Choosing the most efficient method of communication is critical to getting things done. Today, we are bombarded with messages from various sources, including email, messaging apps, snail mail, social media, telemarketing, and other communication modes. Text messaging advantages are difficult to overlook, and many companies are opting for SMS for an easy and efficient form of communication.
The technical term for text messaging is SMS, which stands for short messaging service. It is a means of communication that is used in mobile phones. The technology has been around since the 1990s, starting in Europe and then spreading across the globe. Although SMS has some limitations, individual messages are restricted to 160 characters, and anything longer is automatically split into multiple messages.
SMS also has several advantages over other modes of communication. For instance, email opening rates are typically between 15 and 22 percent. Additionally, emails are more likely to end up in the spam folder before anyone sees them. On the other hand, text messaging has a higher open rate than email, with 98 percent of messages being read within 15 minutes of receipt.
Text messaging is a safe way to reach every user who has opted to receive messages, regardless of how many people are on your list. This advantage prompts many businesses to adopt this communication mode. SMS makes it possible to send bulk messages in one go, and creates fast, efficient communication. For this purpose, developers have built SMS APIs.
What is a SMS API?
The SMS API is an application programming interface that allows users to send, receive and manage text messages within their applications or websites.
Such a tool is the Telesign SMS Verify API. This API allows users to verify the users’ phone numbers to ensure the right recipient receives text messages.
Users
Financial Institutions – There is a need for credible digital identity as more financial operations move online. Today finance companies, cryptocurrency exchanges, and fintech use the API to build trust and avoid massive, expensive fraudulent transactions.
E-commerce Platforms – Online businesses use the API to ensure a seamless onboarding and shopping experience for customers. The API delivers real-time order updates, thereby reducing fraud and increasing customer engagements.
Social Media Networks – The API helps social media platforms to grow and secure their user bases. The 2FA SMS helps to avoid intelligence fraud and increase digital identity.
Gaming Companies – Top gaming firms use the API to ensure that players have a safe gaming experience. Real-time authentication makes Telesign a digital identity solution for the industry.
On-Demand Services – The API delivers timely, relevant, and personalized messages to on-demand service customers. As such, it leads to improved user experience, greater adoption rates, and fraud prevention.
How Telesign Verify SMS API Works
The API works using elementary logic. The developers embed the API in their apps or websites. When a new user is signing up for the website or app’s services, the registration form requires that they input their mobile number. The API collects the mobile number and sends a verification code to the number that is provided.
The user needs to enter the code, usually in the form of five to six digits, in the next step of the registration. Often, the app or website prompts the user to enter the code within 60 seconds to two minutes. If the user fails to enter the code within the specified duration, the registration is terminated. The user needs to repeat the process and input the code on time. Upon several failed attempts, the user is blocked from accessing the system.
Otherwise, the API counter checks to ensure that it is an exact match upon entry of the code. If the code is correct, the user can progress with the registration. Else, if the code is wrong, the sign-up terminates. The API saves the successful phone numbers in a contact list for the future purpose of messaging.
If a user no longer wishes to receive messages, the API blacklists or removes the number from the contact list database.
How to connect to Telesign SMS API
Step 1: Sign Up
The first step to connecting to the Telesign SMS Verify API is to sign up using a valid email address. Once the sign-up is done, the user will get a RapidAPI key for free. The key is reusable if an individual wants to utilize the several other applications available.
Step 2: Register for the Telesign SMS API
The Telesign SMS API is a paid API with the highest pay for a test being $1. Based on the country the user is signing from, they will have to enter their country code together with their phone number on the phone number field. The omission of this code results in an error message from Telesign SMS API.
The credit pricing that a user gets for every call depends on their country code. When using the app, the user will input three different parameters: the verification code, the phone number, and the app name.
Step 3: Create a registration Form
The registration form contains information on the user’s name and phone number, which should have the country code. This information also depends on the verification that the user is conducting.
Step 4: Integrate your application with the API
On submitting the registration form, a verification code is generated. Using the Telesign SMS API, the code generated is sent to the user’s phone. The local database should now contain the code, phone number, name, and timestamp.
