Step 1: Open an account and top up

You start by creating an account with a bulk SMS provider, then buy SMS credit, usually through M-Pesa. With Connect Media there is no minimum top-up and your credit never expires, so you can start small and send when you need to. Each SMS uses credit; see pricing or estimate a campaign with the SMS cost calculator.

Step 2: Choose your sender ID

The sender ID is the name your customers see instead of a phone number — for example MYSCHOOL or ACMESACCO. A branded sender ID makes your messages instantly recognisable and far less likely to be ignored or mistaken for a scam. Sender IDs are registered with each mobile network (Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom), so apply early.

Step 3: Upload your contacts

Add the phone numbers you want to reach. Most people upload an Excel or CSV file exported from their school system, POS or phone book; you can also type numbers in or save them as reusable groups (parents of Form 2, active SACCO members, VIP customers). Numbers can be in any common Kenyan format — 0712…, 712… or +254712…. See how to send bulk SMS from Excel.

Only message people who have agreed to hear from you. Kenya’s Data Protection Act requires consent for marketing messages and an easy way to opt out — read our guide to SMS marketing and the Data Protection Act.

Step 4: Write the message

A standard SMS holds 160 characters. Emojis and some special characters switch the message to Unicode, which drops the limit to 70 characters per part — and longer messages are billed as several SMS. Keep it short: who you are, the key information, and one clear action. You can personalise each message with the recipient’s name or balance. Our GSM-7 vs Unicode guide explains the character rules, and there are ready-made SMS templates to borrow from.

Step 5: Send now or schedule

Press send, or schedule the message for a better time (for example 8am on the day of an appointment). Businesses with their own software skip the dashboard and send automatically through the bulk SMS API — for example a till system that texts a receipt after every sale.

Step 6: The gateway checks and routes each message

Behind the scenes, your message reaches the provider’s SMS gateway. The gateway checks your credit and sender ID, splits the list by network, and hands each message to the right operator — Safaricom, Airtel or Telkom. This takes seconds, even for thousands of numbers.

Step 7: The network delivers to the phone

The mobile network’s message centre delivers the SMS to each handset. If a phone is switched off or out of coverage, the network keeps retrying for a period, so the message usually lands as soon as the phone is back online. No internet connection or smartphone is needed on the customer’s side — which is why SMS still reaches more Kenyans than any app.

Step 8: Read your delivery reports

Each network reports back whether every message was delivered, is still pending, or failed (for example because the number is invalid or inactive). These delivery reports appear in your dashboard, so you can clean your list and resend to anyone who missed out. If you see many failures, check why bulk SMS is not delivered.

What you can use bulk SMS for

• Schools — fee reminders, closing dates, exam results (bulk SMS for schools)
• SACCOs and chamas — contribution and loan reminders (SACCOs and chamas)
• Churches — service announcements and events (churches)
• Clinics — appointment reminders
• Shops and online stores — offers, order updates and M-Pesa payment confirmations
• Apps — one-time passwords and alerts (SMS OTP)

Ready to send your first bulk SMS?

Connect Media bulk SMS delivers to Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom, with a branded sender ID, scheduling, delivery reports and an API for developers. Still comparing options? Read how to choose a bulk SMS provider in Kenya, or open an account and send a test today.

The post How Bulk SMS Works: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners first appeared on Connect Media.

USSD meaning in simple terms

USSD is a way for your phone to hold a short, live conversation with a service over the mobile network. Unlike an SMS, nothing is saved in your inbox: the session stays open while you choose options, then closes. Because it runs on the basic GSM network, it works on every phone, from a basic feature phone to the latest smartphone, and it needs no internet or data bundle.

• Full form: Unstructured Supplementary Service Data.
• Also called: USSD codes, quick codes, star codes or feature codes.
• Format: starts with * and ends with #, for example *483*57#.

How USSD works

1. The user dials a code such as *384*1#.
2. The mobile network recognises the code and forwards the request to a USSD gateway.
3. The gateway passes it to the business’s application server, usually over HTTP, with the caller’s phone number and what they typed.
4. The application replies with the next menu screen, and the gateway sends it back to the phone.
5. This repeats until the user finishes or the session times out.

