Recently adding SMS alerting function to a monitoring program that my son wrote. Below are high level steps for North America developers.
- Assuming you already have App Service Plan and App Service in Azure
- Request SMS service
- Search "Communication Service" -> "create" to create a communication service instance
- Once created, under "Phone numbers", request a phone number.
- Only toll free number can send SMS messages
- Cost (as of July 2023): $2/month + per message cost (neglectable)
- You can also request short code ID or aliphatic ID for extra cost
- Submit request for SMS sending
- In same page of the communication service instance, under "Regulatory Documents", submit a request.
- "opt-in type" refers to how "customers" (as the regulatory is designed around marketing SMS messages) opt-in/opt-out. It could be SMS, web portal, paper form, etc. You have to provide evidence(screenshot) that there is such opt-in option available to customers
- It could take weeks to get approval
- Your outbound messages are blocked until your request is approved in Canada. In the States, you can send limited number of messages before approval
- Sample code to send SMS message