Direct SMS text connections to UK operators: free from intermediaries

As an Ofcom regulated telecoms operator with nearly three decades in the business, we understand that reliable, efficient communication is essential to your business. Our business SMS text services offer direct connections to the UK’s mobile network operators, free from intermediaries, ensuring higher delivery rates, faster messaging, and enhanced security.

By connecting directly to UK networks, our business text messaging platform provides a robust service that allows you to scale seamlessly.

Protecting customer data for the world’s major banks

With direct connections to the UK’s mobile network operators, aql’s business text messaging service can provide:

Low Latency
High Reliability
High Delivery Rate
Enhanced Security

Strict Compliance
Ease of Scalability
Data sovereignty

Why use aql’s business SMS service?

aql is UK-owned and our network has a strong focus on data sovereignty. Through us, business SMS messages are exclusively handled by UK-based data centres so that we can ensure your data stays safe.

Thousands of businesses. Billions of messages. Our robust infrastructure has made us a leader in telecoms for nearly three decades, successfully providing SMS text messaging for businesses and providing expert knowledge and dependable services.

With a diverse range of products and services such as SMS, voice, colocation and IoT, we are constantly innovating to bring real business impact to our customers. Stay ahead of the curve with our wide range of innovative services.

Fully encrypted. ISO 27001-accredited. Strict adherence to GDPR and the Data Protection Act. With aql, your data is always in safe hands.

99.99% uptime. Resilient SMS services. We can readily support your traffic growth, whether you’re doing text message marketing for small businesses or bulk text messages for a major business. Trust in our reliable service.

Ensuring Data Security:
Messaging Platform Safeguards

99.99% Uptime

ISO 27001 certified

Regular disaster planning

aql’s information-security management system is ISO 27001 certified. As part of our commitment to safeguarding data, we regularly conduct crisis test scenarios to enhance our resilience against natural and man-made disasters, as well as regularly reviewing our physical security and cybersecurity protocols.

aql data security is managed in house by expert engineers
Delivered over fully-encrypted channels
Strict access controls with mandatory VPN requirements for data security

Thousands of automated checks for potentially fraudulent activities
Immediate 24/7 escalation of any event likely to impact aql network security
Regular policy and compliance audits to ensure effective security

This secure approach ensures strict adherence to GDPR, The Data Protection Act, and ISO-related regulations.

Case Studies

See how our business SMS messaging services have helped our customers

Why use SMS for business marketing and communication?

SMS continues to demonstrate high open rates and low costs, and as it enters its third decade, it remains accessible to nearly 100 % of the population due to its smartphone-agnostic nature. Send messages in seconds and develop smarter two-way communication with customers via our scalable and easy-to-integrate platform.

One-way SMS - fast, simple communication

Appointment & prescription reminders (used by thousands of NHS hospitals and pharmacies)
Race times (Parkrun races & Cowes Regatta)
Send Two-factor authentication / One-time passwords through our priority routing channels

Order/delivery information
Marketing campaigns
Staff management and alerts
Payment reminders
Incident
Mobile Originating only Messages

How to gain two-way SMS messaging services for your business.

Customer feedback in real time
Transaction alerts
Scheduling appointments
Healthcare reminders
Customer support

Order tracking
Membership management
Utility notifications

Two-way Messaging, Twofold Benefits

Increase engagement and save money when customers text your business through our inbound Traffic SMS Rewards Program

How We Integrate Your Messages

API
Portal
SMPP
Email

Integrate our messaging service into your systems

Flexible and scalable: our SMS API can support your business growth

Simple, cost-effective SMS management

To access our messaging APIs, click here

Send one-way or two-way messages

Set up and message contact lists and/or distribution lists

Manage payments, invoices and credits

Set message originator

Receive replies to your SMS or email inbox

Send bulk messages thanks to our capacity to send thousands of messages per second

Enjoy reliable resilient service via our load-balanced infrastructure

Send messages securely: aql data sovereignty ensures domestic messages do not leave the UK

Customise load balance and failover to increase resilience

Use any email software to deliver SMS text messages directly to a mobile number

Forward important emails to your high-priority customers for immediate notification with our predefined sending options

Our business SMS messaging services will deliver SMS messages to multiple contacts or an entire list of mobile numbers

Other messaging services

Network Lookup

Our network lookup service is used extensively by businesses, telecoms operators and government organisations. This service can prevent you from sending messages to numbers that are no longer active by:

Checking data cleansing and phone network identification
Identifying the state (active/non-active) for UK mobile and landline numbers*
Identifying the network operator for UK mobile and landline numbers*

*based on Ofcom information

Shortcodes & keywords

Shortcodes are memorable five-digit numbers that give customers a flexible, easy way to receive SMS text messages from their customers.

Our premium dedicated shortcode offering allows customers to manage their own keywords. Alternatively, we offer a cost-effective shared shortcode – 64446, where a customer can choose the specific keyword/s they would like to showcase. Inbound SMSs to shortcodes are received either via email or to our customer portal.

TTS (text-to-speech)

Our text-to-speech platform lets you convert emails into synthesised speech messages and send them from any email server through our secure email-to-speech gateway.

Numbering

Geographic

Freephone

International Number

Receive valuable customer feedback through automated two-way conversations without the need for apps
Utilise our AI to deliver SMS to your own applications
Source specific numbers across local or international area codes with ease from our extensive database
Integrate inbound SMS via our easy-to-use API or our customer portal
Set up and use virtual mobile numbers to efficiently consolidate communications

How a virtual mobile number can help your business

Our high-capacity virtual mobile numbers enable you to instantly receive large quantities of SMS text messages directly via either your SMS platform or email.

Direct SMS text connections to UK operators: free from intermediaries

Protecting customer data for the world’s major banks