Is a short code absolutely required for sending commercial mobile text messages in the US?
Simply put… yes. Whilst we are currently putting together a white paper on the issue, I hope this shorter answer helps… The US joined the SMS train very late in comparison to us in the UK and elsewhere in the world and, by means of Short Codes and Short Code Programs, they’ve made the decision not to fall in to the same mess that many other countries did. In Japan, for example, 9 out of 10 messages are considered unwanted. To demonstrate… 1. A mobile user contacts his/her Network Carrier to complain about an unwanted message which he has received. The Sender ID of the message (i.e. the Short Code) points to its Short Code Program. The Network Carrier refers to the Service Brief and provides the mobile user with the given details on how to stop receiving the service’s messages. 2. A Network Carrier receives numerous complaints from mobile users about unwanted messages. The Network Carrier investigates the issues and discovers that the Content Provider is, in one way or the other,
