How to text to a 5 digit number?

Sometimes when you try to send a text to shortcode, the text unexpectedly fails to send.

You get something that looks similar to this phone screen below

Short codes are 5 digit numbers that organisations use as a simple and responsive way of allowing people to contact them by text.

The most common use is a response mechanic for advertising. You’ll have seen this many times before.

Here’s an example.

You’ve probably seen 5 digit short codes being used on TV, radio., poster and online.

They’re very common.

Short codes are also used for premium rate services. They’re used a great deal for TV voting systems or text to win competitions.

With premium rate short codes you are charged a set amount to vote or enter the competition.

The amount you are charged ranges from 25 pence up to £10.

There are a few reasons why a text might fail to send, let’s cover them starting with the most common.

1. Phone is on a pay as you go tariff and has zero credit

Whenever you text a short code, it costs one text at the network’s standard rate.

In the UK, that’s usually between 8 and 12 pence.

Sending texts to short codes is not included in any free text bundle that might be part of a customer contract, so it will always cost 1 text at the standard rate.

If a phone is on a pay as you go tariff and there is no airtime credit on the phone, then you won’t be able to send a text to any short code.

On most UK networks, users will receive error code 28 that indicates that the phone does not have sufficient credis to send the text.

This is by the most common reason that texts to short codes fail.

2. Phone is on a business tariff with additional charge blocker

Many business phone contracts do not allow employees to text any premium rate service. They understandably don’t want employees to rack up huge bills on non-business services.

While short codes can be used for a premium rate service (which can cost up to £10 to use), almost all text response campaigns cost just 1 text at the standard rate.

Mobile network systems are unable to detect whether a shortcode is being used for a premium rate service or texts cost just one standard rate text.

The contracts ban the texting of all short codes even if they are standard rate.

3. Texting short code from outside the UK

You cannot text a UK 5 digit short code if you are outside the UK. They only work if your phone is directly connected to a UK network.

4. Texting from a non-UK number

Short codes do not operate on an international basis. They only work if you are texting from a UK phone.

If you open your messages app and type the 5 digit number in, your phone will automatically recognize it as a short code. So, the message will send the exact same way as if you were texting a regular, 7 / 10 digit phone number.

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A “short code” is a number that has only five digits. Example 32665 (FBOOK) for the social networking site Facebook. Texting it is done in the same manner as texting a 7- or 10-digit number.

The procedure of messaging a short code is simple and works the same as texting on a regular cell phone. The only prominent distinction is the quantity has been cut down.

Start a fresh text chat window and replace the recipient’s number with a shortcode at the place where you normally type their phone number. After that, type your message and then send it.

An SMS or short message service shortcode may be utilized to forward marketing texts with a 5 to 6-digit cell phone number. In addition to having superior technical capabilities, shortcodes are registered with wireless carriers and may send messages much more quickly. Instead of sending transactional SMS, firms and brands use shortcodes.

Text messages can be sent and received using a 10-digit long code. To send transactional messages, such as delivery notifications or two-factor verification for an app, long code texting is commonly employed.

They aren’t meant to be used for advertising. Shortcodes send text messages much faster than long codes. While shortcodes can cost as little as $1 per phone number, long codes often start at $500-$1,000 per month. As a result of their differing technical capabilities, there is a wide range of pricing and usage scenarios.

Shortcodes can be activated easily. Technically, you are subscribing to a messaging program that uses the short code in place of an actual coding language. Messaging a keyword to a particular short code is common practice for consumers who want to opt for or opt in the SMS marketing programs.

If you agree to get future texts, your subscription will be established by a message received by your registered number you provided when opting for it.

In addition, the process of opting out is a breeze. Every short code SMS company must handle unique unsubscribe terms, which means they’re all required to frame them.

To stop receiving messages, simply type CANCEL, END, STOP, QUIT, or UNSUBSCRIBE on any SMS short number. You will also get an automated notice confirming the opt-out decision.

The two most common varieties of shortcodes that SMS marketing uses are random and vanity. They both have the same features and purpose. It all depends on the quantity you need and the cost to maintain it.

Non-vanity short codes, also known as Random short codes, are numbers that are chosen at random. What your new code will be is completely out of your hands when you apply.

The 5- or 6-digit contact number you are given is randomly generated. “Random codes” refers to the most used type of short code messaging, which is also the most affordable.

Custom caller ID, similar to vanity license plates, reflects your brand and gives customers a memorable way to reach you. Our shortcodes are 6 or 5-digits long so that they’re easy for customers to remember.

Because they are charged under the SC Registry of the United States, this means that vanity codes are more costly than random ones. However, since you can pick digits that are easy to recall, the vanity codes become preferable because joining your texting campaign becomes easier for potential participants.

Short SMS codes like 888111 or 222434 are examples of vanity numbers.

Another great feature of utilizing the software is that text messages are sent faster. Because cellular carriers constrains the speed of texting long codes to 60 messages in a minute, they are considerably slower than short codes.

