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Short code

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This article is about mobile telephone voice calls and text messaging. For the early computer programming language, see Short Code (computer language). For short telephone numbers for public services, see Abbreviated dialing.

Short codes, or short numbers, are short digit-sequences – significantly shorter than telephone numbers – that are used to address messages in the Multimedia Messaging System (MMS) and short message service (SMS) systems of mobile network operators.[1] In addition to messaging, they may be used in abbreviated dialing.

Short codes are designed[citation needed] to be easier to read and remember than telephone numbers.[2] Short codes are unique to each operator at the technological level. Even so, providers generally have agreements to avoid overlaps. In some countries, such as the United States, some classes of numbers are inter-operator (used by multiple providers or carriers). U.S. inter-operator numbers are called common short codes.[3]

Organisations often use short codes to encourage users to engage with services such as charity donations, mobile services, ordering ringtones, or television-program voting.[2] Messages sent to a short code can be billed at a higher rate than a standard SMS and can sometimes subscribe users to a recurring monthly services. These charges continue to appear on the user's mobile-phone bill until the user texts, for example, the word "STOP" to cancel the subscription.[4]

Short codes and service identifiers (prefix)

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Short codes are often associated with automated services. An automated program can handle the response and typically requires the sender to start the message with a command word or prefix. The service then responds to the command appropriately.

In ads or in other printed material where a provider has to provide both a prefix and the short code number, the advertisement will typically follow this format:

  • Long version: "Text Football to 72404 for latest football news."
  • Short version: "football@72404"

Regional differences

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The cost, format, and rules for short codes vary by region. In certain places, such as the Czech Republic, billing for short codes can be differ between mobile originating (MO) and mobile terminating (MT) calls and SMS.

The table below lists the most common short code formats by region or country, along with some basic information such as cost or governing agency, while the subsections below explain these regional differences in greater detail:[5]

Country / Region Format Notes
 Albania 5xxxx Also known as short codes for value added service.
 Australia 19xxxx,
19xxxxxx[6] 		Issued by: Communications Alliance Ltd, WMC Global. Codes start with "19".[citation needed] Transactional and Subscription services require a double sms MO opt-in or Web based opt-in with an MO reply.[citation needed]
 Bangladesh xxxxx Issued by: Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
 Belgium xxxx[7]
 Botswana xxx
 Brazil xxxxx[8]
 Cambodia 1xxx
 Canada xxxxx,
xxxxxx 		Governed by: Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association.[9] Codes beginning with "4" are reserved for wireless network operators. Four-digit codes are not permitted due to handset incompatibilities.
 Chile xxx,
xxxx
 Czech Republic 9xxxxpp (MO),
9xxxx (MT),
9xxxxppp (MT) 		pp and ppp express the price. E.g., an SMS sent to "9090930" is billed for Kč30. Five digit codes are not billed.
 Denmark xxx,
xxxx
 Dominican Republic xxxx,
xxxxx
 Ethiopia 8xxx Mostly used for fundraising, lottery and polling.
 European Union xxxxxx EU-wide codes start with "11". E.g.: 118xxx for directory services[10] or 116xxx for emergency helplines (which is in addition to the EU-wide emergency number, 112).
 Faroe Islands 12xx,
19xx[11]
 Finland xxxxx[...] Codes can be five or more digits long, but are usually only five or six digits long.
 France xxxxx The digits at the start define the cost of the service.
 Germany xxxx,
xxxxx
 Greece xxxxx
 Hong Kong 50xx,
50xxx,
50xxxx,
50xxxxx,
50xxxxxx[12] 		Codes start with "501" through "509". Emergency number is 992.[13]
 Hungary xxxx,
xxxxx
 India 5xxxx[ddd] Codes are five digits long and start with "5". Many companies rent keywords whose characters on a typical telephone keypad represent short codes. E.g: "JEWEL" would be "53935". Codes can be extended by up to three digits to represent three more characters. E.g.: "JEWELER" (5393537), which would otherwise be too long.
 Indonesia xxxx Codes come with a Rp2000 premium price.
 Republic of Ireland 5xxxx The second digit generally indicates the maximum price (0 = free, 1 = standard text rate, 3 = €0.60, 7 = no maximum). 59xxx codes are ostensibly intended for adult services, but few if any of these codes are used.[14]
 Italy xxx[...] Codes have no fixed length, but are typically three to five digits long. Codes starting with "4" are designated by law for "network services".Widely known short codes are in the 48xxx range, commercial ringtones and mobile stuff download.[clarify]
 South Korea xxxx[...] Codes have no fixed length, but are typically four to six digits long.
 Latvia xxx[...] Codes have no fixed length, but are typically three to five digits long. 118x and 1184x codes are designated to information service providers.
 Lithuania xxx Codes have no fixed length, but are typically three to five digits long. Codes starting with "1" are designated by law for "network services".
 Malaysia 2xxxx,
3xxxx
 Morocco xxxx
   Nepal xxx,
xxxx 		Dialed codes are generally three digits long and reserved for public services. SMS codes are four digits long and are used for a wide range of purposes.
 The Netherlands xxxx[citation needed]
 New Zealand xxx,
xxxx
 Nigeria xxxx,
xxxxx
 Norway xxxx,
xxxxx
 Pakistan xxx,
xxxx
 Panama xxxx
 Poland 1xxxx
 The Philippines xxxxxxx
 Russia xxxx Calls and text messages cost between 1.2 to 300 rubles, depending on the number and the carrier.
 Serbia xxxx
 Singapore xxxxx
 South Africa 3xxxx,
4xxxx 		Codes and code ranges (ranges are generally xxxx0 to xxxx9) are assigned specific tariffs or end user prices (EUP). Charges can range from R0.50 to R30.00 (for MO billing), or R0.50 to R50.00 (for MT billing).[15][16] Due to high costs for short code rental, many providers offer shared codes, greatly reducing the cost.[17]
 Spain xxxx
 Sweden xxxxx
  Switzerland xxx,
xxxx,
xxxxx 		Most popular codes are three digits long. Codes starting with "6" are reserved for adult services.
 Taiwan 19xx Codes are usually four digits long and start with "19".
 Turkey xxxx
 United Kingdom xxxxx,
xxxxxx,
xxxxxxx 		Codes are usually between five and seven digits long and start with "6", "7" or "8".[18] Codes starting with "70" are used by charities,[19] "72" are used by Society Lotteries,[19] and "69" and "89" are used by adult services. Mobile operators sometimes use proprietary codes for operator-specific functions.
 United States xxxxx,
xxxxxx[20] 		Codes never start with "1" and only work in the U.S.[21]

