SMS billing
This page presents all pricing information related to Ortto’s SMS messaging service, which is provided through the Phone numbers add-on.
How SMS messages are charged
For pricing purposes, a single SMS message consists of one or more SMS segments, where each SMS segment contains up to:
- 157 standard encoded (GSM-7) characters only, or
- 67 universal coded character set (UCS-2) characters (supporting non-European characters, emojis, etc.)
Ortto charges for SMS usage by the block of 1,000 SMS credits. Each supported country listed in the table below has a different SMS credit requirement per 1,000 SMS segments that Ortto sends and receives. Therefore, each country incurs a different cost per 1,000 SMS segments. The method for calculating your monthly SMS credit requirement is provided below.
NOTE: Each mobile number you purchase (through each Phone number add-on):
- incurs its own monthly line rental price (= US$15 for most countries, US$25 for US numbers, and US$128 for Philippines numbers), and
- includes one block of 1,000 SMS credits (valued at US$8) per month
Configuring the Phone numbers add-on
To configure the Phone numbers add-on, access Ortto’s Upgrade/Update plan / Start your free trial page:
- Ensure you are signed in to Ortto.
- Click the name of your Ortto instance (the lowest item of the navigation drawer on the left) > Plan & billing to open your Ortto account’s current plan page.
- Click Update plan to access your account’s Upgrade/Update plan/Start your free trial page.
- Scroll down the page and in the Add-ons section, select the SMS add-on.
- Specify the number of US and/or Non-US phone numbers you require (one per Phone number add-on).
- Click Continue to proceed to payment for the phone number add-on.
NOTE: If you are:
- On a free plan, the Upgrade your plan dialog appears, where you can choose between the options Trial a paid plan or Upgrade to a paid plan. Clicking either of these options opens the Start your free trial or Upgrade plan pages, respectively.
- On an existing paid plan, the Update plan page appears.
NOTE: Each number you add incurs its own line rental price of US$15 (most countries). However, the US and the Philippines numbers have different price points:
- US numbers are US$25 each per month
- Philippines numbers are US$128 each per month.
Calculating your monthly SMS credit requirement
In the supported countries table below, check the SMS credit requirements for sending and receiving SMS messages (both SMS credit req. columns) of the country whose mobile number you want to add.
Calculate the monthly sending SMS credit requirement
- Estimate/determine how many SMS segments will be sent through this number per month (= no. of anticipated sent SMS segments).
- Since the table below lists all SMS segment costs by 1,000, calculate the multiplying factor for sent SMS segments (= MFS) by dividing the no. of anticipated sent SMS segments by 1,000 SMS segments. No. of anticipated sent SMS segments / 1,000 SMS segments = MFS
- Multiply the MFS by your country’s SMS credit requirement to send 1,000 SMS segments (column A) to calculate how many SMS credits you require to send SMS segments per month. MFS x column A value = monthly sending SMS credit requirement
Calculate the monthly receiving SMS credit requirement
- As for sending SMS segments, estimate/determine how many SMS segments will be received through this number per month (= no. of anticipated received SMS segments).
- Calculate the multiplying factor for received SMS segments (= MFR) by dividing the no. of anticipated received SMS segments by 1,000 SMS segments. No. of anticipated received SMS segments / 1,000 SMS segments = MFR
- Multiply the MFR by your country’s SMS credit requirement to receive 1,000 SMS segments (column C) to calculate how many SMS credits you require to receive SMS segments per month. MFR x column C value = monthly receiving SMS credit requirement
Calculate the total monthly SMS credit requirement
The total monthly SMS credit requirement is calculated by adding the monthly sending SMS credit requirement and monthly receiving SMS credit requirement values calculated above.
Specify your calculated total monthly SMS credit requirement value in the How many SMS credits will you need per month? box on the Update plan page.
Example 1. Calculation for a single country's number
If you want to add a number from Australia, and you anticipate needing to send up to 1,200 SMS segments, as well as receive up to 500 SMS segments per month:
Calculate the monthly sending SMS credit requirement:
- 1,200 anticipated sent SMS segments / 1,000 SMS segments = 1.2
- 1.2 x 7,000 (SMS credit requirement in column A) = 8,400 SMS credits.
