if an error occurs, we are able to know when and why it happened
- Fast: Messages sent from Short Codes are 40 times faster than services that use 10-digit Long Codes.
- Consistent: All messages sent from Short Codes can be reliably sent from the same number, so residents aren’t surprised to receive a message from an unknown number.
- Compliant with Anti-spam regulations: Short Codes are regulated by telecommunication-industry regulators, and services are audited to ensure compliance with Anti Spam guidelines. This means, we are obligated to ensure people have opted in to the service, that we support standard keywords such as STOP and HELP, and that people are aware of how to use those keywords and the costs associated with the service (even though it is free).
Text messages have costs imposed by the Telecommunications Companies. Short codes are no different. Standard message and data rates may apply.
If you have any questions about this change, please contact us at Support@ReCollect.net, we’d love to discuss any feedback or concerns you may have.
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