Canada

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Canadian short codes are called Canadian Common Short Codes. Short code-based messages vary between zero-rated (paid for by the campaign), standard rate (user pays standard carrier charges), and premium rate (varies, between C$1-10).

In February 2020, the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) announced that Rogers Wireless will no longer participate in general use mobile codes. A common short code is a code that is shared by more than one brand for multiple or general uses.[22]

Czech Republic

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Messages sent to or from short codes in the Czech Republic are known as Premium Rate SMS. The three leading digits are make up a "purpose type" prefix (e.g.: "908" for micro payments, "909" for adult content and "900" for everything else), while digits four and five determine the service provider (registered by a network operator). There are also other four digit short codes that are used by network operators for service-only purposes and are operator dependent.[citation needed]

Ethiopia

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Although the telecom sector in Ethiopia is controlled by the government, short code services are outsourced to the private sector.

India

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Many companies in the Indian market rent keywords on a monthly basis. The numbers on a typical telephone keypad corresponding to the letters in the keyword represent a short code. These codes are five digits long and have to start with the digit "5", but the code can be extended by three additional digits to represent three additional characters. Texts sent to these codes are commonly referred to as Premium Rate SMS Messages and cost around Rs 1 to Rs 3 per text, depending on the operator as well as the service. Messages up to 100 to 500 characters long can be sent, depending on the provider.

Malaysia

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Codes have premium pricing ranging from RM0.30 up to 10.00. Codes are MT billed so subscription services are allowed. Upon service description approval by mobile operators, dedicated codes are generally live in 4 weeks, and shared codes after 1 week.

Pakistan

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Users are charged PKR 5 to PKR 25 per SMS sent on short codes. Mobile operators charge a setup fee, monthly fee and fee per keyword for short codes. Short codes usage must abide by the rules set by Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA).

Poland

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Commercial codes are reachable from mobile and fixed networks. Calls from any type of network to short codes are routed based on the location of the number originating the call. Thus, the subscriber might need to prefix the code with an appropriate area code depending on the area they are trying to reach.

