Frequently Asked Questions

Sending SMS

  1. Can I schedule messages for later date and time?

    Yes you can. Once you have created your message, you can select a time and date for to send your text message. If you need to change the scheduled time and date, you can do so via the Task Scheduler section.

  2. Why have I received multiple copies of a message?

    In rare circumstances a message may be received more than once. This is most likely to occur when 'roaming' on a foreign network, or in an area with poor signal. If neither of these statements is true, then you should check that you are not sending multiple copies to iSMS by mistake.

  3. Sometimes I receive duplicated massage.

    This rarely happens in iSMS. This may occur when you are on roaming, or in a very low signal area. If you continue to face the same problem, send us an email at


    No, iSMS provides you the best of the SMS technology. iSMS ensures great, fast, reliable and secure way of communication. Using our sms service for sharing adult / porn content, spreading rumours, threatening language or any purpose which is against the law or causing dissatisfaction to any one is prohibited. Violating this protocol may lead to immediate account suspension without prior notification.

  5. What format of mobile numbers should be used when I create contact list or send any message?

    Just type the country code and mobile (e.g 60171122334). In case, if you wish to send a message to multiple mobile numbers, separate the number with a coma (,).

General Topics

  1. How much does it cost?

    That depends on:

    • How many credits you buy(bulk purchases are cheaper).
    • The route that you send via. We provide users with several routing options which have different levels of connectivity and have definitive features and costs.

    By registering and sending some test messages (free) you can verify exactly what the cost will be.

  2. I forget my password. What I have to do?

    Just click on "Forget Password" at the member panel and you will receive an email with password reset link.

  3. Are there any other costs involved to send SMS?

    There are no setup fees or monthly fees or any other additional fees.We operate on a prepay basis. Users do not pay to receive replies.

    Recipients of SMS messages who reply are charged by their networks for sending the reply. For mobiles in other countries, the reply path will be via a number outside of those countries and charges by the network on which the replying mobile is on may be higher than for a local reply SMS.

  4. What sms routes do you provide?

    View sms routing options HERE

  5. How long does it take to deliver messages?

    Typically messages are delivered within 15 seconds on the premium route and within 1 minutes on the standard route, but usually even faster. The best is to test it for yourself. However sometimes congestion in network may cause unavoidable delay.

    If you use email to send then messages the email itself might be delayed before it reaches our server. The iSMS system adds very little additional delay, but delays may occur on the text message network, perhaps because of congestion, or perhaps because the phone is out of coverage or even switched off.

    Remember you can always check whether you message has been delivered by checking your account on-line.

  6. Is it possible to use the "sender id" parameter?

    Setting of the Sender ID can be enabled after your initial credits purchase. Sender Id requests are processed manually and thus we suggest you request a sender Id change within office hours for a swift response.

    NOTE: Sender ID not work for all Malaysia's mobile number

  7. Do you support non-English text? (The SMS will be written in your language)

    Yes, you can send non-English Characters. On the 'Compose SMS' page, just select "Send as Unicode". The character length for your message will be much shorter though, which is about 63 characters.

  8. Do you support 2 Way SMS?

    Yes, recipients of messages that you sent via our bulk sms system, can reply to your messages. The reply messages will be sent to your inbox folder in your account. You can also have replies forwarded to an email address.

    NOTE: 2 way sms is ONLY available for our premium long code gateway

  9. How do I register for an bulk SMS account?

    Registering for an account is free and takes only a few minutes. You can click HERE and start registering. For references on how to register for the sms account, you may click HERE.Please note that all fields must be completed to register.

  10. What does "Enter only alphanumeric and "_"" means?

    Alphanumeric: a-z, A-Z and 0-9. You can use any characters in these ranges, as well as the underscore: "_".

  11. How do I Log in?

    At the homepage (below the navigation bar), enter your "Username" and "Password". Then, click "Login" to access your member console homepage.

  12. Why I haven't received my activation code yet?

    Please view coverage to see if our service is available in your area.

  13. I got the activation code. Now what?

    An activation code was sent to your mobile. To claim your 10 free credits, please do the following:

    a) Go to our website homepage,
    b) LOGIN with your username and password
    c) Once you have logged in, click on "Reload"
    d) Enter the activation code exactly as it appears on your phone.

  14. What is bulk sms or bulk messaging?

    Bulk Messaging is delivery of large amount of SMS messages to mobile phone terminals (mobile phone devices). It is also a method often used by media companies, enterprises, banks and consumer brands for a variety of purposes including

    • entertainment
    • enterprise
    • mobile marketing

    Bulk messaging is commonly used for important alerts, reminders, and marketing but also for information and communication between both staff and customers.

  15. Do I need to install software to send messages?

    No software installation is required on your computer. We provide web-based sms application. However, a computer and internet connection is necessary to send bulk sms.

