Cheaper text messaging prices for apps?

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Kyanar

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#111863 17-Nov-2012 12:05

So just noticed that the provider I use for my overseas contact numbers now offers SMS prices to NZ far below what other providers are charging. From $0.02 up to $0.09 per message (guess which provider is 9c!) and all four carriers supported.

https://www.twilio.com/sms/pricing

Also noticed they now let you buy NZ numbers (from Chorus by the looks) to hook up to your apps as well.

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BDFL - Memuneh
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#718728 17-Nov-2012 12:20

It will probably be blocked by Telecom and/or Vodafone. Their market protection security policy is to drop any inbound SMS from overseas operators that come with a New Zealand number in the sender field.

They say this is to reduce spam - as I said before foolish idea, as the only inbound spam I've seen come with overseas numbers, mostly UK.

This actually helps protect the local market providers - you go and ask for SMS gateway prices and one or one million cost the same...

Now, if your application doesn't mind sending the messages with an overseas number, then they have no problem with that.

How this helps reducing spam is unknown...

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Kyanar

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#718731 17-Nov-2012 12:22

Interestingly, messages via this service come in with short code 313 as the sender - the same one on the Microsoft Account verification text messages and Orcon's billing notification messages. It does mean you can't reply to it, but if it's for something like, well, 2fa or billing notifications then that's probably OK.

(Also, to use a short code doesn't that mean they have to have a direct relationship with the provider?)

johnr

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#718732 17-Nov-2012 12:22

SPAM SMS is actually a huge issue we had quite a bit coming into our network from the US down a smpp link via a major SMS hub that is meant to do spam filtering

freitasm

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#718741 17-Nov-2012 13:07

Sure spam SMS exists. I am not denying it. What I am saying is that I don't see much spam with New Zealand numbers. The ones I've ever received were from overseas numbers and mostly "lottery prize" type of message.

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Behodar

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#718777 17-Nov-2012 14:58

freitasm: What I am saying is that I don't see much spam with New Zealand numbers.

If it's blocked then of course you're not seeing it... or am I missing something?

freitasm

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#718796 17-Nov-2012 16:24

What I meant is that I've never got spam SMS with New Zealand numbers even before they started blocking it and yet I have received SMS spam with international numbers since the block started.

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Behodar

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#718811 17-Nov-2012 16:47

Ahh, that makes a bit more sense :)

Kyanar

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#718904 17-Nov-2012 20:54

Going a bit off-topic here aren't we?

freitasm

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#718917 17-Nov-2012 21:55

Back on topic then. If you want cheap international providers, you will have to live with the lack of ability to use a New Zealand number in the sender address at some point.

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Kyanar

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#719019 18-Nov-2012 12:25

Ok, so I asked them if they actually have carrier agreements in NZ and it looks like they currently don't. But - it is likely that they are working on this as once they launch in a country they then aim to get local number ranges available (as they have done for the voice service with NZ numbers) which requires local interconnects and the like. Their shortcode appears to be a US shortcode not NZ, so that's why I couldn't find any reference to it. For what it's worth, Orcon uses the same short code and it's not in the short code list published by Vodafone, so it's possible Orcon is using the same service for billing reminders.

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#719020 18-Nov-2012 12:36

And once they get a shortcode and local interconnects you'll probably find their pricing increase to match every other local provider.

Kyanar

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#719021 18-Nov-2012 12:37

sbiddle: And once they get a shortcode and local interconnects you'll probably find their pricing increase to match every other local provider.

Highly unlikely.

freitasm

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#719024 18-Nov-2012 13:06

I am with Steve. Once they get a local presence, more likely prices will increase. Market protection, I tell you...

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#719026 18-Nov-2012 13:09

Kyanar:
sbiddle: And once they get a shortcode and local interconnects you'll probably find their pricing increase to match every other local provider.

Highly unlikely.

Why do you assume that?

Local carriers set the price of interconnect and the per message price. The cost of delivering messages locally will be higher than delivering this via an international roaming hub. If these costs are higher than their current message costs (hint: they are) then they're simply not going to be able to charge the same prices.

Kyanar

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#719027 18-Nov-2012 13:10

Again, unlikely. Prices didn't suddenly raise on us customers when they got a commercial agreement in place with Chorus for phone numbers, and in fact their pricing to make calls to NZ numbers is still pretty much at the MTR (an whatever the equivalent is called for landlines) already.

(This entire pointless debate is a moot point though - in their response to me they indicated that message volume to NZ is still very moderate, so it's probably not on their short term radar).

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