2sms offer white label SMS services to b2b Telcos

Are you a b2b Telco looking for mobile data products to add to your product portfolio? 2sms provides Telco partners with their own branded web site selling SMS services to business customers. 2sms brands the web site to your Corporate branding guidelines, and can provide the entire end to end solution to allow you to add SMS services to your offering.

SMS is used by business customers to send messages to staff, customers and suppliers who are not sitting at their desks. If your customer's business needs to get its people to re-deploy, sending a SMS message from their office to remote staff is the fastest way to get a response. SMS is now used by all the leading FTSE100 companies to manage internal operations and response to events. From major emergencies to everyday customer requests, SMS will allow businesses to respond faster.

If you are Telco wanting to offer SMS as a differentiator, 2sms can have you up and running with a SMS product in 6 weeks from enquiry to 'Go Live'. Better still, it won't cost you a penny, since our model is a revenue share model.

If you would like more information about this or any other 2sms service, please get in touch with our 24/7 Sales and Support team on 01234 757800 or email support@2sms.com.

Musings from World Mobile Congress 2012

• The Chinese are here in force. The world is moving East. This is Asia’s Century. The Huawei Pavilion was something else. ZTE was also a lead sponsor.

• SMS is moving from Premium rate consumer marketing into the Enterprise.

• With the growth of mobility, will the networks cope with the data demands of customers?

• Joyn is an interesting development, and certainly requires strategic thinking from SMS players to develop new opportunities.

• Security significantly stepped up this year at Barcelona – none of our team got mugged which is a first.

• Why can't the WMC, the pivotal Mobile event in Europe, provide decent working WiFi to visitors?!

• Some great business meetings and significant new opportunities.

• If you have not visited Barcelona, do so!

Changes to 2sms Support Forum

2sms announces changes to the 2sms Support Forum.

Following a high level of attempted Spam on the support forum, 2sms has changed the forum to a read only basis. Customers wishing to pose questions may still send an email to support@2sms.com, and where appropriate, and with the customers permission, we will share answers to generic questions on the forum.

The forum stll allows customers to access a comprehensive FAQ database of SMS relatee questions.

Royal Mail prices set to increase by up to 50%... time to use SMS?

With Royal Mail announcing that this April stamp prices are due to increase by up to 50%, the time has never been better to use SMS messaging to lower costs and avoid expensive postal charges.

While prices are yet to be confirmed, industry leaders suggest the rise could be as much as 19p on second class stamps alone, raising the current cost from 36p to 55p per item – the cost of which could cover a minimum of five text messages sent through 2sms.com.

SMS is fast, efficient and allows you to track your messages to the recipient – unlike the postal service. There is no cost to the environment and no stationery is required. And if you get a wrong number – unlike a wrong address – your message is marked as failed, has cost you very little and you can remove it from your list immediately instead of continuing to pay for messages that never arrive.

Why send an expensive letter when an SMS will do?

If you would like more information about this or any other 2sms service, please get in touch with our 24/7 Sales and Support team on 01234 757800 or email support@2sms.com.

We’re upgrading our security

At 2sms we pride ourselves on offering the highest level of data security and protection, which is why as part of our latest round of upgrades we are changing the way password protection works on your account.

From the 6th February 2012 all new accounts will have a password expiry of 90 days, after which the password will need to be changed or access to the account will be frozen. Notifications will be sent out as the renewal date approaches, and if you miss it then our Sales and Support Team will be able to reset this for you pending confirmation of your identity.

Existing accounts will not be affected until the first time the password is changed, after which the 90-day expiry will come into effect.

Password reminders can be requested from the log-in screen and can only be sent to the registered email address for your account. All new passwords must be at least 8 characters long and contain at least one upper case character, one lower case character, and one number.

If you would like to discuss our new policy or any of our products and services, please get in touch with the Sales and Support Team at any time on 0800 65 222 77 or email support@2sms.com.

Changes to mobile numbering in Egypt

The Egyptian National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has announced that as of the 6th October 2011 all mobile phone numbers in Egypt will be adding an additional digit.

Both new and old numbering plans will be active until February 6th 2012 and should receive communication normally, however after this time only the new numbers will be active.

2sms suggests all customers sending to Egypt ensure they modify their address books accordingly to account for the changes.

How SMS messaging is changing the world

This wonderful inforgraphic is courtesy of MBA Online.


