January 2020 Summaries

In today's highly competitive market, ensuring that customers receive and engage with marketing messages is more challenging than ever. With numerous companies to compete against and multiple channels to navigate, it can be difficult for a company's message to stand out from the crowd. However, SMS (Short Message Service) offers an effective solution to this problem due to its high open rate compared to other communication channels such as email. SMS has become increasingly popular in recent years, with 82% of text messages being read within five minutes of receipt. This makes it a highly visible and engaging marketing channel for businesses looking to reach their target audience effectively. Furthermore, SMS allows companies to create unique experiences for customers by leveraging modern smartphone technology and various messaging options. One key advantage of using SMS for marketing is the ability to send promotions, coupons, flash sales, and other time-sensitive notifications directly to consumers' mobile devices. This ensures that messages are seen and acted upon quickly, particularly during peak shopping periods such as Black Friday or holiday seasons. Additionally, SMS offers a more personalized approach to marketing compared to traditional channels like direct mail or email campaigns. To maximize the effectiveness of SMS marketing efforts, businesses should consider using toll-free numbers, local A2P phone numbers, and short codes for high-volume messaging. These options enable companies to send out large volumes of promotional messages while maintaining sender recognition and compliance with applicable laws and CTIA messaging guidelines. In conclusion, SMS is a powerful marketing tool that can help businesses cut through the noise and reach their target audience effectively. By leveraging this communication channel's high open rate and various messaging options, companies can create engaging experiences for customers and drive sales growth in today's competitive market landscape.

911 emergency support requires planning, especially during telephony migration to the cloud. Historically, IT departments maintained TDM, PRI, or POTs circuits into public safety answering points (PSAPs). However, moving communications to the cloud can break this connection. To maintain it and stay compliant with state and federal regulations, organizations need a reliable E911 solution provider like Bandwidth that connects directly to all 911 tandems or selective routers in the U.S. and Canada. Additionally, enterprises must adhere to Kari's Law and Section 506 of RAY BAUM'S Act for federal regulations and state laws regarding multi-line telephone systems (MLTS) E911 compliance.

Several companies have switched to Bandwidth for their voice and messaging needs, finding higher quality, lower costs, and better support. ProviderTech, a healthcare and insurance communication company, chose Bandwidth due to its flexibility and security features, allowing developers to integrate with legacy systems in just a few days. MyNeighbor, a local connection app, integrated SMS across their entire application within two weeks using Bandwidth's documentation. Cake restaurant software deployed with Bandwidth in a matter of weeks for optimized deliverability and seamless integration. Patronus, a safety service app, benefited from Bandwidth's extensive phone number inventory and collaborative problem-solving during development.

Shared short codes, a cost-effective method for businesses to send messages using a 5-6 digit number shared among multiple companies, are being phased out due to issues with spam and poor user experience. As the messaging industry evolves, new alternatives such as toll-free messaging, dedicated short codes, and ten-digit long code (10DLC) messaging have emerged. Businesses should consider these options for their messaging needs while planning a migration from shared short codes.