Each screen holds roughly 160–182 characters, and networks close idle sessions after a short time, often a couple of minutes. That is why good USSD menus are short and numbered. See USSD menu design best practices.

Common USSD codes in Kenya

Kenyans use USSD every day, often without knowing the name for it:

• *144#: check your Safaricom airtime balance.
• *334#: the M-PESA menu for sending money, paying bills and buying airtime.
• *544#: buy Safaricom data, SMS and minute bundles.
• Bank, SACCO and insurance codes for mobile banking without an app.
• Government and NGO codes for registration, surveys and service information.

Networks sometimes change codes, so confirm with the operator.

What businesses use USSD for

• Mobile banking and SACCOs: balances, mini-statements, loan applications and repayments.
• Payments and collections: pay bills, fees or rent from a menu. See SMS and USSD banking.
• Surveys and polls: collect feedback from people without smartphones. See SMS and USSD surveys.
• Agriculture: market prices, weather and input orders for farmers. See mFarming.
• Registration and self-service: sign-ups, account look-ups, ticket checks and customer support menus.

USSD vs SMS: what is the difference?

The best services combine both: a USSD menu for the transaction, then an SMS with the receipt or reference number the customer can keep. Learn more about bulk SMS.

Advantages and limitations

Advantages: works on every phone and network, needs no app or data, is instant and interactive, is familiar to Kenyan users, and keeps nothing stored on the handset after the session.

Limitations: short screens, session time-outs, text only, and users must know the code. Codes also have to be set up with each network. For richer experiences, compare USSD vs a mobile app.

USSD technical definition: how the standard describes it

In telecom standards, USSD is a supplementary service defined by 3GPP (formerly GSM) in TS 22.090, 23.090 and 24.090, with the GSMA also describing it as a session-based channel between a handset and a network application. It travels over the mobile network’s signalling channel, not the data connection, which is why it is fast and needs no internet. A session can be mobile-initiated (the user dials a code, called pull) or network-initiated (the service pushes a menu to the phone, called push).

Types of USSD codes

• Service codes run by a business or operator, such as *334# for M-PESA or a bank’s *483*57#. These connect to an application through a USSD gateway.
• Handset and network codes handled by the phone or network itself, such as *#06# to show your IMEI or **21*number# to forward calls.
• Shared and dedicated codes: a shared code carries many services under one root, while a dedicated code belongs to a single business.

USSD banking and mobile money

USSD banking lets customers check balances, request mini-statements, transfer money, buy airtime, pay bills and apply for loans from a code like *483#, with no app, no data and no smartphone. It is why mobile banking reaches feature-phone users in Kenya and across developing countries. Read more in 10 ways USSD is revolutionizing mobile banking in developing countries.

USSD gateways, aggregators and integration in Kenya

A business does not connect to each network separately. A USSD gateway provider (an aggregator) holds the network connections and your code, and sends each user’s input to your application over an HTTP API, so your developers build the menu logic while the provider handles the telecom side. Pricing usually depends on code type (shared or dedicated), expected sessions and set-up fees, so it is quoted per project. Ask Connect Media for a USSD integration quote.

Is USSD secure?

USSD is protected by the network’s own encryption, but a session is not end-to-end encrypted, and the biggest practical risk is SIM swap fraud. Good services use a PIN for sensitive actions, never display full account numbers, time out idle sessions and check for recent SIM changes before approving transfers.

Common USSD errors and what they mean

• “Connection problem or invalid MMI code”: the code was mistyped, the service is down or the network cannot reach it. Check the code and try again.
• “USSD code running”: a session is still open. Wait for it to end, then redial.
• Session expired: you took too long to reply, so dial the code again.

How to get a USSD code for your business

You can launch on a shared code, where your service sits under a provider’s code (for example *384*123#) and is quick and affordable to start, or apply for a dedicated code of your own, which costs more and takes longer to approve. Connect Media handles the application, network setup and hosting, so you only design your menu. Read how to get a USSD code in Kenya or see our USSD service.

