What does A2P SMS mean?

A2P stands for Application-to-Person. It refers to SMS messages sent from a software application or business system to a mobile phone user. This is the standard format for business SMS communications including marketing, alerts, appointment reminders and notifications.

What is an Alphanumeric Sender ID in SMS marketing?

An Alphanumeric Sender ID is a custom text identifier of up to 11 characters that appears as the sender name on an SMS instead of a phone number. For example, 'TeamConnect' instead of a mobile number. It improves brand recognition but means recipients cannot reply directly to the message.

What is the difference between a long code and a short code SMS number?

A long code is a standard 10-11 digit phone number used for two-way SMS conversations, typically lower volume and lower cost. A short code is a 5-6 digit number used for high-volume marketing campaigns and opt-in keywords. Short codes have higher throughput and are more memorable but cost significantly more to register.

What does opt-in and opt-out mean in SMS marketing?

Opt-in is the process by which a customer explicitly consents to receive SMS messages from a business, required under UK PECR and GDPR regulations. Opt-out (also called unsubscribe) is when a recipient replies STOP or similar to remove themselves from an SMS list. Businesses must honour opt-outs immediately and maintain suppression lists.

What is SMS segmentation?

SMS segmentation is the practice of dividing your contact list into smaller groups based on shared characteristics such as location, purchase history, behaviour or demographics. Sending targeted messages to relevant segments significantly improves open rates, click rates and conversion compared to sending the same message to everyone.

What is a GSM character set and why does it matter for SMS?

The GSM character set is the standard set of 128 characters (letters, numbers, punctuation) that allows a single SMS to contain up to 160 characters. If you use characters outside this set — such as emoji, smart quotes or certain accented letters — the message switches to Unicode encoding, reducing the single-SMS limit to 70 characters and potentially doubling your sending costs.

What is SMS delivery rate?

SMS delivery rate is the percentage of sent messages that are successfully delivered to recipients' handsets. A healthy delivery rate is typically 95% or above. Low delivery rates can indicate poor list quality, invalid numbers, network issues or carrier filtering of spam-like content.

What does PECR mean for SMS marketing in the UK?

PECR stands for Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. In the UK, PECR requires businesses to obtain explicit prior consent before sending marketing SMS messages to individuals. Businesses must also identify themselves in every message and provide a clear way to opt out. Breaches can result in fines from the ICO.

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SMS MARKETING GLOSSARY

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UK regulations, GDPR, PECR, consent management, and legal requirements for compliant SMS marketing operations.

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Mobile network operators, routing, gateway systems, and telecommunications infrastructure terminology.

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Triggered messages, drip campaigns, behavioral automation, and workflow management terminology.

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