Testing your SMS flows is something you’ll need to do both initially, after developing the flow, and several times a year going forward, to check that messages are sending as they should. But when it comes to how you conduct your testing, you’re doing yourself a disservice if you currently use your own business and personal numbers.
Not only is this inefficient, but it’s also not practical, especially if you need to test that messages are being sent to regions outside of the one you’re based in. This is when using temporary numbers from a non-VoIP provider online is usually the better alternative.
Here’s everything you should know about how to—and why you should—use temporary numbers from a provider like SMSPool for your SMS testing.
What’s the Point in SMS Testing?
If you’ve developed a website or any form of online service that relies on SMS verification for user sign-ups, you need to test the service regularly to check that it continues to work as it should.
If you don’t test often enough or at all, you might end up losing customers because they’re unable to complete the SMS verification and signup process. You’ll also have to deal with more requests to your customer service staff, and potentially even an influx of bad reviews due to poor user experience.
The Problem With Using Personal or Company Numbers To Test SMS Flows
There are a few reasons why using your personal or company numbers to test SMS flows is rarely a smart idea.
For a start, if you’re using personal numbers, these can quickly get cluttered with responses to sent messages, or even blacklisted due to the high volume of sending and receiving required during testing. Plus, it’s hard to test at scale with only one or two numbers, and you probably won’t be able to test your flows internationally.
Using company phones might seem preferable but can be just as problematic, tying up your resources and costing more in the long term.
5 Big Benefits of Temporary Numbers for SMS Testing
The main benefits of using temporary numbers for your SMS testing are:
- They give you easy access to multiple numbers so you can repeat tests as often as you need to.
- They’re quick to use, without the hassle of buying and setting up hardware.
- When you choose a provider that offers a big selection of international numbers, you’ll have the flexibility to test different carriers and regions.
- Using non-VoIP numbers specifically will give you more reliable results during debugging and when you’re rolling out features.
- You’ll be able to carry out testing cycles faster without having to wait for new SIMs.
Getting Started
It’s usually pretty easy to buy temporary numbers for your SMS testing. Just choose a provider, then visit their website and buy the numbers you need. Make sure you’re ready to start your testing, as most temporary numbers are only available for around 20-60 minutes. If you need something longer-term, providers like SMSPool also offer rental numbers at a recurring monthly fee.