  16. What are sms credits?(ASCII)

    Short Code Malaysia

    SMS credits are the currency you need to purchase to send SMS. 1 credit is equals to 1 sms of 153(ASCII)/63(UNICODE) characters. It will consume more than 1 credit if the message length is more than 153(ASCII)/63(UNICODE) characters.

    Long Code Malaysia

    SMS credits are the currency you need to purchase to send SMS. 1 credit is equals to 1 sms of 159(ASCII)/69(UNICODE) characters. It will consume more than 1 credit if the message length is more than 159(ASCII)/69(UNICODE) characters.

  17. What is the maximum text length allowed in a single SMS?

    Short Code Malaysia

    The maximum text length allowed in a single message (consumes 1 credit) is 153 characters. If the text length is exceeded, the message will be delivered as 2 or more messages and more credits will be consumed accordingly(153 + (153-7) + (153-7) + (153-7) + (153-7)). The character length for 2 messages is 299, for 3 messages is 445, for 4 messages is 591, and for 5 messages is 737.

    Long Code Malaysia

    The maximum text length allowed in a single message (consumes 1 credit) is 159 characters. If the text length is exceeded, the message will be delivered as 2 or more messages and more credits will be consumed accordingly(152 + (152-7) + (152-7) + (152-7) + (152-7)). The character length for 2 messages is 297, for 3 messages is 442, for 4 messages is 587, and for 5 messages is 732.

  18. How do I check my credit balance?

    Your "Credit Balance" can be seen from your member panel (below navigation bar) after you have login to your sms account.

  19. How do I manage my contacts?

    You can create and manage groups for contacts management.

  20. Is it possible to integrate bulk sms into our software?

    Yes. We provide HTTP APIs which can be used in your application or software.

  21. How do I confirm whether messages delivered or not?

    You can view and download detailed message delivery reports.

  22. How do you support your customers?

    We provide support via phone, email, and remote screen sharing if necessary.

  23. Can I partner with iSMS?

    Yes. You can resell our sms solutions. Please refer HERE for more information.

  24. Are there any contracts or commitments with iSMS?

    There are no contracts involved in running an iSMS account. Our pricing plan is based on a "Pay-as-you-go" basis so you can send text messages with no hassle.

  25. Do I need a mobile phone?

    You do not need a mobile phone. SMS are sent and received via iSMS gateway. It is all web based so you do not need to download anything. All you need is an internet enabled PC, Mac, Tablet or smartphone.

  26. How much does it cost to send a message?

    The cost depends on how many credits you want to buy. 1 credit equals to 1 text message to one Malaysian phone and the credits last indefinitely. The cost of our credit bundles can be found on our prices page.

  27. Does iSMS provide data?

    We do not provide data. However we do offer a dedicated number / short code which is extremely effective in collecting opt-in numbers and opt ins from your customers and can be used alongside any SMS marketing activity.

  28. Can I send messages outside of Malaysia?

    Yes, you can send text messages internationally. Each message sent will use up a certain amount of credits depending on the country it is being sent to. Please check our international full rate list of which countries you can send to, the networks they use and the amount of credits the message will use.

  29. How secure is my data?

    Your data is completely safe. We do not share or pass on any of your data, including the mobile numbers you have uploaded. Your data will only be used solely for your SMS marketing.

  30. How many characters in a message?

    One SMS credit will use up to 153 characters. If there is 154 characters, the text message will use 2 credits and so on. There is an indicator that states clearly when typing your message such as how many characters you have used and how many credits your text will use up so you can edit this accordingly.

  31. How can I check if a message has been sent?

    The "Reports" section in iSMS shows if a message has been delivered or undelivered. A status will be marked at the SMS such as pending or invalid number.

  32. Will my credits expire?

    All SMS credit purchase comes with 1 year validity. When you recharge (add new credits) your account then 1 year validity will be effective upon the recharge date. Also, existing credits will be carried forward. If you need to extend the validity further, please contact us HERE or call us at +60379801388 upon the expiry date.

  33. How long does the service take to set up?

    Your SMS marketing campaigns can be up and running within minutes.

  34. Can I import data into my SMS account?

    Yes, you can import mobile numbers from a CSV file. You can upload your mobile numbers along with 10 fields of information with just a few clicks of a button. You can also enter your numbers individually or by copying and pasting (directly) if you have smaller volumes.

  35. Why are my SMS using up two credits?

    A message will use over one credit if you do wither of the following:

    • you are using over 153 characters per message.
    • you have sent to international numbers which can use up to 5 credits per message. See international pricing for a full list HERE.
  36. Why do numbers look like 6.01E+12 when I export to Excel?