The Philippines

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The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is a regulatory agency for information and communications technology in the Philippines.[23] Although the NTC is ultimately responsible for the governance of premium and non-premium short codes, the NTC's regulatory guidelines are not comprehensive when applied to short codes. Instead the NTC's guidelines focus more on the carriers and the carriers' technical infrastructure. While the NTC's website does have documentation for bulk SMS and spam control (the "AMENDMENT TO THE RULES AND REGULATIONS ON BROADCAST MESSAGING SERVICES"), it does not contain any specific information with regard to premium SMS or standard rate SMS.

United Kingdom

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Short codes are often owned by holding companies[24] who then lease them out to service providers and advertisers to promote SMS services, charitable fundraising and marketing promotions such as news alerts, voting and quizzes.

Codes that start with "70" are used by charities,[19] while codes that start with "72" are used by Society Lotteries.[19] Adult-related mobile services are required to use codes starting with "69" or "89". Mobile operators sometimes use proprietary codes (that either have a different leading digit, or are shorter in length) for operator-specific functions. Depending on the service offered, users may interact with service providers by calling or texting the number.

Calls to mobile short codes may be free, or charged at a rate per call or per minute. Where the number can be called from any mobile network, the same charge will apply regardless of which network is used. Messages sent to mobile short codes may be charged at a "standard rate" or with an additional premium charge. Where messages incur a "standard rate" charge, this is set by the sender's mobile provider and varies by provider. Messages received from short codes may be free or may incur a premium charge. Messages can be used to deliver additional content, or a link that opens up the user's web browser to a specific web page. For subscription services, the charges may recur on a daily, weekly, monthly or other basis. These subscriptions can be stopped by texting the word "STOP" to the short code number.

The service provider must state all applicable charges alongside the number. Calls and messages to mobile short codes do not count towards inclusive allowances or bundles.

Where the benefit passed on to the service provider is more than 10p per call, per minute or per message, Ofcom's Premium Rate Services Condition[25][26] defines it as being a Controlled Premium Rate Service (CPRS) and is subject to the additional regulations detailed in The Regulation of Premium Rate Services Order 2024.[27]

Until 31 January 2025, these services were regulated by the Phone-paid Services Authority.[28] As of 1 February 2025, Ofcom has regulated these services directly.[29][30] A number of key PSA staff had already been embedded within Ofcom for some time in preparation for this move.[31]

United States

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Codes are leased by the short code program's registry service provider GCH Technologies, under a deal with the Common Short Code Administration[32] and Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA).[33] It costs twice as much to choose a specific code as it does to get one that is randomly assigned.[33] Some carriers assign a subset of their carrier-specific codes to third parties.[34]

The Short Code Registry[35] maintains a single database of available, reserved and registered short codes. CTIA administers the Common Short Code program, and GCH Technologies[36] became the official U.S. Short Code Registry service provider in January, 2026. For more information, please see the Short Code Registry’s Best Practices[37] and the Short Code Monitoring Handbook.[38][39]