Once the code is sent to the user, they will see a form to enter the code. If the code they input differs from the code on the database, they will receive an error message asking them to reenter the correct code. If the code matches the code in the database, the user is successfully registered.
Step 5: Add RapidAPI key and create a table in the local database
Once the process is complete, the user can add their own RapidAPI key to create a table in the local database.
How to use Telesign SMS API with Python
The user should ensure that the Python application is installed. Once this application is available, the user should get a Customer ID and the API key. Download the Python Telesign SMS SDK or choose to clone its repository. The user should then extract the .ZIP file and install the SDK using the following code:
After the installation, this is the code for sending an SMS with a code for verification.
Here is a sample code for POST send Verification Code Endpoint in Python (request)
import requests
url = "https://telesign-telesign-send-sms-verification-code-v1.p.rapidapi.com/sms-verification-code" querystring = {"phoneNumber":"REQUIRED","verifyCode":"REQUIRED"} headers = { 'x-rapidapi-key': "SIGN-UP-FOR-KEY", 'x-rapidapi-host': "telesign-telesign-send-sms-verification-code-v1.p.rapidapi.com" } response = requests.request("POST", url, headers=headers, params=querystring) print(response.text)
How to use Telesign SMS API with Ruby
To use Telesign SMS Verify API with Ruby, ensure the application is installed first. Using the CustomerID and the API key, download its SDK for Ruby and extract its repository from .ZIP file. The user should then use the following code to install the SDK:
Once the installation is complete, the following code is used to send the SMS with a verification code:
Here is a sample code for POST send Verification Code Endpoint in
Ruby(unirest)
require 'uri' require 'net/http' require 'openssl' url = URI("https://telesign-telesign-send-sms-verification-code-v1.p.rapidapi.com/sms-verification-code?phoneNumber=%3CREQUIRED%3E&verifyCode=%3CREQUIRED%3E") http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port) http.use_ssl = true http.verify_mode = OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_NONE request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url) request["x-rapidapi-key"] = 'SIGN-UP-FOR-KEY' request["x-rapidapi-host"] = 'telesign-telesign-send-sms-verification-code-v1.p.rapidapi.com' response = http.request(request) puts response.read_body
How to use Telesign SMS API with PHP
To use the Telesign SMS API with PHP, ensure the application is installed. If not, download the latest version, extract the files, and install it once the configuration is done. Use the CustomerID and the API key to download the PHP SDK and extract its repository from the .ZIP file. Install it using the following code:
Once the installation is complete and successful, use the following codes to send an SMS with a code for verification.
Here is a sample code for POST send Verification Code Endpoint in PHP (Unirest/Request and HTTPv1)
php
$curl = curl_init(); curl_setopt_array($curl, [ CURLOPT_URL => "https://telesign-telesign-send-sms-verification-code-v1.p.rapidapi.com/sms-verification-code?phoneNumber=%3CREQUIRED%3E&verifyCode=%3CREQUIRED%3E", CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION => true, CURLOPT_ENCODING => "", CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10, CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30, CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1, CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "POST", CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER => [ "x-rapidapi-host: telesign-telesign-send-sms-verification-code-v1.p.rapidapi.com", "x-rapidapi-key: SIGN-UP-FOR-KEY" ], ]); $response = curl_exec($curl); $err = curl_error($curl); curl_close($curl); if ($err) { echo "cURL Error #:" . $err; } else { echo $response; } POST send Verification Code Endpoint in PHP for HTTPv1 php $request = new HttpRequest(); $request->setUrl('https://telesign-telesign-send-sms-verification-code-v1.p.rapidapi.com/sms-verification-code'); $request->setMethod(HTTP_METH_POST); $request->setQueryData([ 'phoneNumber' => 'REQUIRED', 'verifyCode' => 'REQUIRED' ]); $request->setHeaders([ 'x-rapidapi-key' => 'SIGN-UP-FOR-KEY', 'x-rapidapi-host' => 'telesign-telesign-send-sms-verification-code-v1.p.rapidapi.com' ]); try { $response = $request->send(); echo $response->getBody(); } catch (HttpException $ex) { echo $ex; }
How to use Telesign SMS API with JavaScript
Here is a sample code for POST send Verification Code Endpoint in JavaScript(fetch)
fetch("https://telesign-telesign-send-sms-verification-code-v1.p.rapidapi.com/sms-verification-code?phoneNumber=%3CREQUIRED%3E&verifyCode=%3CREQUIRED%3E", { "method": "POST", "headers": { "x-rapidapi-key": "SIGN-UP-FOR-KEY", "x-rapidapi-host": "telesign-telesign-send-sms-verification-code-v1.p.rapidapi.com" } }) .then(response => { console.log(response); }) .catch(err => { console.error(err); });
Benefits of Telesign SMS API
Automation
The API sends random validation codes during registration in real-time. This automation ensures that verification can be made at any time of the day or night. Therefore reducing manual work of SMS management. Such processes help to save on expenses otherwise spent in employing people to perform such tasks.
