SMS Text Messaging

Personalization Customization and Targeting

Regulations and Compliance

General Marketing

Business and Operations

Web Technologies

Networking

Data

Two Way (2-Way) Short Message Service - Allows users to both send and receive text messages from a dedicated phone number, usually through a web messaging platform or API.

10 Digit Long Code (10DLC) - The new standard when sending text messages from an application (like Voyage SMS) to a person. As opposed to a Short Code.

Flow - A series of sequential messages, or part of the series of messages, that are sent from a business to and end user as part of a semi-structured interaction process.

Keyword - In the SMS world, this usually refers to a special word or phrase that consumers would send via text to a particular business SMS number to initiate a specific action, usually to sign up to receive messages (opt-in).

Premium SMS - A special, fee-based subscription program where the subscriber's mobile phone account (or prepaid credits) are billed for their participation in the text messaging program. Examples include: sports alerts, weather alerts, stock quotes, mobile coupons, interactive TV shows, etc.

Short Message Peer to Peer (SMPP) - An application layer protocol designed to provide interoperability between different SMS-capable devices. It provides a set of commands for messaging applications that exchange SMS messages with each other, allowing them to control the delivery and perform special functions.

Short Message Service (SMS) - A text-based communication system that enables the exchange of short pieces of information between mobile phone devices. "SMS" is often interchangeable with "Text Message."

Short Message Service Campaign (SMS Campaign) - A marketing project that involves sending text messages in an organized way with a particular goal.

Short Message Service Delivery (SMS Delivery) - The successful delivery of a text message to a recipient either through an SMSC gateway or directly into a mobile handset.

Short Message Service Marketing - The process of sending text messages to mobile phone users (usually in bulk) for commercial or fundraising purposes.

SMS Keyword - A special string of characters that users would send to a business SMS number to subscribe to a series of informational or promotional messages (Opt-in). See also: Keyword

Text Marketing - See: SMS Marketing

Text Message - See: SMS

Toll-Free Texting - The act of sending text messages to mobile phone users for commercial purposes without the sender incurring charges.

Application to Person (A2P) - A description of the act of sending text messages from a software application (like Voyage SMS) to one or more individuals who have subscribed to receive those messages. It is widely used by a host of major industries throughout the United States.

Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) - A multimedia communication service protocol that enables the sending of messages that include images, audio or video content in addition to plain text.

Email to Short Message Service (Email to SMS) - A feature that allows one to send an email message, which then gets converted into an SMS message and sent via the mobile network.

Application to Person (A2P) Long Code - A system in the United States that allows businesses to send messages from a software application to subscribe individuals using standard Ten-Digit Long Code (10DLC) phone numbers. Businesses who send more than 3,000 messages per day or use more than five long code numbers may need to complete additional registration steps for full compliance.

Bulk Short Message Service (Bulk SMS) - A text message sent to hundreds or even thousands of people at the same time. Each message may be customized, however, using a wide range of data associated with recipients in a given list.

Free Text Short Code - A special SMS phone number that consumers can use to send messages to a business without needing to pay any SMS message carrier fees. See also: Short Code

One Time Password Short Messaging Service (OTP SMS) - A small security code, usually consisting of three to six numerical characters, that can be sent to a mobile number as an SMS message. Sometimes referred to as a PIN, it is valid for only one transaction, usually lasting just a few minutes.

Text Credit - See: SMS Credit

Text Donation - A message type included in a text messaging campaign that allows users to support their favorite cause via their mobile phone.

Text Registration - When a user signs up for a service or for additional messages via their mobile phone.

Transactional Short Message Service - Messages sent between a customer and a business to complete a engagement which they've already initiated. Messages unrelated to promotional activity such as order status, delivery notifications, etc.

Unicode Short Message Service - As opposed to messages sent with the characters from the GSM Character Set, a Unicode SMS supports all forms of text and languages to be sent via text message. See: Unicode.

Mobile Terminated SMS Message - Also known as an outbound message, this is an SMS message that originates from the network to a handset, for example when someone sends you a text.

Mobile Originated SMS Message - An SMS message that is sent from a mobile handset to another mobile handset.