Prefer Swahili? Soma kuhusu USSD kwa Kiswahili.

Launch your USSD service

Talk to us about a USSD code or create a Connect Media account for bulk SMS from KES 1.0, with one account for Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom. Call +254 707 339 945 or email info@connectmedia.co.ke.

The post What Is USSD? Meaning, Codes and How It Works in Kenya first appeared on Connect Media.

Short answer

• Choose Connect Media if you mainly send SMS to Kenyan numbers, want USSD or IVR as well, and prefer to pay in shillings with no minimum top-up and credit that never expires.
• Choose Twilio if you are building a global product, need email (SendGrid), a programmable contact centre or a customer data platform, and are comfortable paying in US dollars.
• Choose Infobip if you need many chat channels (WhatsApp, Viber, RCS and others), chatbots and customer journeys across many countries, usually under an enterprise agreement.

Connect Media vs Twilio vs Infobip at a glance

Company facts are from each company’s public materials. Check Twilio’s and Infobip’s own pricing pages for their current Kenya rates; we don’t quote competitors’ prices.

Connect Media

Connect Media is built for organisations that need to reach people in Kenya on any phone. You send bulk and transactional SMS to Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom numbers from one account, with branded sender IDs, delivery reports and two-way replies. The same account covers USSD menus, IVR and voice broadcast, and international SMS to more than 190 countries, including Uganda and Tanzania.

Strengths

• Local pricing: SMS from KES 1.0 with published rates, no minimum top-up and credit that never expires. No dollar card or exchange-rate surprises.
• USSD and IVR in the same account, which matters for SACCOs, banks, schools and field teams whose customers use basic phones.
• A simple API: one HTTPS endpoint with send, balance, history and inbox actions. See the developer docs.
• Support in Nairobi that knows Kenyan sender ID rules and network behaviour.

Limits to know

• Connect Media focuses on SMS, USSD, IVR and voice. If you need email marketing, a customer data platform or a full contact-centre suite, a global platform is a better fit.
• It is built around Kenya and East Africa. You can send international SMS, but a product with users mostly outside Africa may prefer a global provider.

Twilio

Twilio is one of the best-known communications platforms for developers. Beyond SMS and voice it offers WhatsApp, email through SendGrid, phone number verification, the Segment customer data platform and the Flex contact centre. In 2024 it reported about US$4.46 billion in revenue and more than 325,000 active customer accounts, and its fourth quarter was its first with a GAAP operating profit.

Strengths

• Excellent documentation, SDKs in many languages and a large developer community.
• One vendor for SMS, voice, email, verification and customer data across many countries.
• Self-serve signup; you can test quickly with a card.

Things to check for Kenya

• Billing is in US dollars, so your cost moves with the exchange rate and needs a card that allows USD payments.
• Kenyan networks require alphanumeric sender IDs to be registered whichever provider you use. Check how long registration takes through a global provider.
• USSD is not a core Twilio product, so USSD projects need a second provider.

Infobip

Infobip started in Croatia in 2006 and grew into a global omnichannel platform. It is especially strong in chat apps: WhatsApp, Viber, RCS, Apple Messages for Business, Telegram and more. It also offers customer journeys (Moments), an agent inbox (Conversations) and chatbots (Answers). It acquired the US messaging company OpenMarket in 2021.

Strengths

• A very wide channel list and strong WhatsApp Business tools.
• Chatbots and automated journeys in the same platform.
• Enterprise account management and global reach.

Things to check for Kenya

• Pricing for large volumes is usually agreed with sales, so it takes longer to see your real cost.
• For a business that mainly needs Kenyan SMS or USSD, an omnichannel suite may be more than you need.

Which should you choose?

• A school, SACCO, clinic or retailer sending fee reminders, receipts and alerts in Kenya: Connect Media. See solutions by industry.
• A Kenyan fintech that needs OTPs by SMS plus a USSD menu: Connect Media covers both in one account.
• A global SaaS company with users in dozens of countries that needs SMS, email and verification from one vendor: Twilio.
• A large brand running WhatsApp chatbots and customer journeys across many markets: Infobip.
• Both: many companies keep a global provider for chat apps or email and use a local provider for Kenyan SMS and USSD, where local pricing and support matter most.

