Dedicated & Shared Short Codes
We offer our customers the ability to setup a dedicated 6 Digit Number (Short Code) with their accounts. Short codes have several benefits in that they have a higher throughput (100 messages per second) to transmit more messages simultaneously and are not subject to carrier filters.
The downside however is that a dedicated short code, takes several months to be approved, can cost $1,000+ per month (paid during the setup process), and are issued on a country-by-country basis so they cannot be used outside the United States. We recommend a dedicated short code if you have a very large constituency or anticipate high frequency texting rates.
As a benefit to our users, we plan to offer an optional shared short code in the near future. This will be added to all eGo Connect accounts at no additional cost when it becomes available.
Long Code Numbers
As an alternative to short codes, most eGo Connect users choose to use dedicated long code which are 10 digit local numbers or toll-free numbers for text-to-give and text-to-inquire usage. There are many benefits to using a 10 digit number which include:
- They can be localized to your area.
- They are very low in cost.
- They can be deployed quickly.
- The can be used in and outside of the United States.
Long code numbers are widely used by some of the world’s most well-known companies in a variety of application to person (A2P) use cases. Companies like Uber, Rackspace, Door Dash, GoDaddy and many others have used long codes for various applications like order confirmations, appointment reminders, 2 factor authentication (2FA), various notifications and more. The downside however is that they have a smaller throughput of 1 message per second for local numbers and 3 messages per second for toll free numbers (messages are queued and sent if exceeded). Additionally, they can occasionally be filtered out by automated carrier spam filters.
Mostly due to text spammers, carriers have put rules in place which can restrict or filter out A2P or certain long code traffic. Some carriers and regulatory organizations oppose A2P traffic as a method to curb text message spam and possibly due to the loss of traffic control as well as loss of revenue. For example, short codes can cost upwards of $1,000+ per month.
Please note that it is the responsibility of the user to use text message features in compliance with any local regulations.