Created by: MBA Online

New CRM Add-In for 2sms makes it even easier to text your contacts

2sms is pleased to announce the new CRM SMS Add-in developed by our partner Westwood Software, which allows customers to send messages to their CRM contacts within their existing software.

2sms has teamed up with our business partner Westwood Software to deliver an SMS solution for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4. The integration between Dynamics CRM 4 and 2sms enables rapid communication with contacts saved within CRM using SMS channel.

SMS messages can be sent to individuals as well as multiple contacts. The solution also offers a 2way functionality allowing inbound messages to be received into a Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

To see how easy it is to use see Westwood Software's demonstration video below.

For details on integration please contact Abdul.Majid@westwoodsoftware.net or for information on any 2sms product call the 2sms Sales and Support Team on 0800 65 222 77. You can also email us at support@2sms.com.

2sms launches new SMSC for small and large volume SMPP users

2sms is pleased to announce the launch of a new SMSC, and with it a new plug-and-go SMPP service, which comes with zero setup cost and simple per message billing.

The new SMSC is SMPP v3.4 compliant, and capable of both inbound (MO) and outbound (MT) messaging, with support for full delivery receipts (DLR). The service is an instant setup offering, with no setup or monthly fees. There is no minimum usage requirement and the 2sms SMSC integrates instantly with products like Sybase Afaria, Sybase iAnywhere, X-Methods Alarmpoint and Remedy Helpdesk.

Benefits of the product are:

1. 10 minute setup time from opening an account to sending SMS messages
2. No setup fees or monthly minimum fees
3. Fully SMPP v3.4 compliant
4. Delivery receipts provided
5. Simple 'per message' billing

"Many customers purchase SMS-enabled software and tools only to find that the tools require an SMPP connection. Most SMS suppliers require a lengthy set-up process, big up-front fees and minimum monthly commitments," says Tim King, CEO of 2sms. "Great if you’re sending high volume SMS, not so great if you only want to send small volumes." He adds, "Our customers have been asking for a plug-and-go SMSC with none of the usual costs up front costs, just per message billing. But despite the zero set-up cost, this platform can deliver volume as well." He ends, "Existing 2sms customers can use this service at no extra cost."

The 2sms SMSC is also aimed at SMS providers seeking to improve their supported network reach, since 2sms connects to multiple suppliers to ensure a world-beating international coverage. A single account with 2sms can solve all your network gaps without requiring a hefty commitment or big expenditure – allowing you to reach the Earth without it costing the Earth.

For more information please get in touch with our Sales and Support Team on +44 800 65 222 77 or email support@2sms.com.

New Indian SMS traffic regulations will affect 2sms customers

Customers looking to send messages internationally may be aware of the new regulations brought in by the Indian government to manage and limit SMS traffic being sent to Indian mobile phones.

India is the world’s second largest wireless market, with nearly 900 million subscribers, and as in every country with a mobile network, spam and marketing SMS messaging has become increasingly popular as a way to reach consumers quickly and cheaply. With the number of complaints rising and the exponential growth of this type of messaging in India, they have now introduced new laws to curb and prevent these communications. As a result, all messaging in India is now subject to these laws, including messages coming from international SMS providers such as 2sms.

These new regulations come in three parts:

• No messages will be delivered to any Indian mobile phone between the hours of 9pm and 9am (Indian Standard Time), and any messages sent overnight will be queued until 9am the following day.

• No Indian SIM card can send more than 200 messages per day, and no more than 6000 in a given month. (This does not apply to 2sms customers.)

• Users who register themselves on the National Customer Preference Register (NCPR) are opted out of receiving any messages which the regulations deem to be ‘promotional’, regardless of the content of the message. This includes any message not physically sent from a mobile phone handset, and all messages sent by 2sms. The user can then choose to opt in to one or more different categories of messages that they are interested in receiving, as follows:

1. Banking/Insurance/Financial products/credit cards

2. Real Estate

3. Education

4. Health

5. Consumer goods and automobiles

6. Communication/Broadcasting/Entertainment/IT

7. Tourism and Leisure.

What does this mean for 2sms customers?

As a company we are required to adhere to the rules and regulations of each country we send to. This means that we cannot send any messages to Indian customers who have opted out of receiving promotional messages, and we cannot send to Indian users between the hours of 9pm and 9am IST (GMT+5.5), regardless of the content of the message.