Data protection: GDPR and Kenya’s Data Protection Act

Twilio and Infobip both publish security and compliance documentation, including GDPR data processing terms, which matters if you message people in the EU. If your customers are in Kenya, the Data Protection Act, 2019 applies: you need a lawful basis such as consent, a clear opt-out, and safeguards when personal data leaves Kenya. Whichever provider you choose, ask for its data processing agreement and where message data is stored.

Switching from Twilio or Infobip to Connect Media

Moving Kenyan SMS traffic usually takes a day or two. The main steps are registering your sender ID, updating the API call and testing delivery. The two requests below send the same message.

Twilio:

curl -X POST "https://api.twilio.com/2010-04-01/Accounts/$TWILIO_SID/Messages.json" \
  -u "$TWILIO_SID:$TWILIO_TOKEN" \
  --data-urlencode "To=+254712345678" \
  --data-urlencode "From=YourBrand" \
  --data-urlencode "Body=Your order has shipped."

Connect Media:

curl https://app.connectmedia.co.ke/api.php \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CM_API_KEY" \
  -d action=send \
  -d sender=YourBrand \
  -d to=254712345678 \
  -d message="Your order has shipped."

Numbers go in 2547XXXXXXXX format, and a successful send returns code 201. Full steps are in the provider switching checklist and the API docs. Estimate your monthly cost with the SMS cost calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Is Twilio or Infobip better?

Neither is better for everyone. Twilio suits developers building global products and teams that also need email or customer data tools. Infobip suits companies that need many chat apps, chatbots and enterprise account management. For Kenyan SMS and USSD, a local provider is often simpler and cheaper to run.

What is a good Infobip or Twilio alternative in Kenya?

Connect Media is a Nairobi-based alternative for SMS, USSD, IVR and voice, with SMS from KES 1.0, billing in shillings, no minimum top-up and credit that never expires.

Can I use Twilio and a local provider together?

Yes. Many businesses keep a global provider for email or chat apps and send Kenyan SMS and USSD through a local provider.

Do I need a new sender ID if I switch?

Usually you register your sender ID with your new provider so the networks allow it on their routes. See sender ID registration in Kenya.

Try Connect Media or call +254 707 339 945.

The post Connect Media vs Twilio vs Infobip: Which SMS Platform Fits Kenyan Businesses? first appeared on Connect Media.

1. Take stock

• Which systems send SMS (website, app, ERP, school or SACCO system, WooCommerce)?
• Which sender IDs and short codes you use, and on which networks.
• Your monthly volume and remaining credit with the old provider.

2. Register your sender ID with the new provider

Start early — network approval takes several working days per network. Keep sending from the old provider until it’s approved. See sender ID registration.

3. Move contacts and templates

Export contact groups and message templates as CSV and import them. Clean the list on the way: remove duplicates and numbers that failed repeatedly. See preparing contact lists.

4. Update integrations

Swap the API endpoint and key in each system. With Connect Media that’s one HTTPS endpoint and a Bearer token — see the API docs and tutorials for PHP, Python and Node.js. Put the key in configuration, not code, so switching back is a config change.

5. Test

• Send to staff numbers on Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom.
• Check delivery reports, sender ID display and long messages.
• Test error handling: invalid numbers and low balance.

6. Cut over gradually

Move one message type first (for example, marketing), then alerts, then OTPs. Keep the old account active with some credit for a couple of weeks as a fallback.

7. Tell your team

Update internal guides, dashboards logins and support scripts.

Moving to Connect Media? There’s no minimum top-up and credit never expires, so you can run both providers side by side while you switch. Our team can help with migration.

Get started

Create a Connect Media account — SMS from KES 1.0, no minimum top-up, credit that never expires, and one account for Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom. Call +254 707 339 945 or email info@connectmedia.co.ke.

The post Switching Bulk SMS Providers: A Step-by-Step Checklist first appeared on Connect Media.

By message type

Month-end and payday

Many Kenyans are paid at month-end, so retail and bill-payment messages often perform better in the last days of the month and the first days of the next.

