SMS Subscriptions

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wrstroud

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Dec 15, 2006
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Does anyone know anything about text messaging subscription services? I've tried some searching but haven't come to a real answer. You know those commercials that come on tv that say text "xyz" to 53948 to receive this ringtone/wallpaper/etc?

How do those work with setting up a subscription? I'm pretty sure everything shows up on your phone bill if you get one of these ringtones etc., so whoever owns these services must have some deal worked out with some of the major carriers right?
 


I've just started with wapfly.com - I think it's all one off payments though, not subscriptions. So maybe not what you are looking for.

You don't have to buy a number, they either setup keywords for you and your customer sends: keyword 4545645 to 81235 or their online system generates temporary numbers for the user, encoding your aff id with the tone id. You have some control over pricing. I'm still setting things up, but they seem pretty good.
 
Awesome question, I have been looking into the same thing and not finding too much.
 
Those 5-digit numbers are called SMS Short Codes. To get a dedicated one for yourself, it will cost a few thousand per month if I remember correctly.

I don't know anything about wapfly, but I set up one of my sites to receive SMS through email. So someone sends a picture message or a text message to sms@example.com and you have a receiver set up on that email address that accepts the message in your web application.
 
I've just started with wapfly.com - I think it's all one off payments though, not subscriptions. So maybe not what you are looking for.

You don't have to buy a number, they either setup keywords for you and your customer sends: keyword 4545645 to 81235 or their online system generates temporary numbers for the user, encoding your aff id with the tone id. You have some control over pricing. I'm still setting things up, but they seem pretty good.

Do you have a contact for them? I tried calling their number and no answer. (Obviously the US number) Also it seems like they have quite a few "empty pages" on the website. I am very interested in this. :)
 
Those 5-digit numbers are called SMS Short Codes. To get a dedicated one for yourself, it will cost a few thousand per month if I remember correctly.

I don't know anything about wapfly, but I set up one of my sites to receive SMS through email. So someone sends a picture message or a text message to sms@example.com and you have a receiver set up on that email address that accepts the message in your web application.

I would like to get some info about this from you if you don't mind. You can pm me or hit me up on aim. Thanks
 
m-Cube who was a large provider of Mobile content delivery was recently purchased by VeriSign. You can find out more about the products and services here: VeriSign® Mobile Delivery Services - Content from VeriSign, Inc.

The SMS Short Codes are rather expensive and VeriSign does take a percentage of sales from you.

Keep in mind there is also a provisioning process so it's not something that is just thrown up in a few days.
 
Do you have a contact for them? I tried calling their number and no answer. (Obviously the US number) Also it seems like they have quite a few "empty pages" on the website. I am very interested in this. :)

Yeah, the site isn't very complete - no help or faq either, so took a few emails to an AM to get my head round it! They do offer some good site-builder type tools though - customisable javascript & css, tone lists as csv and an sql database - which makes it all pretty flexible.

My php knowledge isn't great (learning though!), but I've just thought of one thing that could be done, happy to share if it's of use: the keywords from adwords could be inserted into the url and used to pull the matching tones out of the database. Hmmm.. should work I think!

The only contact I've got there is an affiliate manager, rather not give out his email randomly. I'll contact him though and get back to you.
 
Yeah, the site isn't very complete - no help or faq either, so took a few emails to an AM to get my head round it! They do offer some good site-builder type tools though - customisable javascript & css, tone lists as csv and an sql database - which makes it all pretty flexible.

My php knowledge isn't great (learning though!), but I've just thought of one thing that could be done, happy to share if it's of use: the keywords from adwords could be inserted into the url and used to pull the matching tones out of the database. Hmmm.. should work I think!

The only contact I've got there is an affiliate manager, rather not give out his email randomly. I'll contact him though and get back to you.

LazyHippy, I want to get something started along these lines. PM me if you get a chance and we can trade some ideas in getting something started.
 
LazyHippy, I want to get something started along these lines. PM me if you get a chance and we can trade some ideas in getting something started.

Argh! No! I've got enough fuckin ideas, I don't need any more of them! Don't think I could fit any more in my head at the mo!

This tone idea has sort of combined with another idea to get me thinking of more fuckin ideas and not doing much work!

I found this program looking for something to promote offline. (Do you get ads in papers with lists of codes for ringtones where you are?) Now I'm trying to incorporate this system into another music related site, along with a subscription offer. Give people a choice - a fixed price single tone, or free tones with a subscription.

I'm always up for discussing new ideas. The problem is they tend to take over and push the old ones to the back! Give me a shout if ya wanna chat mate.
 
So are you paying top dollars to get one of those 5 digit codes to push some of these ringtones, etc?
 
Anyone wanting sms shortcodes, or wanting to run competitions, sms auctions or subscription services, feel free to PM me - I can help
 
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