Vonage is a well-known provider of cloud communications services, including SMS services. Here’s an overview of its strengths and weaknesses as an SMS provider:

Good Aspects of Vonage

  1. Global Reach: Vonage offers a wide global reach, allowing businesses to send SMS messages to customers in various countries. This is particularly useful for companies looking to expand their international presence.
  2. API Integration: Vonage provides robust API options for SMS, which enables easy integration with existing systems and applications. This is beneficial for businesses looking to automate and streamline their communication processes.
  3. Feature-Rich Services: Beyond basic SMS, Vonage offers a range of features like MMS, programmable messaging, and the ability to create omnichannel communication strategies.
  4. Reliability and Uptime: Generally, Vonage is known for its reliability and high uptime, ensuring that messages are delivered promptly and without significant delays.
  5. Support and Documentation: They offer comprehensive documentation and support, which can be invaluable for businesses setting up their SMS services or encountering issues.
  6. Scalability: Vonage’s services are scalable, catering to both small businesses and large enterprises.

Poor Aspects of Vonage

  1. Cost: Vonage’s pricing can be higher than some of its competitors, which might be a concern for small businesses or those with tight budgets.
  2. Complexity for Beginners: The wide array of features and the API-driven approach can be overwhelming for beginners or small businesses without a dedicated IT team.
  3. Customer Service Issues: Some users report issues with customer service, including response times and resolution effectiveness.
  4. Limited Free Tier: For businesses looking to test the waters, Vonage’s free tier or trial options might be more limited compared to other providers.
  5. Occasional Technical Glitches: Like any tech service, users might occasionally face technical glitches or downtimes, although these are generally well-managed.
  6. Integration Complexity: While API integration is a strength, it can also be a challenge for businesses that lack technical expertise.

Conclusion

Vonage is a strong choice for businesses looking for a reliable, feature-rich SMS service with global reach and robust API capabilities. However, its cost and complexity might be deterrents for smaller businesses or those without much technical expertise. As with any service, potential users should evaluate their specific needs and resources to determine if Vonage is the right fit for their SMS communication requirements.

About Vonage (previously Nexmo) as an SMS Gateway Provider

Vonage, previously known as Nexmo, was selected as a suitable SMS gateway provider due to its local and international network distribution system, its high delivery ability and good call success rates within the text message service industry. It has the capability and scalability of increasing the volume of your API calls or extending your global reach.

Nexmo SMS Gateway Clients

View the full Vonage review focusing on price, features, reliability, customer service and compare to other SMS Gateway providers below.

Nexmo Bird Website

What about the Pricing of Vonage Gateway Service?

The pricing schedule presented by Vonage (previously known as Nexmo) depends on the type of service, whether it is SMS, Voice, Verify, Virtual number or Phone number. The details of the charges can be seen on their site. Sending text messages cost per SMS is not evident on their website, so cannot be compared to other competitors in the gateway service arena.

It displays some of its prices in USD (not AUD).

Nexmo SMS Gateway Prices

The voice service where you make a call to a mobile number in Australia was around 7 cents per minute and to receive a call from any number in Australia is around 4 cents a minute. Toll-free calls are more expensive. One can rent a virtual phone number for SMS and Voice.

On the Vonage website, there appears to be no detail on contractual arrangements set-up fee or monthly fees.  However, it does state that the client is only charged for what is used with no long-term contracts.

 

Features of Vonage (Nexmo) as an SMS Gateway Service

Vonage’s infrastructure platform is designed to provide a consistent response time which means that the client needs to pay only for what they use.  Their conversion API can measure success rate using real-time, confirmed conversion data. This data collected assists them in maintaining high delivery rates for efficient processes to take place. There is no requirement to change any of the client’s IT configurations.

This SMS provider has a direct relationship with multiple Tier 1 telecommunication carriers around the world and has integrated the technology with their API system. Therefore they are always compliant and the result is a faster and more secure connection route is offered.