    This is because Excel thinks your mobile number is a long number so it will convert the numbers into a scientific notation. To fix this click on the column header, click "Format Cells->As Number->0 decimal places".

  37. Can I merge data into my messages?

    Yes, you can merge data into your messages by inputting the information into your CSV spread sheet. Once you have uploaded the file, you can make sure each column heading is relevant to the information stored in each column.

  38. How long do messages stay in my inbox for?

    SMS will stay in your account for 2 years. You can easily export these to an excel file for your own record.

  39. I did not find my question on your FAQ list.

    Kindly email us all your queries or suggestions to We are happy to help you and provide quick solutions to your problems.

  40. How do I change my password?

    To change your password, first log in to your account, then click on "Edit Profile".

  41. How do sub-accounts work?

    There are several reasons why you might want to create sub-accounts. For example:

    • there might be several departments in your organisation, so you could create a separate sub-account for each
    • the settings of each sub-account can be separately controlled
    • creating sub-accounts for each person keeps their messages separate. Each sub-account has its own sent message log and its own inbox. This might be needed for privacy reasons.
    • Each person or department could of course have their own account, but by pooling your purchases you can buy larger bundles and get better discounts. So subaccounts create flexibility whilst combining purchasing power.

Signing Up

  1. FREE register with iSMS

    You can registration iSMS for free HERE

  2. Get FREE SMS credits from iSMS

    You can get free SMS credits by contacting us. After that, you may reload it in your iSMS account.

  3. I am not able to find the registration link.

    Please click the link "Register" or click

  4. Do I get notification when I am running low in SMS credits?

    Yes. You will automatically receive an email when your account is less than any credits that you have set at your "Credit Reminder" section. This is a free service. You can set it immediately after login to your iSMS member portal.

SMS Replies / Receiving SMS

  1. Can they only reply or can they write to me at any time?

    They can write to you any time within 24 hours, as long as you've sent them at least one message in the past.

  2. What happens if someone gets two messages from iSMS and then replies?

    This question is often asked.

    So what happens when two people using iSMS, sends a text to the same mobile number and that person replies. Where does the reply go? The answer is simple. When they reply, it always goes to the most recent person who sent them a SMS.

    To illustrate:

    A sends to mobile X.
    B sends to mobile X.
    If X replies then the reply will be sent to B.

    This rarely causes a problem, but you need to understand that it might. This is why we call it a reply service and why we advise putting your name in the text message for easy identification.

    If several people in your office regularly sends SMS to the same group of field-based people, then you must let them know that the replies will go to whoever sent them the most recent SMS.

  3. I'm not receiving my email replies, what happened to them?

    If you have chosen to have replies emailed to you and if you are not receiving them, then maybe our emails are being blocked by your spam filter.

  4. Why can't I receive replies when using a sender name?

    By using a sender name you are overriding the number where the message comes from. This means that the receiving phone cannot decipher where the message is originated in order to send a reply.

  5. How do I see my received messages?

    The messages you receive online will appear in your iSMS Reply Report. This inbox works just like your email inbox.

  6. What is the cost of receiving replies?

    It cost you absolutely nothing to receive a reply. However the sender will be charged at standard network rate.

    NOTE: Received reply via Mobile will deduct 1 credit from your account. (check our Rate)

  7. What is a keyword?

    A keyword is a requirement when using any kind of shared number. The message must start with the keyword so the iSMS system can direct the message to the relevant person's inbox. Try and keep your keyword as simple as possible to avoid mistakes.

  8. Does a Dedicated Inbound Number need a keyword?

    No one other than you uses your Dedicated Inbound Number, so no keyword is required. Although, you can create keywords within your account for various SMS marketing campaigns if you wish.

  9. Can I receive text messages as an email?

    All inbound message sent to iSMS will be automatically forwarded to you via email.

  10. Can you forward a message I received to my number?

    Of course, we can automatically forward inbound messages to your handset. This costs 1 SMS credit.

    For more info, please go to

Email to SMS

  1. What is iSMS Email to SMS service?

    With iSMS Email to SMS service, you can send and receive text messages from your email account to mobile phones, without login to iSMS Portal. It let's you send text messages to mobiles from anywhere as long as you can send an email from e.g. Yahoo! mail, Microsoft Outlook, gmail or any other email client.

  2. How do I send a text message by email?

    Kindly refer to HERE

Payments and Invoices

  1. How do I make a payment?

    Visit our SMS credit purchase page to learn about our payment options.

  2. How can I buy credits?

    You can purchase bundles of credits up to 35,000 online with a credit or debit card or PayPal. Alternatively we can invoice you for 1000 credits or more which you can pay by bank transfer or cheque. The credits will be added upon receiving receipt of payment.

  3. How do I buy a Dedicated Inbound Number?

    Please visit our dedicated virtual number hosting page at HERE



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