Business Short Message Service (Business SMS) - A text message sent to promote a company's products, services, projects, or events. Business SMS campaigns are one of the most cost-effective ways to communicate directly with potential customers and promote products and services without incurring the high costs associated with print advertisement.

Flash SMS - A unique kind of text message that appears directly on the recipient's smartphone screen without the recipient needing to take any action to open the message. They typically cannot be saved nor retrieved later, and are often reserved for emergency use.

One Way Short Message Service (One Way SMS) - A messaging system where the message originates from the network and is sent to a mobile device, but the recipient is not able to reply.

Person-to-Person Long Code (P2P Long Code) - Like in personal texting, businesses can send person-to-person communications between individual cell phones or other mobile devices using standard 10-digit phone numbers (called a Long Code).

Short Message Service Bot (SMS Bot) - An automated or semi-automated application that performs a repetitive task via SMS text messaging, such as checking inventory levels or providing temperature info.

Short Message Service Gateway (SMS Gateway) - A piece of hardware or software that accepts and sends text messages. When used by a company, it serves as the link between the company's messaging system and the mobile carrier networks.

Text to Win - Also called SMS Sweepstakes, this enables businesses to host SMS-based contests where their participants can send it text keywords for a chance to achieve a prize.

Charity Short Code - A short code, usually 5 or 6 digits and prefixed with a specific country calling code (e.g., 898), dedicated to supporting charitable organizations and fundraising campaigns. Donations are made by "texting" the word CHARITY along with the dollar amount.

Rich Communication Service (RCS) - A protocol that enables advanced messaging services for mobile devices. This new protocol would create a text-message system that is richer, includes phone book polling (for service discovery), and can transmit in-call multimedia.

Short Messaging Service Credit - A way of purchasing or transferring purchased SMS messages on a platform.

Short Message Service Aggregator - Companies that sit between carriers and SMS providers like Voyage, to process large volumes of SMS messages in a carrier-compliant fashion. This aggregation is usually performed automatically and in real-time.

Custom Fields - Variable values that can be inserted into an SMS messaging campaign so that the values correspond to the particular elements of a customer, such as their first name, the date of their most recent purchase, the total of a recent refund, and so forth. See also: Dynamic Fields.

Dynamic Fields - Text fields within an SMS message sent through an SMS gateway that can be varied (personalized) when sending the same message to multiple recipients. An example of this would be a field automatically inserted into an SMS message stating "Hello [NAME]!"

Conversational SMS Marketing - Text messages that are designed to communicate with customers one-to-one in the same way people would engage in face-to-face conversation. Although informal and sometimes involving manual effort, brands can use these interactions as a means of providing helpful information or personalized services. They can generate a fantastic ROI when done correctly, in a target fashion.

Custom Events - Particular occurrences in the journey of a customer that can be used to create special SMS responses, triggers, filters, and more for a hyper-personalized SMS experience for the customer.

Customer Lifecycle Management - A framework for managing a customer's relationship with an organization, consisting of several stages that describe the key aspects of moving a consumer from first contact to eventual purchase.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) - Software used for tracking customer relationships. This can include information on past interactions, purchasing history, along with details about their personal demographic data and behavioral patterns. SMS marketing can be an integral part of this process, not only by providing impactful content, but also by offering additional data based on the behavioral analysis made possible with segmentation.

Dedicated Reply Number - A unique text message number used to receive inbound SMS messages on an SMS management platform. It is the equivalent of a dedicated phone number for SMS.

Location Based Services - A general term describing software systems that make use of geographic information to provide services to end users.

Location Based SMS - This involves advertising to your customers via text message on the basis of where they are located geographically. See also: Geofencing.

Mobile User - Any person who uses a mobile device to interact with a brand, whether or not they have visited the brand's site or have purchased products. See also: End-User.

Person to Person Messaging (P2P Messaging) - Sending SMS or MMS text messages directly to friends and family, as opposed to sending SMS messages to an automated business messaging system.

Push Notifications - These are alerts that appear on a user's mobile device without the user needing to open any particular interface to see them. They are displayed without even opening the app in most cases, directly in the mobile device's operating system notification system.

Segment - To divide a larger group into smaller groups based on any number of criteria. For example, companies can often segment their customer base by geography, product type, time since last purchase, and so on.

