SMS gateways: which one to use
Text your buyers about their orders through your own Bangladesh SMS account. Compare BulkSMSBD, Alpha SMS, Greenweb, Zaman IT and BulkSMSDhaka, then set one up.
Order SMS goes out through your own account at an SMS gateway: you buy the credit from the gateway, and the gateway sends the text. Jukto decides when to send, writes the text from your template and keeps a log. You find the gateways in Tools > Integrations > SMS.
How an order text is sent#
When an order changes, Jukto checks two things: is that event switched on, and is a gateway turned on. If both are yes, the text waits for a moment in a queue and is then sent. A failed text can be sent again by hand.
Text version of the diagram
- Order event happens to Event switched on?
- Event switched on? to A gateway is on? (Yes)
- Event switched on? to Nothing is sent (No)
- A gateway is on? to Text waits in the queue (Yes)
- A gateway is on? to Nothing is sent (No)
- Text waits in the queue to Gateway sends the text
- Gateway sends the text to Sent: shown in the order (Accepted)
- Gateway sends the text to Failed: Resend button (Refused)
- Gateway sends the text to Text waits in the queue (Gateway busy)
Compare the gateways#
All five send the same order texts and show your balance when you test. They differ in what you paste in and how the sender name works. Prices are set by each gateway; check its own page.
| Gateway | You enter | Sender | What the test checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| BulkSMSBD | API key, Sender ID (both required) | An approved masking name or your own number | Your balance |
| Alpha SMS | API key; Sender ID is optional | Only an approved one; empty uses the default | Your balance |
| Greenweb SMS | API token only | Non-masking; masking is arranged with Greenweb support | Your balance |
| Zaman IT SMS | Send address, API key, sender and the parameter names Zaman IT gives you | As Zaman IT approves it | Your balance if you give a Balance endpoint URL, otherwise only that the settings are complete |
| BulkSMSDhaka | API key; Caller ID is optional | 1234 for non-masking, or an approved masking name | Your balance |
Which one should I use?#
- Use the one you already have an account with. You do not need a new account only for Jukto.
- Want your shop name as the sender? That is called masking. The gateway must approve the name first, and many gateways accept masking only for Bangla text.
- Want to start quickly? A non-masking sender (a number) works without a name approval.
- Your gateway is not on the list? Zaman IT SMS has a flexible form: it fits any panel that takes a key, a sender, a number and a message over HTTP.
The order texts#
The texts are the same whichever gateway you use. You set them on the gateway page, in Order SMS.
| Event | When it is sent | On at the start? |
|---|---|---|
| Order placed | The buyer sent the order | Yes |
| Order confirmed | You or the system confirmed it | Yes |
| Order shipped | It went out with a courier | Yes |
| Order delivered | It was delivered | No |
| Order cancelled | It was cancelled | No |
- Language: English (one text part, the cheapest) or Bangla (it needs unicode, so one text uses two or three parts). One language per website.
- Words you can insert:
{name}buyer name,{order}order number,{total}total in taka,{store}your website name,{tracking}tracking number,{courier}courier name,{link}order page link. - Length: a template can be up to 600 characters. The panel shows the count and the number of parts as you type.
- Reset: Default text brings back the ready-made wording of that event.
Set up in four steps#
- 1
Get an account and credit
Sign up at the gateway you chose and buy some SMS credit. If you want a masking name, ask the gateway to approve it.
- 2
Connect it in Jukto
Open the guide of your gateway from the list above and follow it: keys, Save, Test connection.
- 3
Choose the texts
Pick the language and switch the events on or off in Order SMS.
- 4
Turn on and send a test
Press Turn on, then Send a test SMS to my number.
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