Send and Receive Text Messages with API

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Sending and receiving text messages with an API can be a game-changer for businesses and developers.

You can use APIs like Nexmo or Twilio to send text messages programmatically, allowing you to automate tasks and integrate messaging into your applications.

With APIs like these, you can send text messages to individuals or groups, making it easy to communicate with customers, users, or team members.

APIs can also handle receiving text messages, allowing you to capture and process incoming messages in real-time.

Pricing and Compliance

When working with text messages, it's essential to consider pricing and compliance. You can check SMS pricing by country using the Messaging Countries subresources of the Pricing API.

To ensure your toll-free number complies with regulations, you'll need to verify it with the US and Canadian SMS regulations. This involves submitting, fixing, and removing toll-free verification (TFV) requests with the Verifications resource.

By understanding and adhering to these pricing and compliance guidelines, you can avoid any potential issues with your text message API.

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Check Pricing Per Country

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To check pricing per country, you can use the Messaging Countries subresources of the Pricing API. This will give you an accurate breakdown of inbound and outbound SMS message pricing for different countries.

You can easily access this information to plan your messaging costs and avoid any unexpected charges.

Verify Toll-Free Number Compliance

Verifying your toll-free number is crucial to ensure compliance with regulations.

To verify if your toll-free number complies with US and Canadian SMS regulations, you'll need to check the Verifications resource.

This resource will help you submit, fix, and remove toll-free verification (TFV) requests.

Make sure to review the regulations carefully to avoid any issues with your toll-free number.

API Endpoints

API Endpoints can be a bit overwhelming, but don't worry, I've got you covered. The base URL for all URLs referenced in MessageBird's SMS API documentation is provided in the code snippet on the right side. This is a crucial piece of information to get started with their API.

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MessageBird's API has a clear structure, with different endpoints for various tasks. Inbound SMS API, Outbound SMS API, and Advanced SMS API are some of the resources available to help you get started.

TextMarks' API also has a robust text message API, with resources available for Inbound SMS API, Outbound SMS API, and Advanced SMS API. The resources are designed to be simple and easy to use, even for those new to APIs.

Messaging is a trusted platform that offers two developer-friendly APIs for sending and receiving text messages at scale. The platform is designed to be pay-as-you-go, with scaling discounts available for high-volume and long-term use.

To manage your Messages, you can use the Messages resources to fetch, list, and delete Messages associated with your Account. Redacting messages is also possible by updating a Message resource.

For managing your Messaging Services, you can use the Services resource to create, fetch, read, update, and delete Messaging Services. The Services resource also has subresources for managing senders, including ShortCode, AlphaSenders, DestinationAlphaSenders, PhoneNumbers, and ChannelSenders.

Here's a summary of the API Endpoints mentioned:

Attributes

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A text message has a unique random ID created on the MessageBird platform.

This ID is returned upon creation of the object and can be used to identify the message.

The URL of the created object is also available.

This URL can be used to access the message details.

A message has a direction attribute that tells you if the message is sent or received.

The direction can be either mt (mobile terminated, sent to mobile) or mo (mobile originated, received from mobile).

The type of message is also an attribute, which can be sms, binary, or flash.

The type of message determines how it is processed and delivered.

The sender of the message is stored in the originator attribute.

This can be a telephone number, including the country code, or an alphanumeric string.

The maximum length of an alphanumeric string is 11 characters.

The body of the SMS message is stored in the body attribute.

Expand your knowledge: How to Type Text Messages

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This is the content of the message that is being sent.

A client reference is also available in the reference attribute.

This can be used to track the message and its status.

The report URL is stored in the reportUrl attribute.

This URL can be used to access the status report of the message.

The validity of the message is also an attribute.

This is the amount of seconds that the message is valid, after which it will be discarded.

The gateway attribute stores the SMS route used to send the message.

The typeDetails attribute stores extra information about the message type.

This can include additional details about the message, such as its encoding.

The datacoding attribute determines how the message is encoded.

This can be plain (GSM 03.38 characters only), unicode (contains non-GSM 03.38 characters), or auto (determined by the body content).

The mclass attribute indicates the message type.

This can be 0 for a flash message, 1 for a normal message, or 2 for a concatenated message.

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The scheduledDatetime attribute stores the scheduled date and time of the message.

This is in RFC3339 format (Y-m-d\TH:i:sP).

The createdDatetime attribute stores the date and time of the creation of the message.

This is also in RFC3339 format (Y-m-d\TH:i:sP).

The recipients attribute stores information about the recipients of the message.

This can include their phone numbers and other details.

Here is a list of the attributes of a text message:

Incoming Messages

You can receive messages in a matter of minutes with our fully-supported SMS gateway. This allows for fast and efficient communication with your customers.

With our SMS API, you can create two-way SMS conversations for uses such as customer support channels and appointment confirmations. This is a great way to engage with your customers and build trust.

SMS messaging has a 98% open-rate, making it the most trusted communication source available. This means your messages are more likely to be read by your customers.

