Why is it that we can clone animals, draw with friends across the world, communicate to hundreds of millions of people in 5 seconds with a click of a button and have computers perform open heart surgery, but it takes 2-3 months to “properly” “by the book” provision and set up a shortcode to mobile carriers standards? Fact: A mobile app can be built, approved, and in the Apple App Store more quickly than an SMS shortcode can get approved.

What is a shortcode? It is 5-6 numerical digits that a user can text into and receive messages from. Sounds super simple and almost “old technology” right? There is an ever-changing, consistently inconsistent, novel-size guideline book meant to help us with the simple task of provisioning a shortcode so it is ready for consumer consumption. By “us” I mean the companies that choose to adhere to mobile carrier’s requests and wishes. The same ones who do not want to get audited by finger pointing third parties who so nicely audit and red-flag shortcodes to mobile carriers. “We” strive to get it right and please our clients, and of course we want the carriers to put their stamp of approval on it. So why is it so hard to get SMS shortcodes approved?

There are many SMS vendors out there that just go for it, don’t ask for approval and take the chance of being audited. Many of these vendors will never get noticed because they do not make their programs known or ask for carrier approval. They don’t worry about legal jargon like STOP to stop, or HELP for help. They don’t worry about the 160 character-eating verbiage such as: “{Sponsor name} one time alerts program” or the required copy of “you will receive up to 6 messages a month” that is now required by the carriers in all welcome SMS messages.

It makes me wonder… Why, if carriers get paid per message along with consumer’s data plan fees, would they wish to slow down this provisioning process? What could be their motivation?

As I mentioned, it takes me 2-3 months to provision an SMS shortcode. During this time I spend about five hours a week dealing with carrier push-back, inconsistency in re-testing results and general sloth-like behavior. Let me put this into context: 5th Finger sends out roughly 1-3 million messages a month. Over 70% of those message profits go straight to the carriers. Hello?! Like I said, even receiving approval and placement in the Apple App Store for my app clients doesn’t even reach this level of manic back and forth.

I respect the need for process but something so simple shouldn’t cost clients and mobile marketing companies so much time, and therefore money. I wouldn’t want this to deter those just trying to get into the world of mobile marketing and trying to play by the book. The security of a properly executed SMS campaign is priceless peace of mind for client and service provider alike.

- Christina Statescu, 5th Finger