18 questions to ask an SMS gateway partner in your RFP
When you choose an SMS gateway partner, look for delivery and routing, security and data, a transparent price, support, integration and an honest exit. Here are 18 questions you can ask in an RFP or a procurement process.
November 9, 2026 · 6 min read · Updated November 9, 2026
Ask the questions in writing, and ask for answers you can hold the provider to.
A good answer is specific and can be checked; “it depends” with no detail is not an answer.
Cover six areas: delivery and routing, security and data, price, support, integration and exit.
Use the questions to decide who enters a pilot, and let the pilot decide the rest.
What should you look for when you choose an SMS gateway partner?
Look at what the partner can document, not at what it promises. The questions below are for an RFP or a procurement meeting, in six groups. The numbering runs from 1 to 18, so you can refer to them in your own scoring sheet.
Here is how to use them: send them in writing, ask for answers in the same order, and note what is documented and what is only said. Use the answers to pick two or three candidates, and let a pilot on your own traffic decide the rest. Our articles on what messages really cost and on running a pilot go deeper on those two areas.
Which questions should you ask about delivery and routing?
Question
A good answer is
1. Which routes do you use for my most important countries, and how many are there per destination?
Specific per country and in writing, with a difference between direct and partner routes
2. How do you detect a route that is failing, and how fast does traffic move?
Describes thresholds and automatic failover, not just “we monitor”
3. How do you measure the delivery rate, and what counts as delivered?
Has a definition, a period and an explanation of the difference between reported and agreed
4. Which delivery reports do I get, and can I see an error code per message?
Status, timestamp and error code per message, also by webhook
Which questions should you ask about security and data?
Question
A good answer is
5. Where is message data processed and stored, and which sub-processors do you use?
A list with locations, and how you are told about changes
6. Do I get a data processing agreement, and what does it say about retention and deletion?
An agreement you can read before the contract, with fixed periods
7. How is access controlled: keys per service, roles and revocation?
Separate keys, the ability to revoke them without affecting others, and separate test and live
8. How do you protect my sender name against misuse, and how is fraud such as SMS pumping handled?
Concrete tools and processes, and what costs extra
Which questions should you ask about price and support?
Question
A good answer is
9. Do I pay for sent or delivered messages, and how is “delivered” defined?
A written basis for billing
10. Which fees apply beyond the price per message: setup, monthly, minimum, sender, numbers?
A complete list, including “none”
11. How can prices change, and with what notice?
A clause with notice, and rules for currency and VAT
12. Is support available around the clock, and who answers: customer service or engineers?
Hours, channels and access to engineers, in writing
13. What is the response time, and how do you escalate if delivery drops?
Response times by severity and a contact route you can use on the day
Which questions should you ask about integration and exit?
Question
A good answer is
14. Where is the documentation, and can I test with a test key before I buy?
Public documentation and test keys
15. Which channels can I add later without building a new integration?
The same API for new channels, and a clear answer on what varies by country
16. How long from agreement to go-live, and who does what?
A realistic plan with the tasks divided
17. Can I export my logs and data, and how long are they kept?
An export format, a deadline and a deletion procedure
18. What applies to lock-in, notice and my sender names and numbers if I switch?
No unnecessary lock-in, and a clear statement of what can be moved
How ZafeConnect fits
ZafeConnect is a Danish company (ZafeConnect ApS, in Vedbæk) with direct operator connections, complemented by partner direct routes, in 190+ countries and a reported delivery rate of over 98%, which is a reported rate and not a delivery guarantee. You pay only for delivered messages, with no setup, system or operating fees and no subscription, customer support is available 24/7, and you can be live in as little as 2 weeks. The procurement page answers many of the questions from what ZafeConnect publishes, and says what is not published; get the rest in writing.
FAQ
Quick answers
What should you look for when you choose an SMS gateway partner?
Delivery and routing, security and data, a transparent price, support, integration and exit. Ask for specific, written answers, and let a pilot on your own traffic decide.
How many questions should an RFP have?
As many as you can score. Twenty precise questions with requirements for the answers beat fifty open ones.
Should I demand an SLA?
Ask whether one exists and what it covers. A reported delivery rate is not the same as an agreed SLA, so read what the agreement actually promises.
What is the difference between an SMS gateway and an SMS aggregator?
The terms overlap. A gateway is the connection between your system and the mobile networks; an aggregator connects many businesses to many operators. What matters is the route in each country, so ask about it.