If your recipient is registered in the NCPR but would like to receive messages sent by 2sms, they can find instructions on how to do so here on the NCPR register website, or simply text STOP 0 to 1909, the NCPR’s toll-free number, to opt-in to receiving all categories. To opt in to a specific category, the user should text START [category number] to 1909.

If you have any questions about these regulations, or about sending messages internationally with 2sms, please get in touch with our Sales and Support team on +44 800 65 222 77.

In rememerance

Fly Ozone launch their iPhone app, developed by 2sms

The Fly Ozone App allows Ozone customers to experience the brand in a mobile environment. The App seeks to add to the healthy sporting lifestyle values of the brand while engaging with the customer.

The App allows the customer to

- Read the Fly Ozone news feeds, storing information offline within the App.
- Access and experience Ozone videos showing Ozone customers in action on with their Land, Snow and Surf Kites.
- Provide a feed of the Kitezone Twitter feed, allowing offline storage of Tweets.
- Provides contact information for Ozone customers.
- Explains the brand values of Ozone to customers.
The App will be introducing exciting new features in future versions to further enhance the user experience.
- Provide contact information

Bromham Scouts go mobile

The Bromham Scout Group has launched their own iPhone App to bring information relating to the Livingstone Scout Troop to the local community.

The App provides the following information :

- General Scout information.
- A feed of the BromhamScouts twitter feed, storable offline.
- A feed of the Bromham Scouts blog, storable offline.
- Child Safety information.
- Contact information.

The App will be used in Scout meetings to teach Scouts how to add additional services to the App. Future versions of the App will contain meeting schedules, photos of past camps and other events, maps of campsites and Scouting facilities used in the year, and guidance on how to join Scouts, Explorers, Cubs and Beavers.

The App was developed by 2sms.

2sms supplies b2b Eco with an iPhone App

Growing Eco business b2b Eco has launched an iPhone App, using the 2sms fixed price iPhone App development service.

The b2b Eco iPhone App brings to the mobile arena information relating to the business activities of b2b Eco Ltd.

The App provides the following information

- General information
- A feed of the b2b Eco twitter feed, storable offline.
- A feed of the b2b Eco blog, storable offline.
- Product information
- Contact information

Future versions of the App will contain a product catalogue.

2sms launches a mobile App development business

2sms has launched a mobile App development business. Business customers wanting to dip their toes into the world of mobile Apps can take advantage of the 2sms fixed price offer for either a iPhone or Android App.

"Your customers want to interact with you outside normal business hours." says Tim King, CEO of 2sms, "If you can't meet their needs in the mobile space, your competitors will"

"The launch of this business is customer led" he continues, "Our customers wanted more than SMS. They wanted both internal workflow and customer facing services bundled into Apps. Customers told us they wanted to choose from a fixed price offer and more bespoke offerings. We have been pleasantly surprised by the range of customers that we have worked with. Kitesurf manufacturers, DJ's, Eco businesses on the commercial side, and the local Scouts and Bedford Blues in the local community."

2sms launch v2 of the Bedford Blues iPhone App

2sms has publiashed version 2 of the official Bedford Blues Rugby Club iPhone App. It provides Blues fans with information about the club in a mobile environment.

The app provides :

- General club information including notices.
- Club news courtesy of Bedford Blues official media partner Bedford Today.
- A list of official fixtures and results for both the Blues and Academy teams.
- A stream of the official BedfordBluesRFC Twitter feed.
- Championship news from Sky Sports (Showing news for all teams in the RFU Championship competition.)
- Action photos from the Official Photography partner Nigel Rudgard.
- Official Bedford Blues Podcasts courtesy of Sam Roberts.
- Contact information for the ground including phone numbers, email addresses and the main club web site address.
- Listing of main Club sponsors.
- Listing of credits for those who have kindly provided permission to use data for the App, or assisted in making this App possible.

Much of the data is held within the App permitting offline reading of data. A refresh button allows new content to be pulled into the App.

This App is definitely the one and only place to catch everything Bedford Blues!

COYB!

2sms launch their Android App

2sms has launched an App for Android users. It is free of charge for 2sms customers and can be downloaded from the Android Marketplace. The application allows 2sms customers to send SMS messages from their Android device using their 2sms account. Send messages, view reports, watch videos on our YouTube channel, see our Twitter tweets and access help and support.