Audience - A targeted subset of the general population of consumers that has been identified by a brand as being most interested in their products or services.

eCommerce Platform (ECP) - A software framework that enables buyers and sellers to come together to complete transactions, usually involving the sale of physical goods but also occasionally including services or subscriptions.

Auto Response - A message sent from an SMS system that doesn't require any (or requires very little) direct human control. An SMS autoresponder is a series of SMS messages that are sent to your recipients in response to their initiating message(s), based on certain predefined rules which may include intervals, delays, logic, or external data.

End-User - A person who consumes or uses technology to receive information. In the SMS marketing industry, an end-user may be a consumer using their smart phones to check email and text messages.

Fixed Sender ID - Instead of using a generic sender ID or none at all, a marketing business can choose to use their own. This helps build trust and authority by allowing recipients to know who is messaging them. It follows the standard MSISDN format and cannot be modified according to business needs.

FromID - Most SMS gateways allow you to set your own sender ID, which is used as the 'from' address when sending out mobile messages. The advantage of this is that it allows you to brand your message and builds trust with recipients.

Local Time Stamp - An SMS feature that shows the local timestamp for the home mobile network so the sending time is adapted to the local time.

Person to Application (P2A) - When a person sends a text message to a computer system, it is called Person to Application. For example, if you send a "Yes" text message to an automated SMS appointment reminder.

Retargeting - The process of delivering ads to consumers who have previously visited a website or used an app. The delivered ads can be through any channel, such as email, SMS, or in-app messaging.

Sender Name - The name shown to an SMS recipient. For a business sending SMS messages, this is usually set by an administrator or automated system and can be edited or changed at any time.

Short Message Service Tracking - The process of monitoring the number of text messages sent, delivery reports, responses received, and other detailed information about the delivery and context of SMS messages.

Direct to Consumer (D2C, DTC) - A strategy for companies to engage directly with their customers to sell products or services, rather than through an intermediary. For example, it can be done via text messages sent directly to the customer's mobile device.

Global Title (GT) - An SCCP protocol address used to route signaling messages on different telecom networks. In theory, they are unique and unidirectional, but practically they can change over time.

SenderID - A type of SMS branding where the Sender ID is registered with a mobile carrier so that when they send an SMS message the phone number normally displayed shown as the company name (or other brand information). The text replaces the number from which messages are sent. Despite the fact that customers will not be able to respond, branded SMS have several benefits.

Consumer - Any general person who MAY make a purchase from a brand (i.e. the general population of mobile users). See also: End-User, Mobile User.

Geofencing - A marketing technique that allows SMS marketers to send SMS messages only to those who are in particular geographical areas. This can be used to serve hyper-localized offers, promotions and/or content.

Geotargeting - See: Geofencing

Customer Experience - The sum of customer influences on given point(s) of interaction with a company or brand that affect the customer's evaluation of the quality of those interaction(s). See also: Customer Journey

Customer Journey - A mapping of a company's customer's experiences (usually roughly chronological) as they interact with the company. Built with stages/phases (highest level descriptors), touch points, and specific interactions (lowest level descriptors).

Alphanumeric Sender ID - A combination of characters that can include numbers or letters and allows the recipient of a text message to know with certainty what organization or entity sent a given text message. This number can be required in some countries.

In-App Messaging - Highly targeted notifications or alerts sent to software users when they are in the act of using the application, whether mobile, desktop, or web-based. Can be used to provide technical support, account status information, or marketing and up-selling content.

Mobile Forms - A data collection format that is specifically designed to work well on a smartphone or tablet. Often used to replace paper formats of data collection.

Numeric Sender ID - A set of contact information that identifies (ID) who has sent an SMS message that is restricted to only numbers in the value.

Double Opt-In - A method of capturing subscriber data in which the user is required to confirm their intent to join a list or take some other action. This can be done by replying "yes" to an automated message sent after they subscribe via SMS.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - A set of regulations put in place to protect user data and privacy across Europe. Any business sending SMS messages to individuals located in EU member states must adhere to these guidelines.

Opt-In - A situation where a person gives permission for something to happen, such as joining a text messaging marketing campaign.

