SMS Shortcode. An explanation

What is an SMS shortcode?

An SMS shortcode is a 5 digit number to which an SMS text message can be sent. Shortcodes are often used by businesses to allow customers to opt-in to their SMS campaigns, alert services, or to enter SMS competitions.

At BulkSMS.com we offer two types of SMS shortcode solutions:

• A dedicated shortcode is provisioned to a specific company or organisation to enable the running of multiple campaigns or services. Any alphanumeric message sent to a dedicated shortcode will be received by the BulkSMS customer to whom the shortcode is allocated.
• A shared shortcode is pooled between multiple businesses or organisations. This means that two or more companies may share the same shortcode, but have different keywords. Each BulkSMS customer has a unique keyword which is sent to the shortcode. If for example you have chosen the keyword “Car” on 32015, all messages coming in with the keyword “Car” will come in to your BulkSMS inbox.

South African Case Study:

Shark Spotters, founded in 2004, is a unique beach safety and shark conservation programme running in Cape Town, South Africa. It is a non-profit organization adopted by the City of Cape Town in response to increased shark sightings at local beaches. The primary function of Shark Spotters is to monitor inshore shark activity in an attempt to reduce the number of encounters between humans and sharks at recreational bathing and surfing beaches on the Cape Peninsula and False Bay.

In a move to encourage the community to support their efforts, the Shark Spotters team uses SMS to raise funds for the programme. They promote a shortcode for the SMS donation line so that anyone can donate R10 to the organisation by SMSing the word SHARK to 38021. This service has generated over R16,000 for the Shark Spotters over the last two years.

*Disclaimer: BulkSMS.com only offers premium rated SMS shortcodes in South Africa.