Worldwide reach
Reach recipients globally through one platform, with local expertise behind it.
Core messaging
A2P SMS provider for enterprise: reliable text messaging worldwide
Send alerts, codes and updates to any mobile phone with cost-effective, reliable A2P SMS and flexible scalability.
- 98%+delivery rate
- Up to 40%lower cost than traditional SMS
- 24/7support
98%+ is ZafeConnect’s reported delivery rate, not a guarantee of delivery.
In brief
A2P SMS from ZafeConnect in short
ZafeConnect’s A2P SMS sends application-to-person text messages, such as one-time codes, alerts and notifications, to 190+ countries through a REST API or your existing systems. Routing and fallback choose the best available route, operator delivery reports come back through the API, webhooks and analytics, and you pay only for delivered messages.
- Best for
- Enterprise one-time passcodes, transaction alerts, order, delivery and appointment notifications
- Coverage
- 190+ countries; coverage and features vary by destination
- Connections
- Direct operator connections, complemented by partner direct routes
- Integration
- REST API (see the SMS API page) or existing systems; live in as little as 2 weeks
- Sender names
- Local SenderID support and registration where a country requires it
- Delivery
- A message delivery rate of over 98% (reported; not a delivery guarantee or SLA)
- Pricing model
- Pay per delivered message. No setup, system or operating fees and no subscription.
- Not for
- Consumer person-to-person texting, or smaller businesses (served by Wezend)
Capabilities
What you can do with A2P SMS
A2P (application-to-person) SMS lets your systems send text messages to customers’ phones: one-time passcodes, order updates, appointment reminders and alerts. SMS reaches virtually every mobile phone, with no app to install.
Failover routing
If a network has issues, failover systems deliver through alternative routes or regions.
Pay per delivered message
No setup, system or operating fees. The only fee is for a message delivered.
Delivery insight
Track performance with the analytics included in every ZafeConnect solution.
ZafeConnect’s A2P messaging systems provide a uniquely flexible scalability that suits both your current and your future requirements, from a few messages to high volumes.
Enterprise and international SMS
Send enterprise SMS to customers in 190+ countries
ZafeConnect connects you to more than 190 countries through one platform and one integration, over direct operator connections complemented by partner direct routes. Coverage and features vary by destination.
International SMS from one integration
The same send reaches a customer in Copenhagen or in Cape Town. You do not build country-by-country connections.
Routing and fallback
Intelligent routing selects the best available route per destination, with fallback if a route has problems.
Local sender names and rules
We support local SenderID requirements and handle local regulatory requirements for the destinations you send to.
Real delivery reports
Delivery status comes from the operators’ own delivery reports where the operator returns them.
SMS gateway and API
How your systems send: SMS gateway and API
Providers use “SMS gateway” and “SMS API” for the same job: the connection between your application and the mobile networks. ZafeConnect offers it as a REST API, or you can connect your existing communication systems.
REST API
Post a message, receive a message ID and follow its status. Authentication is by API key, with live and test keys.
Bulk and scheduled sending
Send up to 10,000 messages in one request, and schedule or cancel messages.
Signed delivery webhooks
Status changes are posted to your system with an HMAC-SHA256 signature you can verify.
Existing systems
The platform integrates with the communication systems you already run, which keeps disruption to a minimum.
Aggregator or direct
SMS aggregator or direct connections? Ask about the route
Providers that connect many businesses to many mobile operators are often called SMS aggregators. The label says little about quality. What matters is the route your traffic takes in each country.
Direct operator connections
Where ZafeConnect connects to an operator itself, your traffic takes the shortest path.
Partner direct routes
Where a partner holds the direct connection, it extends global reach while the route stays short.
Multiple upstream providers
Using more than one upstream provider avoids depending on a single supplier.
Technical basics
A2P SMS basics your team should know
These points decide cost, delivery and user experience for almost every A2P SMS programme.
| Topic | What to know |
|---|---|
| Message length | A standard SMS segment holds up to 160 characters in the GSM alphabet, or 70 with Unicode characters. Longer texts are split into segments, which can affect cost. |
| Sender name | An alphanumeric sender is limited to 11 characters, is regulated differently by country and usually cannot receive replies. See SenderID registration. |
| Delivery reports | A delivery receipt (DLR) shows delivered, failed or pending. Detail and timing vary by country and operator. |
| Replies | Two-way messaging needs a number that can receive replies. See two-way messaging and phone numbers. |
| Consent | Promotional messages generally require opt-in, and every message should make it easy to opt out. See messaging compliance basics. |
General information, not legal advice. Rules differ by country; confirm what applies to your destinations.
How it works
How an A2P SMS travels from your system to the handset
- 1
Your system sends
An API call, a bulk request or a send from your existing systems. The message is accepted and queued, and you get a message ID.
- 2
Routing chooses the route
The best available route for the destination is selected, and the most cost-efficient delivery method is chosen where RCS or iMessage can reach the customer.
- 3
The operator delivers
The message reaches the mobile operator over a direct connection or a partner direct route, and fallback takes over if a route has problems.
- 4
The report comes back
The operator’s delivery report returns through the API, webhooks and your analytics, so you see what happened to every message.
Typical use cases
- One-time passcodes and verification codes
- Order, shipping and booking notifications
- Appointment reminders and service alerts
- Time-sensitive promotions to customers who have opted in
FAQ
A2P SMS: frequently asked questions
What does A2P SMS mean?
A2P stands for application-to-person: text messages sent automatically from a business application, such as a website or CRM, to a person’s mobile phone. It differs from P2P (person-to-person) texting.
How reliable is delivery?
ZafeConnect reports a message delivery rate of over 98%, and failover systems route around network issues using alternative routes or regions. This is a reported rate, not a delivery guarantee.
How is A2P SMS priced?
You pay only for messages that are delivered. There are no setup, system or operating fees and no subscription.
Can I send international SMS from one account?
Yes. ZafeConnect connects you to more than 190 countries through one platform and one integration. Coverage and features vary by destination, so tell us your countries and we will confirm what applies.
Is an SMS gateway the same as an SMS API?
The terms are used for the same job: the connection between your application and the mobile networks. ZafeConnect offers it as a REST API. See the SMS API page for authentication, limits and webhooks.
What is the difference between an SMS aggregator and a direct connection?
An aggregator connects many businesses to many mobile operators through one integration. A direct connection runs straight between a provider and an operator. ZafeConnect combines direct operator connections with partner direct routes. See our guide to SMS aggregators for the questions to ask any provider.
Can I combine SMS with RCS?
Our system selects the most cost-efficient delivery method for you, starting with RCS and iMessage. Ask us how to combine SMS with these channels for your use case.
Availability, features and requirements vary by country, operator and channel provider. Talk to us to confirm what applies to your use case.
- 98%+message delivery rate
- Up to 40%lower cost than traditional SMS
- No hidden feesyou pay only for delivered messages
- 2 weeksto go live – as little as
- 24/7customer support
98%+ is ZafeConnect’s reported delivery rate, not a guarantee of delivery.