The rate at which short codes are delivered varies considerably, Conditional to the program used for sending the text. Every minute, 98,940 SMS are sent using a short code. It is 1,649 times quicker than a long code and sixteen more times than other texting business tools.

“What’s the fuss about SMS delivery?” you might ask. Imagine if the text message marketing software firm is unable to swiftly distribute messages. Subscribers may still take advantage of a deal that has expired long back.

Politicians who fail to raise funds right after a major rally could lose out on the goodwill generated by the crowds that have just left a restaurant’s lunch special.

When it comes to short codes, there are a few distinctions between them and ordinary SMS marketing numbers. 10DLC and Toll-free phone numbers can be helpful alternatives for short codes.

It is easier to remember shortcodes than long ones because they just have 5 or 6 characters instead of 10. Because the digits are simple to remember and quick to type, text messaging applications are more user-friendly.

Shortcodes that are vanity or random cost approx $500 to $1,000 monthly. Free or inexpensive toll-free as well as 10DLCdigits can be utilized. SMS codes are sent 20 times more quickly sometimes in comparison to traditional messages.

Short code messaging definitely is not subject to content restrictions or carrier spam. However, messages forwarded by a standard 10-digit phone number are. Acquiring a short code implies going through an approval procedure that can take up to eight weeks, during that period, the sender, as well as texting software, are comprehensively examined to guarantee that messages aren’t tampered with.

Though dedicated short codes used in bulk SMS operations or text marketing are more expensive, they come with many benefits.

If you use a vanity short code, an easy-to-remember and read number, it will be much simpler for your consumer to opt into your text marketing program. Not only that, but your engagement levels will improve significantly.

A dedicated SMS shortcode allows you to use an unlimited number of keywords for message marketing so that you can reach a wider audience.

When you use customized shortcodes, you have full command over the text messages delivered to your mobile number. Carrier restrictions won’t be an issue when sharing with others, allowing you to keep a clean profile.

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Five digit numbers – often called ‘short codes’, are a great way for companies to encourage text responses. But how are you actually supposed to send a message to them?

Thankfully, the process is quite easy. In this article, I’ll be teaching you how to text 5 or 6 digit numbers, how to know if your text message went through, and also share a bit about why businesses use short codes in the first place!

So, how do you send a message to a 5 digit number?

It turns out, it’s the exact same as sending a message to any other phone number!

If you open your messages app and type the 5 digit number in, your phone will automatically recognize it as a short code.

So, the message will send the exact same way as if you were texting a regular, 7 / 10 digit phone number.

That being said, you can always add the number as a contact to your phone, if you want to make it easier to recognize later on. This can be particularly useful if you plan on texting this number over and over again!

So, once you send a message to a five digit number, how do you know if it actually worked?

Well, most short code numbers will automatically send a reply when you contact them. This will immediately confirm whether or not you sent the message correctly.

Many systems rely on you sending exact words or phrases to the number, in order to track how you’re actually using it. So, if you type something wrong, you may get a message stating that the command was not recognized, or something similar.

But what if you mess up the number entirely?

Thankfully, your carrier should send you an automatic message letting you that the number you texted wasn’t a valid short code.

Then, you can verify the number and try sending another message to the right short code.

So, now that we know how things work from your perspective, have you ever wondered why businesses even use five digit numbers in the first place?

After all, they are quite expensive to setup – at least $1,000 setup fee in the U.S, plus ongoing costs per message according to one provider, Twilio.

Ultimately, there are a few key benefits.

The first is kind of obvious – short codes are easier to remember!

Whereas a normal phone number would be 10 digits long with the area code, having just 5 digits makes it far easier for consumers to remember.

So, if a business is using their short code as part of an advertisement or promotion, they stand to gain by making it as easy to remember as possible. This will maximize the number of people that actually text it, directly making the company more money.

Another extremely important reason however is in regards to texting limits.

Normally, carriers block messages from being delivered if they are being sent to quickly, at least from standard phone numbers. This limit may be as little as 10 messages per minute!

As you might imagine, this is to cut down on spam. No normal person has a reason to send that many text messages, so by imposing these limits, carriers are able to both reduce their costs, while also protecting you from being bombarded with spam messages.

Short codes however have much higher limits in place. Twilio – the provider listed earlier, is able to send 100 messages per second, or 6,000 per minute! That is 600x higher than a normal phone number. They are able to get away with this, because carriers not only have looser requirements for short codes, but providers also contact the carriers prior to the short code going live.

So, if you are a large company running a large promotion – or you need to send automated codes out regularly, you will need a short code to be able to send higher volumes of messages at once while still maintaining good deliverability.

Texting a five digit number can be done exactly the same way as any other number. Simply type it into the bar where you’d type phone numbers, and send your message.

Often times, you will receive a confirmation back straight away that indicates your message was received.

I hope that you’ve found this article helpful, and that it’s taught you something new about short codes. If you have any other questions about 5 or 6 digit numbers, ask them below and I’ll be happy to answer them for you.

Wishing you the best,

– James McAllister