FlashSMS Frequently Asked Questions
1. What's the benefits of FlashSMS over standard SMS?
FlashSMS has been designed to address many of existing complaints about corporate SMS gateways. Typically:
1. We have dramatically improved the cost/performance ratio. Typical costs are 50% less than conventional bulk SMS.
2. Our gateway incorporates unique burst mode technology. Under the right conditions we are able to achieve throughputs of up to 32,000 messages a second. Typically, most public SMS gateways limit SMS throughputs to less than 40 messages a second. This creates difficulties where there are timing issues and/or large subscriber lists.
3. We have simplified the cost structure by providing a flat messaging price anywhere in the world. There are no international roaming costs or regional operator uplifts.
4. We have made the product highly accessible. Optional licensing components include a 2-way messaging product that works in any browser and a phone to phone product that works on any GSM phone with no software installs needed.
5. We have simplifed the deployment of our web services gateway. Typically, and using either a FlashSMS engineer or one of your engineers, the bindings can be undertaken and completed in less than 3
hours.
2. What is the coverage of this service?
FlashSMS roams across the public network on the international GSM SS7 network interchange. This coverage represents about 80% of the phones in the world. And because our FlashSMS format is standardised for all GSM phones, coverage is not dissimilar to the existing SMS gateway services.
Currently, we are in testing mode and have restricted our coverage to Australia and Europe. This will extend into parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East in the coming months. As we test these
regions, notification will appear on the www.flashsms.me website.
3. Do you provide delivery reports with your gateway messaging?
The FlashSMS gateway was designed as a light weight notification service offering very high speed delivery and significant cost reductions. This meant a reduction in the related features of the service. Typically messages will not be delivered if the phone is switched off or outside of a coverage zone.
Our servers will continue to send to a mobile phone for 6 hours if a delivery acknowledgement is not received. Beyond this period the server session will time out and a notification report will appear in your campaign log.
FlashSMS Chat will advise you in realtime if a message cannot be delivered to a mobile phone or to a regional operator. This will either ask you to 'retry' or inform you that the mobile operator is not supported.
4. There is only one local number to call to validate my account. Won't this number always be engaged?
No. This is a digital number with multiple signal channels. It is able to managed hundreds of simultaneous calls to this line.
5. How is this number a freecall number when it is not using a 1-800 prefix?
Calling this number does not establish a connection. Each time your call connects, it will receive an engaged (busy) signal. This does not register a tariff condition, hence it is a freecall.
6.
How do I sign up for a trial of the FlashSMS gateway?
We have created an easy-to-use chat application that connects to the FlashSMS gateway and provides a 2-way test connection.
Just click the LOGIN button on the top left of your browser and follow the prompts that appear on the screen. This will automatically validate your mobile phone number and provide you with 50 free test messages to send to anywhere in the world.
The moment that you are validated, a blue Contacts bar will appear in the top right of your screen. Enter your mobile Contacts and you are free to go!
7. Does the FlashSMS gateway support 2-way messaging?
At this point of time, only FlashSMS Chat supports 2-way messaging.
This product can be licensed as a standalone product.
Replies received from your friends using a mobile phone will automatically appear in the dialogue stream of FlashSMS Chat. Typically, they have 60 seconds to reply before the message session 'times
out'. Obviously, there is synchronous 2-way chat when you are chatting phone to phone.
8.
I don't understand why my messages 'time out'
FlashSMS differs from conventional SMS in the sense that each message creates a dedicated session between both devices. This can be a computer, a server or a mobile phone. These session periods are
moderated by the mobile operator. Typically, they last about 60 seconds. On some carrier networks this can extend up to 2 minutes.
9. What's the difference between your browser product and your phone product?
Both products use the same FlashSMS gateway delivery route, hence the network coverage is identical.
Early on we recognised that many users do not have easy access to a personal computer, consequently we were keen to develop a product that offered universal reach on all GSM mobile phones. This now includes most basic phones, feature phones and smart phones.
Access to the FlashSMS phone service is via a local call number in the regions that we support. Calls to this number are free of charge. On validation a menu will appear on the screen of your phone.
The FlashSMS phone service uses the 2G signalling channel, whereas FlashSMS in your browser has the added connectivity of a broadband connection to connect to our servers and the 2G signalling channel to deliver locally to a handset.
FlashSMS on your phone includes the added functionality of information and voice services and if you authenticate on both services using the same mobile number, your Contacts database will be synchronised.
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