Unsubscribe - An option included in an SMS campaign that allows users to opt out of future messages via their mobile phone. Usually using common, intuitive words such as STOP or CANCEL.

Carrier - A company that provides wireless service to consumers. It is at this point where text messages originate, are processed through an MSP (message service provider) and then delivered to the end user's phone. Carriers transmit or "carry" data on their networks for other businesses and individuals.

Compliant Opt-In - When a consumer indicates with a specific action that they consent to receive text messages from a business, they have opted-in. This is different from spam or unauthorized messaging, where consumers have not given consent to receive texts. When a business follows all necessary rules and regulations to capture evidence of the consumer's opt-in intention, the opt-in is said to be compliant.

Delivery Report (DLR) - A message sent from a short code to indicate whether an SMS and/or MMS message has been delivered (D) or not (ND). See also: Delivery Receipt.

List Building - Also called Audience Building, it is the process of converting mobile users into SMS list subscribers.

Non-Personally Identifiable Information (NPII) - Information that, by itself, cannot be used to specifically identify a person.

Opt-Out - A situation where a person tells you they don't want something to happen, such as stopping SMS messages from being sent to their phone.

Sex Hate Alcohol Firearms Tobacco Guidelines (SHAFT) - Generally speaking, these are topics that are not allowed in SMS messaging campaigns.

Short Code - A five or six-digit phone number where only SMS messages can be sent. These were originally created for simple communication, such as receiving weather updates, news reports or even celebrity gossip. They are now widely used by brands to communicate with their customers.

Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) - A U.S. federal law that protects consumers from unwanted phone calls, faxes and/or automated messages (also known as "robocalls").

User Acquisition - The act of obtaining new subscribers, customers, or other user groups to your company.

Subscriber - Mobile users who have opted-in for SMS text messages.

Common Short Code (CSC) - A five-digit number that provides a unique way for consumers to opt in to messaging campaigns via text. Sometimes called mobile short codes or short numbers. For example, merchants can use these numbers as points of interaction between businesses and customers. Consumers are sometimes given the option to text the CSC at any time to receive special offers or discounts, even if they are not already opted in.

Dedicated Short Code - As opposed to Shared Short Codes, a dedicated short code is used for communicating directly with your subscribers on messaging campaigns. There can be only one business using a unique shortcode at one time.

Delivery Receipt - A response intended to inform an SMS sender of the delivery status of their SMS message.

Do Not Contact (DNC) - A term used in the marketing industry to describe individuals who specifically opt-out of sharing their contact info and/or receiving promotional content from a business.

Long Code - The conventional 10-digit phone number used to send and receive phone calls and text messages between personal cell phones.

Opt Out Rate - The percentage of recipients who have opted out. It is calculated by dividing the number or recipients who have opted out by the total number of recipients in a given campaign or over a given time period.

Shared Short Code - A short code used for text messaging that is shared by multiple businesses. The system that receives the text message chooses which business to refer it back to. These are being banned by some carriers.

Junk Short Message Service (Junk SMS) - Text messages sent to recipients who do not want them. This can be because the message is irrelevant, or because they have requested that messages from the sender stop coming through.

Member - Customers who have subscribed to a brand's subscription-based product or service.

Spam - Messages sent unsolicited to create profit or simply harass users. Can be sent through any give communication channel (e.g. SMS text, email, etc.)

Vanity Short Code - A short number that can be specifically selected instead of random assignment. Usually selected so that it's easy to remember or use. See also: Short Code.

Alerts - In the SMS marketing industry, this is usually referring to a short text message from a business or other organization to inform the recipient of news, updates, emergencies, etc. that are relevant a given time frame. An alert may also be sent to users in-app of web applications developed to support SMS marketing efforts.

A/B Testing - A method of testing two versions of an SMS messaging campaign by modifying elements in that campaign to see which one performs better. It is considered a best practice because when done correctly, it can have a significant impact on open rates, click through rates, and order completion. It is best to test campaign variations on a small portion of your subscriber base before rolling out the highest performing campaign designs to the full subscriber list.

Drip - This type of campaign is a series of SMS messages being sent out one-by-one over a period of time. This ensures a consistent flow of communication to customers and can result in higher open rates.

Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) - This marketing metric measures the the effectiveness of advertising dollars spent. It is calculated by dividing the revenue generated by the advertisements by the cost of the ads.

Conversion Rate - The rate at which a user takes a specific action set forth by a business. This can be expressed as the number of users who take an action divided by the total number of visitors to a site or advertisement, e.g., 1 in 20 or 5%. The conversion rate indicates how successful your marketing efforts are at getting people to buy.

Delivery Rate - The percentage of SMS messages successfully delivered to the specified recipients within a specific time period. This is measured by the number of delivered SMS messages divided by the number of sent SMS messages.

Mobile Coupon - A digital voucher transmitted to and presented from a mobile device that entitles the holder to a discount for a particular product or service that can be redeemed at the point of sale.

Mobile Marketing - The process of promoting brands, products or services to consumers via mobile phone devices, often involving the sending of bulk SMS messages.

Business Marketing Strategy - A method used to increase sales by delivering value to customers, increasing brand awareness, improving the company's image, and/or creating customer loyalty. Savvy businesses include SMS marketing as part of their overall strategy to increase reach, repeat purchases, and overall profits.

Call to Action (CTA) - In SMS marketing, a CTA is any message that encourages users to take a specific action, e.g., "Click now!" It is important to include a specific directive to act to see the best results from a SMS campaign.

Acquisition Rate - The number of users that successfully sign up for a product, service, or subscription divided by the total number of users invited to do so. This is the percentage of subscribers "acquired" through the marketing effort.

Engagement - In SMS marketing, this is when an individual interacts with your SMS messaging content, responds, clicks through, or otherwise takes action. The more engagement an individual has with your SMS messages, the more likely they are to interact with your business in other ways as well.

Key Performance Indicator (KPI) - A term used in business to describe a measurable value which indicates the success of an initiative, project, or company.

Marketing Campaign - Promotional activities designed to sell products or services through one or more media channels, including online ads, print, radio, television or SMS messages.

Return on Investment (ROI) - A calculation that demonstrates how well an activity or investment is performing compared with its cost. Usually expressed by a percentage or fraction.

Marketing Automation - A software approach that configures business processes such as lead management, lead tracking and lead scoring, contact management and marketing campaigns in such a way that these processes work by themselves, with little or no direct human control.

Digital Marketing Strategy - This refers to the use of specific marketing techniques that involve promoting or selling products and services online. There are a variety of digital marketing strategies one can use, including SEO, social media marketing and email marketing.

Online Performance Marketing (OPM) - The promotion of goods or services that is incentivized in such a way to be responsive to metrics associated with the process of carrying out tasks, or functions. Payments for said promotion are usually only paid out once a specified, desired action is completed or outcome realized.

Reseller - A company that purchases goods or services not for consumption, but to give those goods or services to another party in exchange for money in an effort to turn a profit.

Social Connect - Allows the sending of SMS messages from or to a social media account.

Bluetooth - A short-range radio technology for exchanging data over distances of 2 to 10 meters (6.6 to 32.8 feet). In SMS marketing, this can be used as a trigger for specific list building events or other location-based activities.

Email Marketing - One of the most popular digital marketing strategies is email marketing, which involves using emails to send content and offers to customers. When used in conjunction with personalized SMS messaging, customers are given flexible messaging options for their own needs.

Cost Per Mille (CPM) - Also known as Cost per Thousand. The average cost of placing one advertisement in front of 1,000 consumers.

Cart Abandonment - A customer who places a product in their online shopping cart but does not complete the purchase and leaves without making a payment. Businesses often miss out on additional revenue when their SMS systems aren't in place to immediately offer discounts or price reductions at the point of abandonment.

Checkout Abandonment - A customer who begins the purchasing process but does not finish. The purchase can be in any stage, from searching for a product all the way to entering credit card information and billing address. SMS messaging campaigns often offer rewards or incentives at this point in order to get customers back on track and come back to complete their purchases.

Click Through Rate - Refers to the number of users who click on an advertisement (link). This can be expressed as a fraction or percentage, e.g., 1 in 40 or 2% etc.

Customer Lifetime Value - The total amount of revenue a company expects to gain from the average customer. Often abbreviated CLV, CLTV, or LTV. SMS marketing can help businesses retain and increase their customer lifetime value by enhancing the overall experience and adding convenience through easy access to information and purchase opportunities at any time of day or night.

