Short Code - vanity vs. random

All common short codes used for SMS text messaging in the US are administered and leased by the CSCA. To get access to a short code, you can either use a cheap text service which will provide you with a shared short code, or you can lease one through an SMS vendor or text message provider, such as InvolveMobile, that can supply you with such options.

Note that you cannot purchase a short code, you can only lease or rent a short code from the US Government through the CSCA. Whilst you rent and continue to renew the short code, you have exclusive access and rights to the short code. If you do not renew the short code, it goes back into the available pool of numbers for re-distribution.

There are two kinds of text short codes: Vanity short codes and Random short codes. Currently you can apply for either type as 5 digit short codes in the range 20000 to 99999 and also 6 digit short codes in the range 222222-899999.

Vanity short codes are dedicated common short codes which are specifically requested by the applicant company or SMS Vendor on behalf of the applicant. Vanity short codes may be chosen  for a number of reasons, including to:

Vanity short codes are more expensive to rent, starting from $1000/month (short code rental costs only).

Random short codes are dedicated short codes randomly assigned by the Common Short Code Administration (CSCA) to the company applying to lease the short code in either a 5 or 6 digit length.

As stated above, both vanity short codes and random short codes can be dedicated short codes in that you are not sharing the short code with any other company – the difference is that a vanity short code is a number sequence specifically applied for and approved by CSCA, whereas a random short code is not.

Vanity short codes can be easier for your customers to remember making your mobile marketing campaigns more effective, however using a random short code can be much more cost effective if you do not require the budget or branding requirements.

Costs

The short code rental costs are setout below, but you also need to include additional costs to setup the short code with each wireless carrier and an SMS gateway or text messaging solution. There will also be monthly costs for managing that short code. A text solution like InvolveMobile will help simplify this process.

It’s important to consider whether you need a vanity short code, or whether the money you save by using a random short code could be better utilized in running your mobile marketing campaign e.g. sending text messages to a larger audience. You should also consider using a shared short code text service like InvolveMobile which will deliver short codes much cheaper and virtually cost free.