{"id":842,"date":"2022-06-29T14:33:21","date_gmt":"2022-06-29T14:33:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test.thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/?p=842"},"modified":"2023-09-19T15:34:56","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T15:34:56","slug":"reasons-unable-text-shortcode","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/reasons-unable-text-shortcode\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Common reasons why texting a 5 digit short code fails"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Why can\u2019t I text a 5 digit short code?<\/h1>\n\n

Sometimes when you\u00a0try to send a text to shortcode, the text unexpectedly\u00a0fails to send.<\/p>\n\n

You get something that looks similar to this phone screen below<\/p>\n\n

\"example\n
The message hasn’t been sent but there’s no explanation as to why.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n

What are 5 digit short codes?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Short codes<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0are 5 digit numbers that organisations use as a simple and responsive way of allowing people to contact them by text.<\/p>\n\n

The most common use is a response mechanic for advertising. You\u2019ll have seen this many times before.<\/p>\n\n

Here\u2019s an example.<\/p>\n\n

\"example<\/figure>\n\n

You\u2019ve probably seen 5 digit short codes being used on TV, radio., poster and online.<\/p>\n\n

They\u2019re very common.<\/p>\n\n

Short codes are also used for premium rate\u00a0services.\u00a0They’re used a great deal for TV voting systems or text to win competitions.<\/p>\n\n

With premium rate short codes you are charged a set amount to vote or enter the competition.<\/p>\n\n

The amount you are charged\u00a0ranges from 25 pence up to \u00a310.<\/p>\n\n

7 reasons why sending texts to short codes sometimes fail?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

There are a few reasons why\u00a0a text might fail to send, let\u2019s cover them starting with the most common.<\/p>\n\n

1. Phone is on a pay as you go tariff and has zero credit<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Whenever you text a short code, it costs one text at the network\u2019s standard rate.<\/p>\n\n

In the UK, that\u2019s usually between 8 and 12 pence.<\/p>\n\n

Sending texts to short codes is not included in any free text bundle that might be part of a customer contract, so it will always cost 1 text at the standard rate.<\/p>\n\n

If a phone is on a pay as you go tariff and there is no airtime credit on the phone, then you won\u2019t be able to send a text to any short code.<\/p>\n\n

On most UK\u00a0networks, users will receive error code 28 that indicates that the phone does not have sufficient credis to send the text.<\/p>\n\n

This is by the most common reason that texts to short codes fail.<\/p>\n\n

2. Phone is on a business tariff with additional charge blocker<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Verified<\/p>\n\n

Many business phone contracts do not allow employees to text any premium rate service. They understandably don\u2019t want employees to rack up huge bills on non-business services.<\/p>\n\n

While short codes can be used for a premium rate service (which can cost up to \u00a310 to use), almost all text response campaigns cost just 1 text at the standard rate.<\/p>\n\n

Mobile network systems are unable to detect whether a shortcode is being used for a premium rate service or texts cost just one standard rate text.<\/p>\n\n

The contracts ban the texting of all short codes even if they are standard rate.<\/p>\n\n

3. Texting short code from outside the UK<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Old<\/p>\n\n

You cannot text a UK 5 digit short code if you are outside the UK. They only work if your phone is directly connected to a UK network.<\/p>\n\n

4. Texting from a non-UK\u00a0number<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Short codes do not operate on an international basis. They only work if you are texting from a UK phone.<\/p>\n

Most countries have their own short codes but there’s no such thing as international short code that operate across territories.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

5. Optional account setting, restricting texting to 5 digit short codes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Most phone contracts will allow the customer to block sending texts to premium rate services. If this setting has been activated, all texts to short codes will be barred.<\/p>\n\n

To resolve this issue it\u2019s simply a case of rummaging about in the phone\u2019s setting and enabling premium rate services.<\/p>\n

6. The service you are texting is no longer active<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"restricted<\/p>\n

Most short code service only run for specific period. If you are entering a competition by text, it will have an expiry date.<\/p>\n

If you enter after the closure of the competition, then you won’t be able to text the short code.<\/p>\n

7. The keyword and shortcode have been identified as fraudulent and have been shut down<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Premium rate SMS scamming isn’t nearly as common as it used to be. Thanks goodness.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The scam works by inviting you to text a keyword to a short code. The user assumes they will be charged one text at their normal rate.

Only when their mobile phone bill arrives do they realise that they’ve been charged a premium rate text. This could be any amount between 25 pence and \u00a35 in the UK.

Authorities have the ability to shut down and fine anyone operating a premium rate SMS scam.\u00a0

So if you find you can’t text a short code, you may have luckily just avoided a scam.\u00a0

Related articles<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why has my text not arrived on a phone. Find out the 13 most common reasons a text messages fails to send<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Asda rolled out RCS messaging to its customers<\/a><\/strong>. What is RCS and was it good plan?<\/p>\n

Have you heard of Flash SMS?<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Why can\u2019t I text a 5 digit short code? Sometimes when you try to send a text to shortcode, the text […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":69,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=842"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/842\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}