Our programmatic way to create two-way SMS conversations allows for flexible and scalable communication solutions. This is perfect for businesses that need to communicate with a large number of customers.

Message Status

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Message Status is a crucial aspect of any text messaging API. You need to know the status of your messages to ensure they're being delivered successfully.

The SMS Status Information Hierarchy, as explained by MessageBird, groups error codes into Status Reasons, which provide additional details to an SMS Status. This hierarchy is essential to understand when analyzing message delivery.

Here are the different statuses you can expect:

  • sent: The message has been sent, and it has left the MessageBird platform (this is a temporary status).
  • delivered: The message has been delivered to the intended receiver.
  • buffered: The message has been queued pending to be delivered. This could be as part of a retry scheme for temporary unavailable (i.e. Unreachable) receiver.
  • expired: The message couldn't be delivered before the expiration of its validity period.
  • delivery_failed: The message couldn't be delivered and a negative DLR has been received.
  • scheduled: The message is scheduled by the customer to be sent at a later time (API only).

MessageBird's Programmable Messaging API provides a way to retrieve information about an existing inbound or outbound SMS message by supplying the unique message id that was returned upon creation or receiving.

SMPP Integration

SMPP Integration is a crucial part of our text messages API, and understanding how it works can help you send and receive messages efficiently.

To connect to our SMPP server, you'll need to use a TLS connection and select TCP port 2776. This is a requirement for our servers, so make sure to set it up correctly.

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Using the SMPP protocol, you can send us your MT messages via the submit_sm PDU. This PDU has several fields, but don't worry about the unused ones - they can be safely ignored.

The submit_sm PDU request has several fields that are used to send your MT messages, including the source address, destination address, and short message. Here's a breakdown of the fields:

If you're using SMPP to send messages, be aware that the servers only accept an SSLv3 handshake method, so make sure your setup is compatible.

SMPP Settings

When connecting to the SMPP servers, make sure to select TCP port 2776 for a secure connection.

If you're using a TLS connection, you'll need to use the correct handshake method. The SMPP servers only accept an SSLv3 handshake method, so don't try to use the old SSLv2 handshake, even if your crypto stick plans to negotiate to use TLS1.0 or better.

A fresh viewpoint: Do Text Messages Use Data

Bindings and Relaying

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Bindings and relaying are key concepts to understand when working with MessageBird's text messages API.

The SMPP relaying system is connection and server agnostic, allowing you to send an MT via a submit_sm PDU on one connection and receive the matching DLR on another connection.

This means that if you're using multiple connections to different servers, you can still receive the delivery reports on the correct connection.

In fact, the same username can be used across multiple connections, making it easier to manage your messaging flow.

If you're connecting to either of MessageBird's SMPP servers via a TLS connection, make sure to select TCP port 2776 for secure communication.

API Versioning

API versioning is a crucial aspect of any API, including MessageBird's SMS API. The base URL for all URLs referenced in the SMS API documentation is provided in the code snippet on the right side.

MessageBird's SMPP server supports multiple SMPP protocol versions. The supported versions are 3.3, 3.4, and 5.0.

If you set your SMPP client to talk version 3.3, you'll be missing out on some features. Most notably, you'll miss out on TLV information in the deliver_sm PDUs you receive.

Message Delivery

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Message delivery is a crucial aspect of text messaging APIs. With a 98% open-rate, SMS messaging is the most trusted communication source available.

You can send and receive text messages at scale with two developer-friendly APIs in one trusted platform, Messaging. This platform offers pay-as-you-go pricing and scaling discounts for high-volume and long-term use.

The open-rate of SMS messaging is significantly higher than other communication channels. This makes it an ideal choice for businesses looking to keep their customers informed.

To send two-way SMS messages, you can use 8x8's SMS API, which provides a programmatic way to create two-way SMS conversations. This is useful for customer support channels and appointment confirmations.

Here are the attributes you need to include when sending an outbound SMS message with MessageBird's Programmable SMS API:

You can also include additional attributes such as groupIds, type, reference, reportUrl, validity, gateway, typeDetails, datacoding, mclass, shortenUrls, scheduledDatetime, and createdDatetime to customize the message delivery.

Message Types

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You can send and receive text messages at scale with two developer-friendly APIs in one trusted platform, Messaging. This allows you to pay as you go and enjoy scaling discounts for high-volume and long-term use.

MO messages contain the contents of the message that was sent in the short_message field. DLR messages, on the other hand, contain report information in a specific format.

The short_message field in DLR messages references the message_id that was returned in the submit_sm_resp of the submit_sm operation. It also contains the same value as the receipted_message_id TLV.

Two-way SMS messages can be created using 8x8's SMS API, which provides a programmatic way to create two-way SMS conversations. This can be useful for uses such as a customer support channel and appointment confirmations.

Company Information

Our company is based in the United States and was founded in 2015.

We offer a text message API that allows developers to send and receive SMS messages programmatically.

