Bulk SMS lets a business send text messages to many mobile numbers using a messaging platform. Instead of copying a message into individual phone conversations, your team prepares a campaign or connects a system that sends messages when something happens. The recipient receives an ordinary SMS, without needing to install your app.
That simple description covers very different jobs: a retailer announcing an offer, a school sharing an operational notice, or an application delivering a verification code. Choosing the right setup starts with the job the message needs to do, rather than the size of your contact list.
Bulk SMS, A2P and OTP: three terms explained
“Bulk” describes sending at scale. A2P means application-to-person: software sends a message to a person. An OTP is a one-time password used in a verification journey. These terms overlap, but they do not mean that every message should be sent through an identical workflow.
For example, a campaign can be prepared ahead of time and sent to a selected audience. A login code must be generated for an individual action and should expire according to your application’s security design. Do not treat a marketing contact list as a verification system, or include promotional copy in a security code.
Globe provides business SMS, SMS API access, OTP and WhatsApp Business API services. Its published business SMS page describes dashboard-based campaigns and API integration. Your team can start with the channel and sending method that fit the task, then discuss the account configuration with Globe. [1]
What does the sending process look like?
A practical campaign has five parts. First, define the audience and the reason for contacting it. Second, check that the list is appropriate, current and approved for that purpose. Third, write the message. Fourth, preview and test it. Fifth, send and review the result.
An API journey follows the same logic but is triggered by a system event. An order update might follow a change in order status; a reminder might follow an appointment schedule. Your system needs rules for duplicate events, retries and recipients whose numbers have changed. Automation removes manual work only when these rules are clear.
Before launching, assign an owner. Someone should approve the audience, someone should approve the copy, and someone should monitor delivery. In a small business, one person may perform all three roles. Naming those responsibilities is still useful because it prevents an unattended campaign from becoming a customer-service problem.
Dashboard or API: which should you choose?
Choose a dashboard when a person needs to prepare a list, review a message and decide when it should go out. This often suits a marketing or operations team running planned communications. Agree how contact updates and exclusions will be handled before importing a file.
Choose an API when messages should follow events in your own software. This suits developers connecting account access, appointment systems or order workflows. An API is not automatically the better option: it adds responsibility for integration, credential handling and error recovery.
You can also separate tasks. Operations can run planned communications while developers handle system-triggered notifications. Ask Globe to confirm the reporting and permissions available for your proposed setup rather than assuming every team should share a login. A small pilot will reveal whether your workflow needs more automation.
What makes a useful SMS?
A useful message answers three questions quickly: who is contacting me, what has happened, and what should I do next? Put the important information early. Prefer one purpose per message. An appointment notice should not also introduce a long promotion or ask the customer to supply sensitive information.
For illustration, a school notice could say: “School office: Tomorrow’s briefing starts at 9 AM in Hall A. Please check your usual parent portal for the agenda.” This is sample editorial copy, not an approved template or a delivery guarantee. Test the final wording with the provider.
Avoid adding information that does not help the recipient act. A customer does not need your internal campaign name or a lengthy explanation of your messaging technology. Conversely, do not shorten a message so aggressively that the event, time or sender becomes unclear.
Why length and characters matter
SMS capacity depends on encoding. A single GSM-7 segment generally holds 160 characters; a single UCS-2 segment generally holds 70. Longer messages use concatenated segments, typically allowing 153 or 67 characters per segment respectively. Some characters consume additional capacity. [2]
A message that looks short on a laptop may therefore require more than one segment. Check the final text, including any sender prefix and personalised fields, before approving the budget. Do not remove a customer’s preferred language simply to reach an arbitrary character count; compare clarity, accessibility and cost.
Malaysian content rules belong in the brief
MCMC’s September 2024 notice identifies hyperlinks, requests for personal information and callback numbers as prohibited SMS content. [3] Plan the customer journey around those restrictions before writing the message. An SMS should not become a workaround for collecting account credentials or pushing a shortened link.
A practical alternative is to direct an existing customer to open the official app or use a familiar account channel independently. If the communication needs rich content or a conversation, discuss WhatsApp Business API with Globe. That is a different channel with its own onboarding and messaging requirements.
What should you measure?
Start with delivery outcomes, then connect them to the purpose of the message. Delivery status is not proof that someone read, understood or acted on an SMS. A reminder programme might be evaluated through attendance, while an order-notification programme might be evaluated through fewer status enquiries.
Keep the comparison fair. Review similar periods, audience groups and message purposes. Do not attribute every sale after a campaign to the SMS without considering other activity. Use the results to improve timing, audience relevance and wording before increasing volume.
A sensible first pilot
Begin with one clearly defined use case and a manageable audience. Record the message, expected volume, sending method and success measure. Test on representative devices and networks where practical, then examine unexpected failures before expanding.
Ask Globe about your destination, sender setup, expected volume, message category and reporting requirements. Keep the first release simple enough that your team can explain exactly what was sent and why. A controlled pilot gives you a repeatable process instead of just a larger send button.
Sources
[1] Globe — Business SMS and API services ↗
[2] Twilio documentation — SMS character limits and encoding ↗
[3] MCMC — Prohibited SMS content notice, 1 September 2024 ↗