On the matter of timing, Vonage adaptive routing provides an optimal path delivery so that clients need not be kept waiting for a result. When a carrier experiences significant traffic, there are queues. Its patented algorithm reduces these problems by selecting the fastest and most secure alternative carrier route.

Other significant features include their powerful  Voice API which allows the client to build apps that scale with the web technologies that the client already uses.  There is a set of call control features that allow for complex voice use.  It can record and store inbound and outbound calls, with a text-to-speech engine in over 23 languages. Customers’ identities are protected by masking their numbers with a voice proxy solution.

 
Nexmo Gateway SMS Feature Review

What customer support service does Vonage provide?

This SMS Gateway provider offers a range of customer support services, rated as standard support and premium support. This is free of charge and offered during business hours with assistance provided between two to four hours of the request, depending on the day of the week and the seriousness of the service disruption. There is usually a 6-hour wait for minor or scheduled problems. Alternatively, the premium support is available at a cost per month and is available on a 24/7 basis with minimal wait time.

There is an availability of responses through Email and an online Q & A as well as service status notification for Standard support (Lite Plan) and full contact status for Premium support (BestPlan).

Voyage claims that they have more SMS, Voice and Toll-free numbers in more destinations than any other providers and that includes traditionally difficult countries to access.

They do offer a free trial with a small welcome credit and no credit card is required. It’s just a matter of using the API credentials and starting testing to build a cloud communication solution.

 

Reliability of Vonage as an SMS Gateway Provider

Vonage flexible platform can cater for millions of API calls without having to change anyone’s infrastructure. Its data platform infrastructure boasts a reliability up-time of 99.99%. Interestingly, there is the transparency of seeing the daily uptime which is impressive and not seen in any other comparable gateway provider sites.

It has built it’s direct-to-telecommunication carrier network and heightened its security thereby avoiding any unwarranted text messages travelling through multiple systems before reaching its destination. It manages all the regulatory requirements around the globe, so there is no time spent on programming and enforcing them by each country.

They have ultra-high throughput, allowing the client to send up to 2.5 million messages in a day, which is like sending 30 SMS in a second, with virtually no upper limit. They provide detailed reporting about delivery so that the quality and performance of the distribution can be assessed.

Nexmo Text Message Gateway Statistics

When reviewing the reliability of this provider’s gateway service, it was pleasing to note that it has a Service Level Agreement (SLA) that will offer guarantee of 99.95% uptime, indicating its reliability in the dissemination of text messages efficiently and effectively. If a server goes down or another problem occurs, this provider assures the clients that they receive an alert and will action the problem immediately. If a message is not delivered, it will provide the client with a breakdown of the reason why it was not distributed.

About This Text Message Gateway Comparison Table and Site

An SMS Gateway Comparison Table and associated sites were developed to assist companies and organisations with selecting appropriately the best suited provider for their needs.

Nexmo Website

This Table was initiated and formulated as a result of authors working in the SMS field realizing the demand from potential clients to have a better appreciation and understanding of what is required when selecting a gateway provider to send text messages efficiently and effectively to their customers or employees or specific groups of people.

The authors do not work in SMS anymore so felt they were best to provide an unbiased, independent review of SMS gateway providers. As you will note there are no advertisements or promotions of any kind on the table or site.

While the SMS Gateway Australia Comparison Table is free for the public to use, the authors wish to disclose that some affiliate relationships do exist. Such relationships do not impact the rates and fees users of the site will receive from these providers.

As the information comes from the provider’s website and not through an API feed, there is the risk data may become outdated without prior notice. As such, you should note below when the page was last updated. You should also check with the SMS gateway providers’ website account before signing up.

If your review leads to the engagement of one of the providers outlined on the table and sites, then the authors may ask the provider for a commission. If there are any inaccuracies in the content, please let the authors know and changes will be made immediately.

The authors hope this Comparison Site and the information provided will benefit you.

 

The latest update is on 27 January 2024.

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