Impressions - In advertising, this is when an ad is actually loaded onto the screen, which means it is possible for a user to see it.

Subscriber Growth Rate - The number of new people who wish to regularly receive SMS messaging, added during a specified time period.

Subscription - The act of requesting access to a series of SMS messages, usually indefinitely or until the recipient requests that messages no longer be sent.

Bar Code - A set of alternating thick and thin lines that is machine-readable. When properly scanned, the barcode conveys numbers which can be used to identify a particular product. In mobile marketing, the barcode is often used to jump-start SMS campaigns.

Brand - A company or an organization, especially as it relates to public or audience perception of that company. In the case of B2B software such as Voyage SMS, brands are businesses who work with us. See also: Client, Tenant.

Email Service Provider (ESP) - The organization or system that handles all or most of the technical aspects required so users can send and receive email.

Auto-Reply - See: Auto Response.

Conversations - In SMS marketing, a series of back-and-forth text messages between a business and consumer. One of the main factors for successful SMS marketing is being able to build trust with customers. Having a conversation presents an opportunity to have a two-sided dialogue while answering questions or resolving issues in real time, leading to customer satisfaction and more frequent repeat business.

Cost Per Subscriber - The average cost of acquiring customers through an SMS marketing campaign. It can be calculated by dividing total costs by the number of new subscribers acquired during a given period, e.g., $5,000 / 1,000 subs = $5 per subscriber.

Customer - People who have made a purchase from a brand.

Customer Retention - This is a marketing strategy for building long-term relationships with loyal customers. Customer retention generally refers to retaining existing customers, as opposed to acquiring new ones. This can be done through brand loyalty and repeat business. See opposite: customer churn.

Free to End User - When a brand pays for the costs of a text message so the consumer incurs no cost. When this arrangement is made, the carrier does not charge the consumer for those text messages.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) - A type of multi-factor authentication that is considerably more secure than single factor authorization. Most single factor authorization systems use a password, where a two-factor authorization system would typically use a password plus another factor like SMS verification, email verification, or a physical security key.

Mobile Virtual Network Operator - A company that uses the infrastructure of another mobile network operator to provide mobile services.

Bounce Rate - The percentage of single-page visits (or bounces) that a website receives from the search engines. A high bounce rate can be an indicator to search engines that a page has content that does not satisfy the needs of the search engine user. Watch for this when sending your SMS subscribers to a specific landing page.

Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) - A U.S.-based not-for-profit organization representing the wireless communications industry for over 37 years. It sets standards and policies for its members, which include most of the world's mobile phone manufacturers, cellular network operators, equipment providers and internet companies.

Client - A person or organization who uses the services of another professional or company. See also: Brand, Tenant.

Mobile Number Portability - The ability of a subscriber to retain their mobile telephone number when switching carriers.

Visitors - Potential customers who visit your site, either on a mobile or with a desktop browser.

Business Leads - Individuals who want to learn more about your business. They may be looking to purchase products, subscribe to services, network with other businesses, or engage in other forms of communication. Use SMS messaging as a means to communicate directly with these types of leads and convert them into customers.

Email Forwarding - Re-sending an email that you have already received to other email address(es).

Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) - A global non-profit trade association with the goal of leading the growth of mobile marketing and related technologies.

Service Level Agreement (SLA) - A formal agreement to describe the service functionality and the quality of performance for certain activities between parties.

Customer Churn - The rate at which customers stop doing business with a company during a particular time period. It can be calculated by dividing the number of customers who cancelled or stopped doing business by the total number of active customers during that time. It can be expressed as a percentage or a fraction.

One Time Password (OTP) - A system for allowing access to a service using a unique password that can only be used a single time.

Ticketing - The act of selling rights to enter a place or participate in an event. In the SMS marketing industry, it is the act of selling these rights through the SMS messaging channel, and it may include a digital or physical card or "ticket" that specifies it's purpose.

Mobile Network Operator (MNO) - An organization that provides telecommunication services in the form of wireless voice, data, and SMS communication for subscribed mobile users.

