Route selection
For each destination there are usually several routes. Good routing weighs quality, speed and cost, and picks the right one for the message.
Global network
Intelligent routing and fallback
Every message follows the best available route to its destination. If a route has problems, traffic moves to another one.
What matters
What matters for intelligent routing
Behind every SMS there are several possible routes to the operator. They differ in quality, speed, cost and current health. Choosing well between them is what separates a message that arrives in seconds from one that arrives late, or not at all.
Fallback
If a route is degraded or down, traffic moves to an alternative route, so a problem on one path does not become a problem for your customers.
Across channels too
RCS and iMessage can be selected first where they reach the customer, with other delivery methods, such as SMS, used where they do not.
Different messages, different priorities
Speed matters most for one-time codes, cost for large campaigns. Agree with your provider what should count most for each type of traffic.
How ZafeConnect delivers
How ZafeConnect delivers
ZafeConnect’s routing selects the route for each message, and fallback moves traffic to an alternative route if the first one has problems. Together with failover through alternative routes or regions, this supports a message delivery rate of over 98%.
Best available route
Messages are sent over the best available route for the destination.
Fallback when it matters
If a route has problems, traffic is moved to another route or region.
Cost-efficient by default
The system selects the most cost-efficient delivery method, starting with RCS and iMessage, which makes savings of up to 40% versus traditional SMS possible.
Visible in your results
Delivery reports and analytics show what happened to each message.
- 1
You send
One API call or one send from the platform, regardless of destination.
- 2
We choose the route
The routing logic selects the best available route for the destination and the message.
- 3
A problem? Traffic moves
If a route fails or degrades, traffic moves to an alternative route.
- 4
You see the outcome
The operator’s delivery report comes back to you and is tracked in your analytics.
What routing decides
Four decisions made for every message
Routing is a set of decisions, not a single setting. This is what is decided and how it helps you.
| Decision | What it weighs | How it helps you |
|---|---|---|
| Which route | The quality, speed, cost and current health of each route | Messages take the best available route for the destination and the message. |
| What if a route fails | Whether a route is degraded or down | Fallback moves traffic to an alternative route or region. |
| Which delivery method | Which method is the most cost-efficient for the recipient | RCS and iMessage are selected first where possible, which makes savings of up to 40% versus traditional SMS possible. |
| What you see | The outcome of every message | Operator delivery reports in the API, webhooks and analytics. |
Coverage, features and reporting vary by country and operator.
Buyer’s checklist
Questions to ask any provider
Whichever provider you choose, ask these. We are happy to answer them for ZafeConnect.
- What decides the route for my messages: price, quality, or both?
- What happens when a route fails, and how quickly does traffic move?
- How do you keep a failing route from delaying time-critical messages such as one-time passcodes?
FAQ
Intelligent routing: frequently asked questions
What is intelligent routing?
Routing that chooses, for each message, the best available route to the operator, instead of sending everything over one fixed path.
What happens if an operator route goes down?
Fallback moves traffic to an alternative route or region, so your messages keep being delivered. Failover systems are built for exactly this.
Does routing affect the price?
Yes. Choosing the most cost-efficient delivery method is part of routing. Savings of up to 40% compared with traditional SMS come from selecting RCS and iMessage first where possible. Your price depends on destinations, channels and volumes.
Can I influence the routing?
Tell us if you have specific requirements for a destination or a message type, and we will discuss what is possible.