Third-Party vSMSC FAQs

08 Aug Third-Party vSMSC FAQs

How much do you know about vSMSC? Could it mean a Very Strong Milky Sweet Coffee? As much as you might be craving a good cappuccino, no it’s not that.

Honestly, those five letters could stand for just about anything!

Why do they matter? Because understanding vSMSC will help your business stay relevant in a rapidly changing mobile space. This article will get you up to speed by answering three important vSMSC FAQs along with a real definition.

FAQ #1 – What Is vSMSC?

First things first, vSMSC stands for Virtual Short Message Service Centre.

So you probably already know how to send and receive an SMS right? You get your cellphone, whether it’s the latest Android or the Nokia 3310 attached to a handy clip on your belt, you type up your message and press send. Within a few moments, your friend’s phone will notify them that they have one unread message to open.

The Short Message Service part of the abbreviation is easy to understand! The less-obvious Centre aspect refers to the fact that network carriers must communicate with each other as messages are interpreted and transmitted from one device to another. Every single message must first pass through a system where it is captured by a carrier, stored if necessary, and re-directed to the final recipient.

When it comes to using a third-party Virtual Short Message Service Centre, you’re looking at a system that deals with all enterprise-grade SMS operations. This means the platform provides routing solutions to communication-intensive businesses. Such enterprises get to use a bulk SMS platform that sends messages both locally and internationally at the lowest possible price point possible.

If you’re interested in reading a more in-depth definition, you can download Panacea’s full vSMSC factsheet here.

FAQ #2 – How Does vSMSC Work?

This question is slightly more technical and you may find the explanation below is somewhat over-simplified, but that’s just because we know you don’t have all day!

So, in the interests of keeping things short and sweet, here are the basic steps a message goes through from the moment it’s sent until it reaches its intended destination.

Step 1 – an SMS is sent

Step 2 – the SMS Centre captures the SMS

Step 3 – a request is sent by the Centre to the Home Location Register to find the recipient

Step 4 – the Home Location Register replies to confirm whether the recipient is active or inactive

Step 5 – when the recipient is active the Centre relays the SMS

A recipient is considered inactive if their cellphone is off, or if they don’t have any network signal. In that case, the SMS will remain at the Centre until the device comes back online.

Every cell phone is connected to an SMS Centre by the SIM card. Without the SMS Centre, there is no sending of SMSes for anyone.

As an enterprise, your messaging happens on a far grander scale. And that’s where a Virtual SMS Centre comes in. The platform used by a vSMSC works by processing over 1000 messages per second. It also manages priority routing, minimises the expense of messaging, and it comes with a super user-friendly interface.

Putting it simply, vSMSC works by facilitating high-volume and accurate messaging operations for B2B and B2C enterprises such as banks, aggregators, and WASPS.

FAQ #3 – What Are the Benefits of Using vSMSC?

This is one of the most popular vSMSC FAQs and for good reason! There are numerous value-adding benefits associated with a Virtual SMS Centre, such as:

• System configurations that give you performance optimisations
• Short Code management, routing filters, and high-speed batch processing
• Advanced reporting that includes gateway monitoring and activity overviews
• Global currency management
• E-commerce support

The above list is by no means comprehensive; these are just a few examples of what a vSMSC platform offers. Employing a third-party service provider, such as Panacea Mobile will help you leverage all the useful features available to your business.

A Panacea of Short Message Services

As you already know, customer engagement is all-important and to that end, your Short Message Services are indispensable. If you want to broaden the scope of your communications even further, then equipping your operations with optimised, bespoke messaging solutions is the way to go.

Besides vSMSC FAQs, if you have any questions relating to bulk SMS, gateways, and highly-configurable solutions, you can contact Panacea here.