Frequently Asked Questions

Bulk SMS refers to the sending of a large number of SMS messages to a broad audience simultaneously. It’s commonly used by businesses and organizations for marketing, alerts, reminders, and notifications.

The pricing for bulk SMS depends on the location of the traffic, country regulations and restrictions, and numerous other factors. 

• The cost per SMS in the SMS credit bundle purchased.
• The country or countries the SMS messages are being sent to.
• The route you use to send your SMS messages.

We work on a prepaid basis. Should you prefer to request a quotation to purchase before making payment, please email support@channelmobile.co.za.When requesting a quotation, please include your company, account number and the number of credits you would like to purchase.

You do not pay for replies to the SMS messages you send out. The cost of replying to an SMS message is borne by the recipient, not the sender.

No, our SMS credits do not expire – your SMS credits will be available in your account for as long as you need them.

Yes, delivery reports are available and will indicate the status of sent messages e.g. Submitted, Delivered, Expired, Failed etc

You can schedule your SMS messages to be sent for any future date, for up to 3 months in advance.

A typical SMS message is only 160 characters long, but we do allow you to send up to 3 SMS messages in one send. 

The message gets split into three parts (concatenated) when you send it, but when it arrives at the recipient’s phone it will appear as a single SMS message. This means you can send a message of up to 459 characters.

Yes, you can set this up on your Channel Mobile account.

WhatsApp Business API is different from the free-to-download WhatsApp Business App. The free WhatsApp Business App is built with the small business owner in mind. 

Channel mobile offers the WhatsApp Business API platform – which enables businesses to build communication experiences to support their business goals. Create customised messaging experiences on WhatsApp with the WhatsApp Business Platform Cloud API hosted by Meta and connect with customers in a simple, secure, and reliable way. Businesses using the WhatsApp Business platform can connect thousands of agents and bots to interact with their customers programmatically. In addition, the APIs can be integrated with numerous backend systems, such as CRM and marketing platforms.

The WhatsApp Business API, also known as the WhatsApp Business Platform, is for larger businesses and independent software vendors looking to integrate WhatsApp messaging into their own products. It is designed to manage much larger conversation volumes.

WhatsApp Business API is more powerful than WhatsApp Business App as it allows you to:

• Broadcast to Unlimited opted-in users
• Use WhatsApp Business on Multiple Devices
• Automate Notifications
• Install WhatsApp Chatbots
• Send Messages with clickable buttons

You can port your phone number to Channel Mobile – please fill out the contact sales form, we will contact you and discuss the migration.

It takes at around two weeks for WhatsApp to approve a business for using WhatsApp Business, if all the correct information is provided. Information needed to set up WhatsApp API:

• Verified Facebook Business Manager ID
• Telephone Number
• Display Name and details

As part of the application process for a WhatsApp Business Account, a Facebook Business Manager ID is required. Without it, WhatsApp will not approve your Business Account application. As your WhatsApp Business Solution provider, we will manage all the necessary admin and paperwork.

Our WhatsApp Business API prices are tailor made to your individual business needs. Please contact our WhatsApp Business API experts and get started with a tailor-made offer.

Before you can start using WhatsApp for business communication, you must first go through WhatsApp’s official approval process where the WhatsApp team will review your request according to their Business Policy and Commerce Policy. As your WhatsApp Business Solution provider, we will handle all the necessary admin and paperwork.

Data privacy is a crucial topic in customer communication, and the WhatsApp Business API’s secure setup enables companies to use WhatsApp in customer communication. Messages are end-to-end encrypted, which means WhatsApp or other third-party providers cannot read them – making this solution more secure than a conventional email.

Unlike WhatsApp Messenger, which is built for personal communications, the WhatsApp Business API Platform is designed for external business communications. 

Our On-Premise API is hosted on secure global data storage centres; these servers are POPIA/GDPR-compliant.

If you would like to have your own dedicated short code number, then you may be able to choose your own short code – within the limitations of what numbers are available from the networks.