Calculate the monthly receiving SMS credit requirement:
- 500 anticipated received SMS segments / 1,000 SMS segments = 0.5
- 0.5 x 1,000 (SMS credit requirement in column C) = 500 SMS credits.
Calculate the total monthly SMS credit requirement:
- 8,400 + 500 = 8,900 total SMS credits required per month
Therefore, set the How many SMS credits will you need per month? value to be 9,000.
Since your line rental includes 1,000 SMS credits, you will be charged for 8,000 SMS credits.
Hence, your monthly Phone number add-on costs will be:
- $15 for one line rental, plus
- 8 x $8 (the cost for 1,000 SMS credits) = $64
which makes a total of $79 per month.
Adding multiple numbers for different countries
If you are adding multiple numbers for different countries in your Ortto account, then follow the same calculation process above for each country, and add your cumulative total monthly SMS credit requirement for each number in the How many SMS credits will you need per month? box.
Exceeding your SMS credit quota
If the number of SMS segments you send and receive exceeds your SMS credit quota for a given month, then you are automatically allocated and charged for the same number of blocks of 1,000 SMS credits (specified in the How many SMS credits will you need per month? box), which is billed to you for your next monthly billing cycle.
Supported countries
This table lists all countries that support SMS messaging in Ortto, along with the details for each country’s pricing requirements.
All prices and costs listed in this table are indicated in US$, and are in addition to each line rental cost of US$15 (Non-US numbers)/US$25 (US numbers)/US$128 (Philippines numbers) per month. These costs, together with all other details in this table, are for a given month, and billed on a recurring monthly basis.
Country | Country code | Two-letter country code | SMS credit req. / 1,000 sent SMS segments (A) | Cost / 1,000 sent SMS segments (B) | SMS credit req. / 1,000 received SMS segments (C) | Cost / 1,000 received SMS segments (D) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | AUS | AU | 7,000 | $56.00 | 1,000 | $8.00 |
Austria | AUT | AT | 14,000 | $112.00 | 1,000 | $8.00 |
Belgium | BEL | BE | 15,000 | $120.00 | 1,000 | $8.00 |
Canada | CAN | CA | 1,000 | $8.00 | 1,000 | $8.00 |
Czech Republic | CZE | CZ | 7,000 | $56.00 | 1,000 | $8.00 |
Denmark | DNK | DK | 4,000 | $32.00 | 1,000 | $8.00 |
Estonia | EST | EE | 13,000 | $104.00 | 1,000 | $8.00 |
Finland | FIN | FI | 12,000 | $96.00 | 1,000 | $8.00 |
France | FRA | FR | 11,000 | $88.00 | 1,000 | $8.00 |
Germany | DEU | DE | 3,000 | $104.00 | 1,000 | $8.00 |
Hungary | HUN | HU | 11,000 | $88.00 | 1,000 | $8.00 |
Italy | ITA | IT | 13,000 | $104.00 | 3,000 | $24.00 |
Lithuania | LTU | LT | 2,000 | $16.00 | 1,000 | $8.00 |
Mexico | MEX | MX | 7,000 | $56.00 | 3,000 | $24.00 |
Netherlands | NLD | NL | 14,000 | $112.00 | 1,000 | $8.00 |
Poland | POL | PL | 6,000 | $48.00 | 1,000 | $8.00 |
Portugal | PRT | PT | 7,000 | $56.00 | 7,000 | $56.00 |
Sweden | SWE | SE | 8,000 | $64.00 | 1,000 | $8.00 |
United Kingdom | GBR | GB | 5,000 | $40.00 | 1,000 | $8.00 |
United States | USA | US | 1,000 | $8.00 | 1,000 | $8.00 |
Example 2. Estimation of message costs for different countries
Here is an example SMS message with 3 segments, including UCS-2 characters.
Based on the figures in the table above, to send this SMS message would cost:
- In Australia:
- 16.8 cents per message
- 21 credits per message
- In the United States:
- 2.4 cents per message
- 3 credits per message
Calculations:
- Cents per message:cost of 1000 sent SMS segments / 1000 = cents per segment
cents per segment * number of segments = cost per message
- Credits per message:SMS credit requirement for 1000 sent SMS segments / 1000 = credits per segment
credits per segment * number of segments = credits per message