Times to avoid

• Late night and very early morning for anything non-urgent.
• Sunday mornings for promotions, when many people are at church or with family.
• Major public holidays, unless the message is about the holiday itself.
• Peak network congestion around big national events, for non-urgent sends.

Test for your audience

These are starting points, not rules. Farmers, shift workers, students and office workers keep different hours. Run a simple A/B test on timing and use what your data shows.

Schedule it

Write messages when it suits you and let them send at the right time with scheduled SMS.

Get started

Create a Connect Media account — SMS from KES 1.0, no minimum top-up, credit that never expires, and one account for Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom. Call +254 707 339 945 or email info@connectmedia.co.ke.

The post The Best Time to Send SMS in Kenya first appeared on Connect Media.

How it works

1. Pick one thing to change.
2. Split a random sample of your list into two groups.
3. Send version A to one group and version B to the other, at the same time.
4. Measure responses (codes, replies, clicks, sales).
5. Send the winner to the rest of the list.

What to test

• The offer: 20% off vs KES 500 off.
• The opening: leading with the offer vs the customer’s name.
• Urgency: “this weekend” vs “today only”.
• Call to action: “Reply YES” vs “Call now”.
• Timing: 10am vs 6pm — see best times to send SMS.
• Sender ID: brand name vs branch name.

Sample size

Small tests give noisy results. As a rough guide, use at least a few hundred recipients per version, and more if response rates are low. If the difference between versions is tiny, treat it as a tie and test something bolder.

Example

• A: “Weekend offer: 20% off all shoes at BRAND. Visit our Moi Ave branch. STOP to opt out”
• B: “Grace, your 20% off shoes is ready — this weekend only at BRAND Moi Ave. STOP to opt out”

Give each version its own redemption code so you can count results.

Keep a testing log

Record each test, the result and what you learned. Over a few months you’ll build a playbook for your audience.

Related: measuring SMS ROI and the SMS marketing guide.

Get started

Create a Connect Media account — SMS from KES 1.0, no minimum top-up, credit that never expires, and one account for Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom. Call +254 707 339 945 or email info@connectmedia.co.ke.

The post A/B Testing SMS Messages: A Practical Guide first appeared on Connect Media.

The formula

ROI = (revenue from the campaign − campaign cost) ÷ campaign cost

Campaign cost is mainly SMS cost: recipients × SMS parts × price per SMS. Estimate it with the cost calculator.

Metrics to track

• Delivered: from delivery reports.
• Response: replies, calls, clicks or code redemptions.
• Conversion: purchases, bookings or payments.
• Revenue from those conversions.
• Opt-outs caused by the campaign.

How to track responses

• Unique codes: “Quote SMS20 at the till”. Count redemptions.
• Tracked links: add campaign parameters to links — see links in SMS.
• Keywords: “Reply YES” or text a keyword to a short code.
• Dedicated phone line for a campaign.

Worked example

A shop sends a single-part offer to 5,000 opted-in customers at KES 1.0 per SMS: cost KES 5,000. 120 customers redeem the code, spending KES 2,500 on average: revenue KES 300,000. If the gross margin is 30%, profit from the campaign is KES 90,000 — an ROI of (90,000 − 5,000) ÷ 5,000 = 17×.

Illustrative numbers. Measure your own results; they vary by audience, offer and timing.

Common mistakes

• Counting revenue rather than profit.
• Ignoring customers who would have bought anyway — hold back a small control group to compare.
• Not counting opt-outs as a cost.
• Changing several things at once, so you can’t tell what worked — see A/B testing SMS.

Get started

Create a Connect Media account — SMS from KES 1.0, no minimum top-up, credit that never expires, and one account for Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom. Call +254 707 339 945 or email info@connectmedia.co.ke.

The post How to Measure SMS Campaign ROI first appeared on Connect Media.

Common scams

• “Sent to the wrong number”: a fake payment message followed by a request to send the money back.
• Prize and promotion scams: “You’ve won KES 50,000, pay a fee to claim”.
• Fake customer care: messages asking customers to call a number or share a PIN or code.
• Phishing links: fake login or payment pages.
• Loan and job offers that demand an upfront fee.