Mobile service providers like Channel Mobile all have an existing database of sms short codes, so you can choose one and be live within 48 hours.

Yes, there is no limit on the number of keywords that you can have set up.

No, both upper and lower case characters in any combination are acceptable.

There are no hard and fast rules, but we suggest that your keyword is between 3 and 8 characters. Make sure it is a real word too, or predictive text will create problems for the user.

We will not be able to retrieve the incoming text message.

There are numerous conditions that must be followed, for e.g.: You need to state the costs of the entry to the user e.g. ‘Messages charged at your standard network rate.’ Please refer to the Code of Conduct of the industry regulatory body: https://waspa.org.za/

There is no tie-in period. To cancel, simply send an email to support@channelmobile.co.za You can cancel your keyword any time up until the next invoice in generated.

No data is needed. USSD codes work across all cellular networks – customers just need a connection to the GSM network. No internet connection is required, as USSD works on voice connectivity.

• Standard-billed USSD strings: where the end-user’s mobile handset is charged directly.
• Reverse-billed USSD strings: where you the client are charged based on the session length.

NB: Network Operators can have different session lengths and maximum duration, but they typically charge for every 20 seconds of the session.

Yes, you can add additional service code extensions or sub-codes as you require free of charge.

USSD allows for a maximum of 182 characters. However, we recommend that you remain within a 160-character boundary due to differences in the maximum number of characters accepted by the different Network Operators.

Channel Mobile is a communications consultancy specialising in bespoke omnichannel messaging solutions, promotions, and campaigns. We assist businesses and brands in omnichannel communications, helping create meaningful relationships with their customers at scale.

Simply fill out our contact sales form and we will contact you.

You can visit our support hub to find necessary information, or you can contact our experts, and we will help you.

You can visit our use cases documentation and our customer stories hub, where you will see how Channel Mobile’s solutions have helped companies.

Your account manager will set up your account on Channel Mobile platform, make sure you get the service package that best suits your needs, and help you in testing and/or integration stage if necessary.

There are no product contracts involved; we work on a pay as you go basis, so you can use our products with no hassle.

You can cancel your account at any time without any additional costs.

Yes – we are happy to offer you discounts for extended campaigns.

AgentChat can be used on its own, however we have found that it works best with an automated chatbot, so your customers can help themselves until they need to chat to a human. AgentChat  can easily be integrated to your ERP or CRM system.

Yes – AgentChat provides flexibility to configure your solution in a way that mimics your business structure and workflows. Whether the customer chooses from a routing menu or is assigned to a specific person in a department, AgentChat is designed to get the customer in front of the right person in your organisation.

AgentChat has been designed using the highest security standards, including standard encryption & access parameters for the application environment and our APIs. Messages are fully encrypted, and interactions authenticated via unique session tokens. We do not compromise on security and privacy, so use various best practise tools to ensure our solution is safe and secure.

We have worked to ensure that all POPIA requirements are covered. Our clients and their customer data are all covered under the Channel Mobile Master Services Agreement to ensure information is secure and there is full transparency with regards to customer opt-in & consent, data processing by Channel Mobile or any third parties. 

We are fully compliant in respect of the core tenants of the POPI Act, which aims to ensure the data collected is purpose specific and maintained accordingly with the appropriate security safeguards.

Whilst AgentChat was originally designed for WhatsApp, it can be enabled to work with most messaging applications including Facebook Messenger, Twitter, WeChat, LINE, Telegram, Kakao, Viber, SMS, and email.

Pricing is based on the services and modules required for your messaging & support requirements. Pricing involves a once off onboarding & configuration fee, followed by monthly licensing & messaging costs. Chat to one of our consultants to get specific pricing details for your custom WhatsApp Business Solution.

Absolutely! We will assist you from defining your campaign goals, to planning the competition mechanics. We advise on the best entry mechanisms i.e. SMS, USSD, WhatsApp, Mobile webforms – and ensure it complies with legislation.

We have a wide range of reward options – like instant airtime, data, cash sends, or movie tickets.