Productivity
The API aims at increasing customer experience and remove the need for paperwork. Moreover there it leads to more efficiency and faster workflow in companies. Additionally, it eliminates the need to hire people to perform SMS functions. Therefore, your employees can concentrate on other aspects of your business. Due to these reasons, there is increased productivity at the workplace.
Analytics
The API helps in ensuring better delivery of messages to customers. Due to the global coverage, it is easy to monitor locations for your new clients. The dashboard also provides statistics to help you track messages and provide clear reports.
Easy Integration
The API is simple and easy to integrate within mobile apps, desktop programs, or web pages. Hence, it helps to facilitate the exchange of data between the servers and applications.
Telesign Send Verification Code Endpoints
This is the only available endpoint by the Telesign SMS API. It allows users to post requests based on three parameters which include:
Recipient phone number – This parameter allows you to input the phone number you are testing. It is important to note that any entry containing spaces or special characters will lead to an error. Also, you must put the country code before the phone number.
Verify Code – This parameter is a must for the API to function. Here, you input the desired numbers you want to serve as the verification code. Typically, it can be a five or six-digit number.
App Name – This parameter allows you to input the name of your application. Although it is optional, it allows users to know who is sending the message. Therefore, it is crucial where identification is a key aspect.
Features of Telesign SMS API
Global Coverage – The API allows users to send text messages to people irrespective of their geographical location. Currently, the API supports over 80 countries across the world with high reliability in message delivery.
Time-based One-time Password – The API helps to block fake accounts through its one-time SMS authentication code. The TOTP system ensures that only a one-time code is sent to verify users. This capability helps to curb any illegitimate users since the authentication happens in real-time.
Traffic Monitoring – The API automatically detects malicious accounts by monitoring the volume and traffic from given IP addresses or locations. By flagging down fraudulent activities, users can be alert to block and report such users.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) – The 2FA feature implies that users require two different authentications for verification to happen. This characteristic ensures that the API is more secure, making it difficult for attackers to access online accounts. In this instance, the time factor restricts system access outside the specified time window.
Accessibility – The API uses hundreds of high-quality direct carriers and waterfall approaches in various routes to ensure exceptional delivery and conversion rates.
Customization – The API allows users to include the name of the application. This action allows recipients to know that the messages originate from your company. Additionally, the API drafts personalized messages to enhance the engagement rate.
Bulk Validation – The API allows users to verify multiple phone numbers by uploading a CSV file.
Automated Opt-out Management – The API sends text messages with an automated unsubscribe option. This ensures compliance with relevant authorities.
URL Shortener – The API helps users to shorten their URLs to send better quality links without expiry. Having smaller links saves on the characters and helps in directing customers to appropriate sites for more conversions.
Smart Message Splits – The API uses advanced technology to avoid breaking vital information such as URLs and email addresses.
Conclusion
This post shows a walk-through process of using Telesign SMS API for text verification. It is easy to see that the API allows the use of multiple programming languages. Therefore, developers should apply any language they are comfortable using to make amazing apps.
The Basic Plan we have used is truly limited, but do not hesitate to check out other pricing plans that fit your need and budget if you require more usage.
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