Modal - A particular way of interacting with a website or web page where a subordinate window appears that disables the main window but keeps it visible, usually darkening or blurring the main window behind the modal window in the process.

Landing Page - A web page that users are directed to when they click on a marketing link or search engine result. Landing pages often help convert website visitors into customers by collecting pertinent information from them or asking them to perform a specific action.

Short Links - A special type of URL whose purpose is to simply make the length of the URL shorter than the original. The short link redirects the user to another web location. This is useful when you have a limited number of characters or space in the message you are sending.

Tenant - A company who shares specific privileges within an instance of a software platform, such as Voyage SMS. See also: Client, Brand.

Voice Over Internet Protocol Texting (VOIP Texting) - The act of sending text messages to mobile phone users via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. This means there is no need to subscribe to any traditional cell phone plan to start sending and receiving texts.

Deep Linking - A URL that references a page contained within a website as opposed to the main home page of the domain. It is used to send visitors to a specific location. Deep links are helpful in tracking what links from SMS marketing messages are clicked on most often.

Dashboard - A place where you can see a summary of important metrics or account information for a given application. See also: Application, Console, Admin.

Banner Messages - Usually shown within a web or mobile app, banner messages are shown to the user near the top of the screen. Often displayed in response to certain specific user actions to confirm the result of that action.

Quick Response Code (QR Code) - A two-dimensional bar code that consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background, that can be read by an imaging device such as a camera. It is often (but not always) a URL web address that takes the user to a website destination.

Receive SMS Online - A method of receiving an SMS message without needing an actual mobile handset device. By using a computer connected to the internet, it allows a user to receive SMS messages usually through a web portal as though they did have a mobile phone number.

Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) - A set of older protocols and technologies that enables the exchange of information between devices, such as cellular phones, and Web sites. It is no longer in widespread use.

Pixel Tag - Also known as a tracking pixel, it can be used to track user behavior, especially when tracking advertisement efficacy or for other online marketing or email activities.

Application Programming Interface (API) - A programmatic connection to a primary software system that lets other parties build their own software tools to interface with, and use the data and services of, the primary system. In short, it lets software talk to software. An API is important when a company wants to let other business use their own software services in the businesses' own operations.

Multi-tenancy - An architecture for software applications where a single instance can serve multiple customers. Logical separations exist between customer tenant accounts.

Administrator - A user level roll that typically has access to all or most features available within an account or company. Sometimes used to refer to the interface or permissions that role possesses. See also: Dashboard, Console, Application.

Short Message Service Hubbing (SMS Hubbing) - The act of using a website or service that enables internet users to send text messages straight to mobile devices linked to the specified gateway.

Uniform Resource Locator (URL) - Simply the address of a given web resource on the internet, usually beginning with http or https.

HTML - An initialism for Hypertext Markup Language. A standard that enables text files to carry font style, color, graphics, and hyperlink effect information on the internet.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - The process of improving a website so that its pages are more frequently found in the top results web searches, thereby increasing visibility, traffic, and revenue.

iFrame - A separate HTML document that is embedded in a certain way within another HTML document on the internet.

Bandwidth - The maximum amount of data that can be transferred over an internet connection in a limited amount of time. Bandwidth is a description of the quality of your connection to the internet. Larger bandwidth means you can transfer more data, faster.

Application (App) - Computer programming software designed to accomplish some task, whether mobile, desktop, or web-based.

Console - See: Dashboard

Browser - A computer program designed to allow users to access the world wide web by reading and parsing HTML and other file formats.

Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) - These are cloud-based platforms that handle everything necessary to send and receive SMS messages, all powered by software APIs or web services.

Interstitial Ad - Designed to be placed between content elements, these mobile advertisements are rich and interactive.

Handset - A device that allows a user to make and receive phone calls. They are typically small portable devices with a display screen, keypad, microphone, and speaker for two-way conversations via the mobile network.

Termination Rates - Part of the cost of providing telephone service charged to a customer. It incurs when the call is completed from the receiving company central office to the receiving subscriber equipment.

Long Term Evolution (LTE) - A fourth-generation mobile wireless protocol that improves on existing 3G technology. It provides faster data transmission and reduced delays in data transfer during calls. See also: 4G.

