A2P (application to person) SMS is a message sent by a system to a person: one-time passwords, alerts, delivery notices, marketing. P2P (person to person) is a message from one phone user to another. Operators price and filter the two very differently, and A2P traffic is expected to arrive through A2P routes.
Types of A2P routes
- Direct. The provider is connected directly to the destination operator. Best for OTP and critical messages.
- High quality. Stable routes through trusted partners, with real delivery reports.
- Wholesale. Cost effective routes for large volumes where speed matters less.
Sender ID
The sender ID is what appears as the sender: an alphanumeric name (up to 11 characters), a numeric long code or a short code. Many countries require sender IDs to be registered in advance, for example India (DLT), Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Some routes replace the sender ID; ask whether yours will be kept.
Delivery reports (DLR)
A real DLR comes from the operator and tells you the message reached the handset. Some low quality routes return a "delivered" status that was generated along the way, not by the operator. For OTP traffic always ask for real DLR and a delivery rate you can measure.
What to send when you request an SMS route
Networks, traffic type (OTP, transactional or promotional), sender ID type, monthly volume, connectivity (SMPP or HTTP) and target price per SMS. Request an SMS route.
Frequently asked questions
What is A2P messaging?
A2P (application to person) messaging is any message sent by a system to a person rather than typed by another phone user. Typical examples are one-time passwords, bank alerts, delivery notices, appointment reminders and marketing campaigns. Businesses send it through an SMS provider over SMPP or an HTTP API, and operators expect it to arrive on routes approved for A2P traffic.
How does A2P SMS work?
Your application submits the message to an SMS provider over SMPP or an HTTP API. The provider picks a route to the destination operator, either directly or through partners, and the operator's SMSC delivers it to the handset. The operator then returns a delivery report that travels back along the same chain to your platform.
Can I send A2P traffic over P2P routes?
You should not. Operators treat business traffic sent through person to person channels, such as SIM farms or consumer numbers, as grey traffic. Their SMS firewalls block it, sender IDs are often replaced and delivery reports can be invented. Many countries also require A2P senders to register their sender ID, which only works on official A2P routes.
Why is A2P SMS more expensive than P2P?
Mobile operators set a separate termination rate for application to person traffic, and in many countries it is far above the retail price of a person to person text. The A2P rate pays for filtering, sender ID control and delivery reporting. Routes that offer A2P delivery at P2P prices usually bypass the official path and can be blocked at any time.
Need a route?
Send the destination, route type and target rate. We reply with what we can deliver.