What is SMS Home Routing and How Does it Work

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SMS home routing is a game-changer for businesses and organizations that rely on SMS communication to reach their customers. It allows them to send and receive SMS messages through their own phone numbers, rather than using a third-party short code.

This means that customers can receive messages from a familiar number, increasing the likelihood of them engaging with the content. SMS home routing also provides businesses with more control over their SMS communications, allowing them to personalize and automate their messaging.

By routing SMS messages through their own phone numbers, businesses can avoid the costs and limitations associated with using short codes. They can also use advanced features like two-way messaging and analytics to gain insights into customer behavior.

The Problem

The inconsistency in the original GSM specifications led to a major problem with SMS. The specifications allowed inbound messages to bypass the home network, instead being sent directly to the target handset.

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This put SMS out of step with other forms of communication like voice telephony, email, and MMS, which all have the home entity responsible for managing both inbound and outbound traffic.

The original GSM specifications were designed with voicemail alert systems in mind, not person-to-person messaging. This outdated approach prevented operators from generating new revenue by offering value-added SMS services.

In 2006, UK mobile operator Vodafone highlighted this issue, pointing out that a large percentage of SMS traffic was outside the direct control of the receiving network.

A fresh viewpoint: Twilio - Sms/mms-svr

The Home Solution

The Home Solution is a game-changer for SMS routing.

Home Routing uses the recipient network's Home Location Register (HLR) to change the flow of inbound off-net messages, directing them to an SMS router.

This allows advanced services like divert, copy, and archiving to be applied before messages are delivered.

The 3GPP standardized two forms of SMS Home Routing: Non-Transparent Home Routing and Transparent Home Routing.

Non-Transparent Home Routing supports all types of advanced SMS services.

Transparent Home Routing, on the other hand, only supports a limited subset of advanced SMS services and the issuance of delivery receipts.

This is due to lobbying from bulk SMS service providers.

On a similar theme: Rich Communication Services

Security

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Security is a top concern in the SMS delivery process. External networks can send queries for subscriber locations and identities, which poses a security risk.

These queries can be used to launch various attacks, including location tracking, eavesdropping, DoS, and SMS spamming.

The SMS Home Routing process provides a solution to this issue by never disclosing real subscriber locations or identities.

See what others are reading: Rcs vs Sms Security

Compliance and Setup

To set up SMS home routing, you'll need to obtain approval from your carrier, as required by the FCC's rules on wireless roaming.

Compliance is key, and failure to obtain approval can result in fines and penalties.

Compliance

Cellusys provides SMS Home Routing according to the 3GPP TR 23.840 standard, which was originally released in 2006 and updated to version 7.1.0 in 2007.

The 3GPP is a standards organization that develops specifications for third-generation mobile networks, closely linked with GSMA. They provide several industry standards and studies.

Cellusys supports TCAP Handshaking on MT submission, a key feature for improving inter-PLMN architecture functionality and security.

3GPP TS 33.200, released in 2001, defines various security mechanisms necessary for the GSM MAP protocol, with the latest version 7.0.0 released in 2007.

3GPP TS 29.002, released in 1999, details the operations, parameters, and message flows used by the SMS.

If this caught your attention, see: Security Sms

Setup Recipient Phone Number Condition

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In the SMS Gateway, you can set up a condition to determine which user connection a message will be forwarded to based on the recipient's phone number.

To do this, go to the Match tab and enter the phone number you want to use in the given routing rule in the To address field.

Here's an interesting read: Ai Sms Chatbot Number Free

Terms and Definitions

An SMS message is a short text or binary message that carries 140 bytes of useful data, which can be 160 GSM characters, 70 Unicode characters, or 140 bytes of binary data.

SMS messages can be long, but they're limited to 160 characters. To get around this, the technology of segmentation and reassembly (SAR) is used, where long text messages are split into multiple SMS messages.

A connection is an interface for an SMS message to come into or go out of a system. This can be an SMPP client connection to a mobile network operator, or even a database connection.

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SMS routes take a message from one connection and pass it to another connection. For example, a route can take a message from a database connection and pass it to an SMPP client connection.