Over the Air (OTA) - A type of update or upgrade where changes are made to software or firmware without requiring a direct physical connection to a device.

Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) - A digital standard (as opposed to GSM) used to send voice, data, text, and video signals over a wireless network. It is an older standard that is being phased out as 4G and 5G are being rolled out.

Android - Any smartphone, tablet, or other mobile device that runs a mobile operating system of the same name, "Android." This operating system was based on a modified version of Linux, and is maintained by the Open Handset Alliance which receives commercial sponsorship from Google.

3G Mobile Technology - The Third Generation (3G) of wireless mobile technology, as opposed to 2G (an earlier wireless technology standard) and 4G (a more modern standard). When your cell phone is using the 3G network, you can expect a reasonably fast connection, but only for low-bandwidth applications such as browsing the web or sending email. 3G is often inadequate to support high-bandwidth or low latency applications such as streaming video or real-time gaming. 3G supports all SMS text messaging use cases.

4G Mobile Technology - The Fourth Generation (4G) of wireless mobile technology, and it offers significant speed improvements over both 2G and 3G networks. It is fast enough to support most high-bandwidth use cases including streaming high definition video. 4G supports all SMS text messaging use cases.

Near Field Communication (NFC) - A set of communication protocols that enable two electronic devices, one of which is usually a mobile phone to establish radio communication by bringing them into proximity.

Grey Routes - A cheap and unreliable way to send bulk SMS messages. Although these routes are economical, the time to deliver may be significantly longer and often times it is difficult for end users to reply back. There are also security liabilities associated with Grey Routes. See also: Economy Routes.

Network Query - Also known as Home Location Register (HLR) Query, this is a process used to check the status of phone numbers on the GSM network.

iPhone - A family of mobile devices developed by Apple Inc. that runs Apple's iOS mobile operating system. As opposed to Android.

Short Message Service Center (SMSC) - A part of a wireless network that facilitates SMS exchange between devices across the network.

Economy Routes - The cheapest way to send your SMS messages to a destination. But messages sent using economy routes (or "grey" routes) can take longer to deliver depending on the distance from the originating country and how many SMS messages are being sent at any given time.

Kannel Short Message Service (Kannel SMS) - A depreciated open-source WAP gateway which supports the sending of text messages (SMS) over mobile networks.

Mobile Network Code (MNC) - Used in conjunction with a Mobile Country Code (MCC) to uniquely identify a cell phone carrier. Together they identify the Public Lang Mobile Network (PLMN) identity for each carrier.

Concatenated Messages - Text messages that are sent in a format where several messages are combined into one. Most often they are delivered to the recipient in such a way that the point of concatenation is invisible.

Comma Separated Values File (CSV) - A simple spreadsheet that holds tabular data often in plain text or rich text format. SMS marketing tools typically provide customers with the option to upload SMS contacts lists in the form of a CSV file. This is also referred to as the subscriber list transfer function.

Character Limits - The maximum number of characters that are allowed in an SMS message, including text and symbols. 160 characters. When this limit is exceeded, messages are broken apart across multiple message elements called segments. The 160-character limit for SMS messages was established in 1985.

Throttling - The act of restricting how many SMS messages are being sent over a carrier's network.

Characters - Text, symbols and numbers that can be used to communicate a message. There are 28 characters in the English alphabet, 10 digits, and 33 basic symbols defined as part of the Unicode language.

Data Collection - The process of receiving and compiling business information, such as revenue data or customer phone numbers. This can be done manually or automatically by using marketing software.

GSM Character Set - The alphabet used to write SMS messages. All the characters are defined by the GSM 03.38 character encoding.

Message Segments - Text messages are still sent in 140-byte chunks known as message segments. The cost of sending SMS messages is dependent upon how many segments are sent. See also: Segment.

Unicode - A universal coding system, allowing different languages and symbols to be represented in digital devices worldwide.

Data Cleansing - This process uses a set of rules to update, correct or delete records held in a customer database. This is done to improve the quality of the data being used other teams or systems.

Alphanumeric - Any string that contains both letters and numbers is considered alphanumeric, as opposed to just alphabetic (letters only) and numeric (numbers only). Sometimes called alphameric.

Information on Demand - A description of any data that is readily available when it is needed.