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Our API supports over 200 countries and territories worldwide, making it a great option for businesses with a global reach.

We provide a free trial for our API, allowing developers to test our services before committing to a paid plan.

Our team is dedicated to providing excellent customer support and ensuring that our API is always up to date with the latest features and technologies.

Deliverability

Deliverability is a crucial aspect of text messaging, especially when using a Text Messages API. You'll receive MOs (Mobile Originated) and DLRs (Delivery Reports) via a deliver_sm PDU, with fields similar to a submit_sm PDU but with some differences in what you can ignore and what you can't.

To ensure deliverability, you can verify your users' mobile numbers via one-time passwords (OTPs), which is a great way to confirm their identity. This helps prevent spam and ensures your messages reach the right people.

The deliver_sm PDU has specific fields that you can ignore, including service_type, protocol_id, priority_flag, schedule_delivery_time, registered_delivery, and replace_if_present_flag. These fields are not relevant for deliverability.

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For better deliverability, you can also integrate SMS surveys, forms, and QR codes into your SMS messages. This helps engage your customers and increases the quality of interactions.

Here's a breakdown of the deliver_sm PDU fields that are not ignored:

By understanding these fields and their roles in deliverability, you can improve your Text Messages API experience and ensure your messages reach your customers effectively.

Send Two-Way Messages

Sending two-way messages is a game-changer for businesses and organizations that want to engage with their customers in a more personal way. With 8x8's SMS API, you can create two-way SMS conversations for customer support channels and appointment confirmations.

You can use the API to send and receive messages in a matter of minutes, thanks to 8x8's fully-supported SMS gateway. This means you can quickly respond to customer inquiries and keep them informed.

Two-way messaging is particularly useful for customer support, where you want to have a conversation with a customer to resolve an issue. This can be a big time-saver and improve customer satisfaction.

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Here are the key benefits of two-way messaging with 8x8's SMS API:

  • Send and receive messages in a matter of minutes
  • Use a fully-supported SMS gateway
  • Perfect for customer support and appointment confirmations

By using 8x8's SMS API, you can create a seamless and efficient way to communicate with your customers, which can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Security

When you're sending or receiving text messages through our API, you can rest assured that your data is secure.

We ensure that all SMS messages are sent and received securely.

Our security measures give you peace of mind, knowing that your information is protected.

The methods used to create strong security for the SMS APIs are detailed on our linked web page.

API Features

API Features are designed to make it easy to integrate text messaging into your apps. MessageBird's SMS API has a base URL for all URLs referenced in their documentation.

You can use TextMarks' simple and robust text message API to add SMS power to your apps. Their API resources will help you get started and contain detailed technical reference material.

Client libraries are available for various programming languages, allowing you to easily integrate TextMarks' capabilities into your apps. TextMarks is particularly powerful due to its ability to handle both outgoing and incoming texts.

Recommended read: Sms Messaging Apps

Available HTTP Methods

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The MessageBird API uses HTTP verbs to understand what you want to do with an object. It supports GET, POST, and DELETE methods.

You can use GET to read an object. This is useful when you want to retrieve information without changing anything.

You can use POST to create an object. This is useful when you want to add new data to the system.

If your web application can't do a POST or DELETE, you can set the method through the query parameter _method. This is a convenient workaround for situations where you need to use a different method.

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Bindings and Throughput

You'll receive the maximum amount of binds and throughput when an SMPP account is set up for you. This typically includes 3 binds and 50 messages per second.

These values are enforced on a per-server basis, so if you connect to all servers, you can set up 9 binds in total with a throughput of 150 messages per second.

API Features

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MessageBird's SMS API has a specific base URL for all referenced URLs, which can be found in their documentation.

You can add SMS power to your apps using TextMarks' simple text message API, which includes resources for getting started and detailed technical reference material.

TextMarks offers three types of SMS APIs: Inbound SMS API, Outbound SMS API, and Advanced SMS API, each serving a different purpose.

Client libraries are available for TextMarks, allowing developers to access its capabilities, such as sending outgoing texts and receiving inbound texts.

Expand your knowledge: How to Send Texts Not Imessages

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there any free API to send SMS?

Yes, a free SMS API is available to send SMS messages directly from software or applications. This API enables automation of SMS sending, receiving, and control from your website or business software.

Which SMS API is best?

Choosing the best SMS API depends on your specific business needs, but popular options like Twilio, Plivo, and Sinch offer robust features and scalability for large-scale applications. For smaller businesses or those seeking simplicity, SlickText and SimpleTexting provide user-friendly solutions.

Can I make my own SMS API?

Building a reliable SMS API requires significant coding expertise and dedication. Unless you're prepared to handle complex software issues, it's best to focus on other development priorities.

Ann Predovic

Lead Writer

Ann Predovic is a seasoned writer with a passion for crafting informative and engaging content. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for research, she has established herself as a go-to expert in various fields, including technology and software. Her writing career has taken her down a path of exploring complex topics, making them accessible to a broad audience.

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