An SMS routing table contains a list of routes. This is what the system checks when an SMS message comes in from a connection, trying to match it to the right route.

Overview and Routing

Ozeki SMS software offers high-performance connections that can be used as an SMS router. This allows you to control your messages and set up SMS routing.

To route SMS messages, you'll need to follow a series of steps. These include adding a new SMS connection to the mobile network, adding a new SMS user or application, and creating an outbound and inbound SMS route.

Here's a quick rundown of the steps involved in routing SMS messages:

  1. Add a new SMS connection to the mobile network
  2. Add a new SMS user or SMS application
  3. Create an outbound SMS route
  4. Define a phone number prefix for routing
  5. Create an inbound SMS route
  6. Optionally set up recipient phone number conditions
  7. Set the order of routes
  8. Optionally modify the SMS message text
  9. Decide whether to copy or move the message

Defining a phone number prefix for routing allows you to select which service provider connection to send a message to based on the prefix of the recipient's phone number.

Unified or Independent

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The SMS Home Router is incredibly versatile, and one of its key features is its ability to be deployed standalone or as part of a larger system.

You can choose to deploy the SMS Home Router independently, or you can complement it with additional protocols as modules of the Protect Unified Signalling Firewall as needed in the future.

The SMS Home Router uses REST API integration, which is a game-changer for seamless communication and flexibility.

This integration makes it easy to work with the SMS Home Router, and it's a key factor in its ability to support virtual deployment or installation on customised servers.

Sms Home Routing

Sms Home Routing is a feature that allows you to redirect inbound messages to an SMS router, applying advanced services like divert, copy, archiving, and anti-spam before delivery.

This feature was standardized by the 3GPP in two forms: Non-Transparent Home Routing, which supports all types of advanced SMS services, and Transparent Home Routing, which supports a limited subset of advanced SMS services and delivery receipts.

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Home Routing uses the recipient network's Home Location Register (HLR) to change the flow of inbound off-net messages, directing them to an SMS router.

To implement Home Routing, you'll need to set up two routing rules, where the From connection is the user sending the message and the To connection is the two service providers you want to send the SMS to.

Here's a simplified overview of the steps involved in setting up Home Routing:

By implementing Home Routing, you can apply advanced services to inbound messages, making it a powerful tool for managing SMS communications.

Customization

Customization is a key aspect of SMS home routing. You can define a phone number prefix for routing in the SMS Gateway, which allows you to select a service provider connection based on the prefix of the recipient's phone number.

To do this, you can enter the phone number prefix in the To address field on the Match tab. This is a crucial step in ensuring that your messages are routed correctly.

You also have the option to modify the SMS message text during routing. This can be done in the Replace message Text field on the modify tab of the routing rule.

Related reading: O Message

Define Phone Number Prefix for Routing

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Defining a phone number prefix for routing is a crucial step in customizing your SMS gateway. This allows you to select which service provider connection to send the message to based on the prefix of the recipient's phone number.

To enter the phone number prefix, you'll need to go to the Match tab and fill in the To address field. This is where you can enter the specific phone number prefix you want to use for the given routing rule.

In the SMS Gateway, you can enter the phone number prefix in the To address field on the Match tab. This will help you determine which service provider connection to send the message to during routing.

Here's a quick rundown of the steps to define a phone number prefix for routing:

By defining a phone number prefix for routing, you'll be able to send messages to the right service provider connection based on the recipient's phone number. This helps streamline your messaging process and ensures that messages reach their intended destination.

Optional Message Text Change

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In SMS routing, you have the flexibility to modify the sent message during the process.

You can do this in the Replace message Text field on the modify tab of the routing rule. This gives you the ability to customize the message to suit your needs.

This option is optional, meaning you can choose to leave the message as is or make changes to it.

Desiree Feest

Senior Assigning Editor

Desiree Feest is an accomplished Assigning Editor with a passion for uncovering the latest trends and innovations in technology. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for identifying emerging stories, Desiree has successfully curated content across various article categories. Her expertise spans the realm of Azure, where she has covered topics such as Azure Data Studio and Azure Tools and Software.

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