eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.
OpenMarket announced the launch of its global SMS API, which helps businesses streamline and expand their global SMS messaging programs.
Organizations can now create and manage multiple message originators, including short codes, alphanumeric codes, and text-enabled, toll-free and local numbers through one application programming interface (API).
Bundled into this API are features designed to help reduce the technical complexity of sending SMS messages, increase the successful delivery of messages worldwide.
“As the demand for application to person (A2P) messaging has rapidly increased, OpenMarket saw a major gap in the availability of a streamlined, automated and accurate way for enterprises to deliver global SMS programs,” Andy Shirey, senior product manager at OpenMarket, told eWEEK. “To date, companies have had to deal with the headache of managing how they send messages like the formatting and delivery of the actual message, depending on where in the world it was being sent. This often results in failed delivery of messages.”
Shirley said OpenMarket’s Global SMS API significantly reduces the technical and timely complexities that are required for enterprises to implement text message programs while simultaneously improving the success of delivery.
“By leveraging our new API, businesses will be more agile and able to quickly deploy SMS messaging campaigns while also focusing their efforts on the content and engagement strategy of the actual messages, versus managing the delivery,” he explained.
Shirley said businesses that use multiple message originators or have an international customer base will benefit most from the new API.
“Currently, we support SMS messaging to over 200 countries, and with our new API, we intelligently and automatically select the best originator based on the destination of the message,” he said. “We also manage the entire text message formatting, like character sets and message length, that is required in each region.”
Shirley explained this eliminates the painstaking task of figuring out the individual technical nuances each country requires for SMS delivery, and allows the business to focus on the creative and engagement aspects of their programs.
Automatic Originator Selection and Character Encoding are two key features of the global SMS API, and with Automatic Originator Selection, OpenMarket will automatically select the correct messaging originator per the destination address.
With simplified character encoding, OpenMarket will optimize and deliver the message in the preferred format based on global operators and languages.
“We see SMS playing two pivotal roles in the business environment, but both have the same goal: engaging and informing their target audience,” Shirley said. “As mobile continues to reign as the most popular communication channel, businesses will leverage SMS capabilities as a leading engagement channel both externally and internally.”