Oracle Responsys launches first SMS aggregator marketplace

Oracle is adding an SMS aggregator marketplace — which it says is the first of its kind — to its Responsys B2C marketing platform. Called the SMS Public Aggregator Network, or SPAN, it allows marketers to directly find, order and manage an SMS aggregator from hundreds of services, inside Responsys. SMS services by carriers are geographically based, and aggregators put together networks of carriers so that marketers can issue SMS messages across territories, without having to make arrangements with each separate carrier. For some territories, marketers may not otherwise have contacts with SMS aggregators. A marketer can send the SMS message to the aggregator through Responsys, and the aggregator handles sending the message to the carriers in its network. Here’s a sample SPAN screen:

VP of Product Management Tony Castiglioni told me that previously, Oracle offered only a select few SMS aggregators through Responsys, and they didn’t cover every territory. Now, he said, a marketer can choose an aggregator from many, selecting by territory, pricing or other attributes. Castiglioni added that Oracle screens the aggregators for business validation and capability, and the platform allows a marketer to buy credits that can be used for any messaging, including app push notifications or email, as well as SMS.