How to protect your customers

1. Use one registered sender ID for all messages, and tell customers it’s the only name you use. See sender IDs.
2. Never ask for PINs, passwords or OTPs by SMS or phone — and say so in your messages.
3. Avoid links in sensitive messages; where you must use one, use your own domain. See links in SMS.
4. Be consistent: same tone, format and details every time, so fakes stand out.
5. Publish your official contacts on your website and receipts.

Educate customers

Send an occasional reminder: “BRAND will never ask for your PIN or OTP. If in doubt, call 0700 000 000.” Safaricom subscribers can also forward suspicious messages to 333 to report fraud.

Protect your own account

• Use strong passwords and keep API keys secret — never in browser or mobile app code.
• Restrict who can send bulk messages.
• Watch for unusual sending patterns, such as sudden spikes in OTP requests (see OTP best practices).

Get started

Create a Connect Media account — SMS from KES 1.0, no minimum top-up, credit that never expires, and one account for Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom. Call +254 707 339 945 or email info@connectmedia.co.ke.

The post SMS Scams in Kenya: How to Protect Your Customers and Brand first appeared on Connect Media.

The ideal OTP message

“482915 is your BRAND verification code. It expires in 5 minutes. Never share it — BRAND staff will never ask for it.”

• Code first so it shows in the notification preview.
• Brand name so the customer knows who sent it.
• Expiry so they act quickly.
• A warning not to share it.
• No links — links in OTP messages look like phishing.

Code design

• Six digits is a good balance of security and ease of typing.
• Generate codes with a secure random generator, never sequentially.
• Store only a hash of the code, with its expiry time.
• Expire codes after 5–10 minutes and after one successful use.

Protect against abuse

• Limit attempts: lock verification after 3–5 wrong codes.
• Limit sends: cap OTP requests per number and per IP, with a cooldown before “resend”.
• Watch for pumping: sudden OTP requests to unusual or international numbers can be fraud aimed at running up your SMS bill.
• Tell the customer what the code is for when it matters: “to confirm a payment of KES 5,000”.

Delivery

• Use a registered sender ID in the transactional category — see transactional vs promotional SMS.
• Keep the message in GSM-7 so it’s one SMS.
• Use delivery reports to spot failures, and offer a voice-call fallback for customers who don’t receive the SMS.

Learn more on our SMS OTP page and in the Node.js tutorial.

Get started

Create a Connect Media account — SMS from KES 1.0, no minimum top-up, credit that never expires, and one account for Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom. Call +254 707 339 945 or email info@connectmedia.co.ke.

The post How to Write OTP SMS That Customers Trust first appeared on Connect Media.

HTTP API

Your system sends an HTTPS request for each message (or batch) and gets a JSON response. It works from any language and any server, including shared hosting.

• Simple: a few lines of code — see PHP, Python and Node.js tutorials.
• Firewall-friendly: uses standard HTTPS.
• Stateless: no connection to keep alive.
• Delivery reports are pulled via the API or pushed to a callback URL.

SMPP

Short Message Peer-to-Peer is a telecom protocol. Your system opens a persistent connection (a “bind”) to the provider and streams messages over it.

• High throughput: designed for large, continuous volumes.
• Complex: needs an SMPP library, connection management, reconnection logic and window handling.
• Network setup: often requires fixed IPs, firewall rules or a VPN.
• Delivery reports arrive as messages over the same connection.

Side by side

Which should you choose?

For almost every business — e-commerce, schools, SACCOs, fintechs, logistics — the HTTP API is the right choice. Consider SMPP only if you send very large volumes continuously and have the engineering capacity to run it. If you think you might be in that category, talk to us about your volumes.

Start with the HTTP API docs or read about SMS gateways.

Get started

Create a Connect Media account — SMS from KES 1.0, no minimum top-up, credit that never expires, and one account for Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom. Call +254 707 339 945 or email info@connectmedia.co.ke.

The post SMPP vs HTTP API: Which Should You Use for Bulk SMS? first appeared on Connect Media.