In the modern SMS Marketing marketplace, short codes used to be the most common messaging channel. With shared short codes being shut down by carriers, a new number option has taken over: Toll-Free numbers. Toll-Free numbers combine the power of dedicated short codes with the lower cost associated with shared codes, leading to a powerful new number option.
Toll-Free numbers are ten digit phone numbers that can have the prefix 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, or 833. These numbers have been provisioned by carriers to send text messages, and they can send hundreds of messages per minute depending on the text messaging provider and their carrier relationship.
Shared short codes were great because they let you send mass messages, but they are in the process of being retired by carriers due to a number of drawbacks which you can read more about here. On the other hand, dedicated short codes eliminate these two problems but come at a significantly higher price.
This is where Toll-Free texting comes in. They cost thousands of dollars less than a dedicated short code, but come with many of the same benefits. However, they offer even more advantages including:
Because toll-free numbers are in the 10-digit format that most of us are used to, they are more readily recognized as a phone number and thus more likely to be engaged with.
Generally, toll-free numbers are associated with larger brands. But with Trumpia, they come packed with every plan.
With a toll-free number, contacts can text or call the same number. This also means you only have to operate and advertise a single number on your collateral.
Text enabling a Toll-Free number comes at a low cost, especially when compared to a dedicated short code. With Trumpia, every plan includes the use of a toll-free number.
The main difference is cost. Since shared short codes have been sunsetted, the only available form of short code texting is a dedicated code, which costs thousands of dollars a year. Toll-Free numbers only cost a few dollars a month and support many of the same features of a dedicated code.
Yes! With Trumpia, we can text-enable your existing phone number.
This really depends on your provider. As a benchmark, Trumpia has the highest throughput in the industry of 150 messages a second, which is about 50x the speed of 3 messages a second that some competitors offer.
Yes! Toll-Free numbers are able to send and receive MMS messages which can include pictures or videos.