Clickatell Launches Turnkey API Connection
April 19, 2001 With all the global hype about SMS messaging, it has opened the door to a million-and-one new companies offering SMS solutions. Even mobile networks themselves have started to join the race by offering (selectively) open connections to their SMSC’s. The problem is rapidly being identified though, as one where there is a general lack of accepted protocol for connectivity to these centres, and the GSM standards are finding it hard to keep up with a messaging protocol that has grown faster than anyone had ever anticipated. There are many complications when you first attempt to establish a stable SMS service. These range from sending the messages via SMPP or other unpronounceable languages, to vast price discrepancies between providers, to the ‘doom’ of interconnect fees that are charged by some networks and general billing principles that are unsound to begin with. Then, once your service is activated, you have to deal with coverage instability and poor service from the network providers. But do not despair: it can only get better and the opportunities within SMS and what is yet to come are phenomenal. With a clear need in the market and a rapid uptake in SMS usage by corporates and web sites, it was clear that someone would soon step in to fill the gap and provide an integrated solution. This has happened in the form of a South African company, Clickatell. Clickatell was launched in November 2000, and has since had more than 55,000 international registrations for their services and messaging products. What sets them apart from other SMS providers is the fact that they have developed a turnkey solution for SMS messaging through Clickatell-API. This is the latest in their current range of products and is set to change the way businesses and individuals communicate from web to mobile. The API has a number of features which makes it attractive to use, e.g. the fact that it connects via simple HTML. This means that there is no SMPP integration, no Linux gateways and no new technical appointments. The API is in fact the heart of their messaging solution, being able to integrate with any legacy database or even act as a Bulk-SMS tool. This firstly means that you can set any database trigger to send an SMS – whether it is a stock alert or a password, by simply pointing to an HTML page with the relevant fields. You can also add any front-end to the API, utilising it for corporate messaging, split accounts or anything you can imagine. The fact that it’s the first real turnkey solution also means that connectivity is immediate. There is literally no waiting period for the API – it takes a minute or two to register and you can have a test account immediately, all automated. Migrating from a test account to a live account is just as easy, following an on-line payment. The other intriguing aspect of this long awaited service is the SMS pricing schedule, in short they offer a great deal. Clickatell has a saying, “The best coverage at the best price!” The reason that Clickatell can offer a reliable gateway is that their API (or SOBEK System) has been designed to accept any message, be it e-mail or other protocols, and then translate it into the appropriate format in milliseconds to be transported to the appropriate destination by their server-chain. Clickatell has negotiated many international agreements and is continually looking to expand its coverage and solutions by integrating with new partners, hoping to continue to offer the best global GSM coverage. Clickatell effectively takes all the frustration out of access to GSM and SMS functionality. You can test it now by going to www.clickatell.com/products/developer_solutions.php and opening an account. Testing is absolutely free and immediately available!
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