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NowSMS Support Forums ⬆ MMS & SMS Technical Discussions (unsupported) ⬆ |
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| Author | Message | |||
| Andrew Hardy New member Username: Andrew999 Post Number: 1 Registered: 02-2019 |
This may not be the right forum to ask this question, if so, I appologise, but if anyone can advise in any way or usefully redirect me I would be very grateful. I am having difficulty understanding real meaning and bounds of SIM provider's Acceptable usage policy. A number of providers in their policy forbid use for business and this is clearly contravened every day by a huge number of tradesmen and employees. Many forbid sending SMS from an application or system OR even just sending SMS "automatically", even from a specifically entitled "Business" service SIM. It is not clear to me what is meant by automatic, that is exactly how indirect in cause and time constitutes automatic. How do providers tell if your texts are automated or business. Provider's seem often to provide a single policy for all tarrifs, meaning these restrictions can apply even where the number of SMS is already restricted down to any level. I see many mobile applications which include features to automate SMS, in some way or other, for some purpose. I guess here perhaps they pass on the responsibility to the user and SIM owner, but they provide no warning to check. Any first line conversation with providers to obtain clarification is often confused and unclear, introducing things which are NOT in the written policy or potentially giving an interpretation which is in fact significant unmatched to the policy. On the other hand some provider's policy wording is much less restrictive focusing, for example, more on roaming features and not mentioning business or automation. Some providers when asked for clarification say they HAVE NO formal written policy, but then list anecdotally a number of ways to avoid being blocked even on the basis of no policy. It makes one wonder if the policies are not really intended to be considered verbatim but are really an indirect instrument for the provider hopefully achieving a ceiling on the number, frequency and time patterns of the SMS. If one contravenes the letter of the policy is one actually breaking the law or is one simply at risk of having the contract mechanically terminated without any other action and that perhaps even if there IS NO relevant policy. I am a software developer and for reasons of economics and code ownership I want my code to send SMS from time to time using a SIM. These SMS will: - if needed, be very easily controlled in terms of timing, pattern and frequency. - if needed, be very easily restricted in number in a time period. - Never be unsolicited. - Always be expected and agreed to by the user. - will be automatic, that is, indirect in cause and time in as much as the user took a clear action to be sent an SMS at some future time on the occurrence of a particular event. Is there any higher authority which adds necessary caveats to provider's policies? One would wonder, where the tariff restricts numbers already, or the user sends only 2 or 3 thousand SMS pcm evenly spread in day time to mobile users who expect them, that the provider really wouldn't care about anything else. Do they? How do they manage that? Alternatively are there SIM contracts available with usage policies more suited to developers? I have seen things called Developer SIMs, but these seem mostly to be for purchase in bulk and aimed at the iot for small traffic over GPRS data. I appologise for the length of the this post and my lack of expertise. Thank you for your patience if you have read this far. Thanks. | |||