Texting "HELP" to a short code causes the short code service to return a message with terms and conditions, support information – consisting of either a toll-free phone number or email address at minimum – and other information from the leaseholder of the short code.[40][41] Texting "STOP", "END", "QUIT", "CANCEL", or "UNSUBSCRIBE" to the short code opts the user out of receiving any further messages. After doing so, one final message is sent to confirm the opt-out.[42][38]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "What is an SMS Short Code?". twilio. Archived from the original on 2019-08-27. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  2. ^ a b "Short Code - What Is It, How Should You Use It?". cm.com. Archived from the original on 2022-11-29. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  3. ^ Neufeld, Evan. "Common Short Codes: Cracking The Mobile Marketing Code" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-01-14. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  4. ^ "Short Code - What Is It, How Should You Use It?". cm.com. Archived from the original on 2022-11-29. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
  5. ^ "SMS Short Codes". Retrieved 2026-01-24.
  6. ^ "Burst SMS Blog - Lesson 3: Shortcodes & Virtual Numbers". Burst SMS Blog. 2020-02-03. Archived from the original on 2016-08-21. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  7. ^ Marchand, Maïwenn (2021-10-17). "What Are SMS Short Codes?". The Ring Ring Company. Archived from the original on 2020-11-25. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  8. ^ "Brazil MobileConnect Guide for SMS Sending". help.salesforce.com. Archived from the original on 2021-10-24. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  9. ^ "TXT Splash". Txt.ca. Archived from the original on 2017-02-20. Retrieved 2011-10-17.
  10. ^ Progress Report on the Single European Electronic Communications Market (15th Report) (Report). 2010-05-25. Archived from the original on 2022-12-27. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  11. ^ "Nummarskipan" [Numbering plan]. Fjarskiftiseftirlitið [Telecommunications Authority of the Faroe Islands]. Archived from the original on 2021-11-29. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  12. ^ "Assignment of Codes for Value-added SMS / MMS". ofca hk. Archived from the original on 2021-04-27. Retrieved 2021-04-27.
  13. ^ "992 Emergency SMS - User Guide" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-07-29.
  14. ^ "Commission for Communications Regulation - RegTel Information". ComReg.ie. 2016-01-18. Archived from the original on 2016-01-16. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  15. ^ "WASPA Website". Waspa.org.za. Archived from the original on 2015-02-04. Retrieved 2011-10-17.
  16. ^ "sms c.o.d.e.s". Smscode.co.za. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2011-10-17.
  17. ^ "Shared Shortcodes". Archived from the original on 2014-02-26.
  18. ^ "Codes". Short-Codes.com. Archived from the original on 2012-09-18. Retrieved 2011-10-17.
  19. ^ a b c d "Short-Codes.com". Short-Codes.com. Archived from the original on 2012-01-12. Retrieved 2011-10-17.
  20. ^ "Common Short Code Administration Announces Open Registration of 6-Digit Codes". Press Release. CTIA. 2006-05-31. Archived from the original on 2006-07-14.
  21. ^ "Short Code Registry | FAQs". usshortcodes.com. Archived from the original on 2019-07-12. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  22. ^ "Help And Training Community". salesforce. Archived from the original on 2023-01-05. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  23. ^ "The National Telecommunications Commission Web Portal". Portal.ntc.gov.ph. Archived from the original on 2011-09-30. Retrieved 2011-10-17.
  24. ^ "A Short Guide to a (UK) Short Code". SMSshortcodes.co.uk. 2009-03-11. Archived from the original on 2011-09-06.
  25. ^ "Premium Rate Services Condition" (PDF). Ofcom. 2018-07-26. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-11-16.
  26. ^ "Review of the Premium Rate Services Condition" (PDF). Ofcom. 2018-09-21. pp. 36–39. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-06-14.
  27. ^ "SI:2024/1046 - The Regulation of Premium Rate Services Order 2024" (PDF). Ofcom. 2024-10-24. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-11-13.
  28. ^ "Regulatory responsibility for premium rate services will transfer to Ofcom on 1 February 2025". PSA. 2025-01-21. Archived from the original on 2025-01-27.
  29. ^ "Statement: The future regulation of phone-paid services" (PDF). Ofcom. 2024-10-25. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-11-13.
  30. ^ "Ofcom takes on responsibility for regulating premium-rate services". Ofcom. 2025-01-31. Archived from the original on 2025-02-01.
  31. ^ "Supporting the orderly transfer of regulation". Phone-paid Services Authority. 2024-10-31. Archived from the original on 2024-11-14.
  32. ^ "CSCA COMMON SHORT CODE ADMINISTRATION Trademark of CTIA - THE WIRELESS ASSOCIATION - Registration Number 3081719 - Serial Number 78434150 :: Justia Trademarks". trademarks.justia.com. Archived from the original on 2022-12-10. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  33. ^ a b Alleven, Monica (2007-04-15). "Decoding Short Codes". WirelessWeek. Archived from the original on 2016-06-03.
  34. ^ "CTIA Announced New Strategic Partner GCH Technologies for Common Short Code Registry Services". CTIA – The Wireless Association. 2025-07-30. Archived from the original on 2026-01-25.
  35. ^ "Short Code Registry | short code campaigns Customer engagement". usshortcodes.com. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  36. ^ "GCH". gchtech.com. Archived from the original on 2025-12-05.
  37. ^ "Short Code Registry | Best Practices short codes marketing campaign". usshortcodes. Archived from the original on 2019-07-12. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  38. ^ a b "RISQ Score" (PDF). wmc global. Archived from the original on 2021-10-07. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  39. ^ "Programs". ctia. Archived from the original on 2020-09-08. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  40. ^ "Industry standards for US Short Code Terms of Service and Privacy policies". Twilio Support. Archived from the original on 2021-10-19. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  41. ^ "Short Code Terms of Service". Archived from the original on 2020-11-27. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  42. ^ "Industry standards for U.S. short code HELP and STOP". Twilio Support. Archived from the original on 2022-11-29. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
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