With so many SMS API providers in the industry today, how do you ensure that you select the right one? Read on to learn the key factors that you need to consider when taking that step for your business.

Mobile phones have seen increased usage in Southeast Asia over the last decade. From 2011 to 2018, the number of people who own mobile phones has risen by 27%, and this number is expected to soar to a startling 5.7 billion, or more than half of the world’s population, by the year 2020. It is no wonder that text messaging has become a popular means of communication. SMS has a greater reach than any other communication channel and a higher open rate of 98% compared to emails.

SMS uses for businesses are boundless, and there already exists a widespread interest in using SMS for marketing and enterprise communications. Today, businesses can easily automate their marketing communications efforts through APIs that allow SMS messages to reach customers faster and more easily.

How can businesses go about adopting messaging technology?

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Your business can either develop your own enterprise SMS messaging platform from scratch or source an established SMS gateway provider.

Developing a messaging platform from scratch is no simple feat, requiring extensive software development resources. Not only is it time-consuming and resource-intensive, but it also presents many pitfalls that ambitious app developers tend to overlook. These can include unsecured code, malicious threats, and limited functionality. As such, this first approach is not so ideal for early stage businesses.

Instead, businesses and developers should consider partnering with reliable and established SMS API providers that are dedicated to developing secure bulk SMS gateways. This way, your business can capitalize on wholesale cost savings and focus on generating wider engagements with your consumers.

Key factors in choosing a suitable SMS API provider:

1. Security

Look for a service provider that can ensure high-quality and secure network routing for your messages. Unsecured SMS APIs are easily hijacked by spammers, which will result in messages ending up in your users' spam folder. Consider solution providers that show a good track record with customers that are reputable companies.

2. Reliability

To avoid SMS messages getting lost or undelivered, it is essential that you have a high-quality network infrastructure. Simply relying on an open-source bulk SMS gateway is inadvisable, as it will often experience crashes, hacks, or network issues. A reliable SMS API provider will ensure that their network infrastructure is stable and capable of handling hundreds of thousands of messages.

3. Scalability

The scalability of an SMS API depends in large part on the architecture and power of its underlying infrastructure. An enterprise-grade SMS API runs on a robust, scalable infrastructure that can handle massive spikes in traffic. Hence, only reputable messaging service providers will be able to meet your business needs and offer you the freedom to scale your SMS campaigns and traffic accordingly.

4. Wide network coverage

Businesses that want to use of SMS functionality will also require wide network coverage, so that text messages will reach their customers no matter where they are in the world. It is important to keep this in mind to ensure fruitful SMS marketing efforts. Thus, your businesses should seek an SMS API provider that has network coverage in your markets and provides 24/7 global support to address any issues that may arise.

The very reason why many developers choose to create their own SMS APIs may be the same reason that these APIs fail. For the sole purpose of saving costs, their SMS service becomes unstable with a high tendency to cause traffic breakdowns. This is why it is important to choose the right SMS API provider that is reputable and reliable.

To find out more about how Wavecell can meet your SMS API needs, check out our API Documentation page. You can also sign up for an API key or talk to us at cpaas-sales@8x8.com.