Understanding SMS Categories
TRAI regulations in India strictly categorize SMS traffic into two main types: Transactional and Promotional. Choosing the right category is crucial for delivery and compliance.
Transactional SMS (Service Implicit)
These are messages sent to your own customers directly related to a product or service they have engaged with.
- Purpose: Alerts, OTPs, Order Confirmations, Booking Details.
- Time: 24x7 delivery allowed.
- DND: Delivered to DND (Do Not Disturb) numbers also.
- Sender ID: 6-alpha character ID (e.g., AMAZON, HDFCBK).
Promotional SMS
These are marketing messages sent to prospects or existing customers promoting a product or offer.
- Purpose: Sales, Offers, Discounts, New Launches.
- Time: Only 10 AM to 9 PM.
- DND: NOT delivered to DND numbers.
- Sender ID: 6-digit numeric ID (e.g., 560012).
Service Explicit SMS
A middle ground. These are promotional messages sent to existing customers who have explicitly consented to receive offers.
Which One Do You Need?
If you are building an app requiring login, you need Transactional (Service Implicit).
If you are running a marketing campaign to get new leads, you need Promotional.
At OnlineSMSService, we support all routes and help you configure the right one for your needs.