Short code

Short codes, or short numbers, are short digit-sequences – significantly shorter than telephone numbers – that are used to address messages in the Multimedia Messaging System and short message service systems of mobile network operators. In addition to messaging, they may be used in abbreviated dialing.
Short codes are designed to be easier to read and remember than telephone numbers. Short codes are unique to each operator at the technological level. Even so, providers generally have agreements to avoid overlaps. In some countries, such as the United States, some classes of numbers are inter-operator. U.S. inter-operator numbers are called common short codes.
Organisations often use short codes to encourage users to engage with services such as charity donations, mobile services, ordering ringtones, or television-program voting. Messages sent to a short code can be billed at a higher rate than a standard SMS and can sometimes subscribe users to a recurring monthly services. These charges continue to appear on the user's mobile-phone bill until the user texts, for example, the word "STOP" to cancel the subscription.

Short codes and service identifiers (prefix)

Short codes are often associated with automated services. An automated program can handle the response and typically requires the sender to start the message with a command word or prefix. The service then responds to the command appropriately.
In ads or in other printed material where a provider has to provide both a prefix and the short code number, the advertisement will typically follow this format:

Long version: "Text Football to 72404 for latest football news."
Short version: "football@72404"

Regional differences

The cost, format, and rules for short codes vary by region. In certain places, such as the Czech Republic, billing for short codes can be differ between mobile originating and mobile terminating calls and SMS.
The table below lists the most common short code formats by region or country, along with some basic information such as cost or governing agency, while the subsections below explain these regional differences in greater detail:

Country / Region

Format

Notes

Albaniacode|5xxxx

Canada

Canadian short codes are called Canadian Common Short Codes. Short code-based messages vary between zero-rated, standard rate, and premium rate.
In February 2020, the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association announced that Rogers Wireless will no longer participate in general use mobile codes. A common short code is a code that is shared by more than one brand for multiple or general uses.

Czech Republic

Messages sent to or from short codes in the Czech Republic are known as Premium Rate SMS. The three leading digits are make up a "purpose type" prefix, while digits four and five determine the service provider. There are also other four digit short codes that are used by network operators for service-only purposes and are operator dependent.

Ethiopia

Although the telecom sector in Ethiopia is controlled by the government, short code services are outsourced to the private sector.

India

Many companies in the Indian market rent keywords on a monthly basis. The numbers on a typical telephone keypad corresponding to the letters in the keyword represent a short code. These codes are five digits long and have to start with the digit "5", but the code can be extended by three additional digits to represent three additional characters. Texts sent to these codes are commonly referred to as Premium Rate SMS Messages and cost around Rs 1 to Rs 3 per text, depending on the operator as well as the service. Messages up to 100 to 500 characters long can be sent, depending on the provider.

Malaysia

Codes have premium pricing ranging from RM0.30 up to 10.00. Codes are MT billed so subscription services are allowed. Upon service description approval by mobile operators, dedicated codes are generally live in 4 weeks, and shared codes after 1 week.

Pakistan

Users are charged PKR 5 to PKR 25 per SMS sent on short codes. Mobile operators charge a setup fee, monthly fee and fee per keyword for short codes. Short codes usage must abide by the rules set by Pakistan Telecom Authority.

Poland

Commercial codes are reachable from mobile and fixed networks. Calls from any type of network to short codes are routed based on the location of the number originating the call. Thus, the subscriber might need to prefix the code with an appropriate area code depending on the area they are trying to reach.

The Philippines

The National Telecommunications Commission is a regulatory agency for information and communications technology in the Philippines. Although the NTC is ultimately responsible for the governance of premium and non-premium short codes, the NTC's regulatory guidelines are not comprehensive when applied to short codes. Instead the NTC's guidelines focus more on the carriers and the carriers' technical infrastructure. While the NTC's website does have documentation for bulk SMS and spam control, it does not contain any specific information with regard to premium SMS or standard rate SMS.

United Kingdom

Short codes are often owned by holding companies who then lease them out to service providers and advertisers to promote SMS services, charitable fundraising and marketing promotions such as news alerts, voting and quizzes.
Codes that start with "70" are used by charities, while codes that start with "72" are used by Society Lotteries. Adult-related mobile services are required to use codes starting with "69" or "89". Mobile operators sometimes use proprietary codes for operator-specific functions. Depending on the service offered, users may interact with service providers by calling or texting the number.
Calls to mobile short codes may be free, or charged at a rate per call or per minute. Where the number can be called from any mobile network, the same charge will apply regardless of which network is used. Messages mobile short codes may be charged at a "standard rate" or with an additional premium charge. Where messages incur a "standard rate" charge, this is set by the sender's mobile provider and varies by provider. Messages short codes may be free or may incur a premium charge. Messages can be used to deliver additional content, or a link that opens up the user's web browser to a specific web page. For subscription services, the charges may recur on a daily, weekly, monthly or other basis. These subscriptions can be stopped by texting the word "STOP" to the short code number.
The service provider must state all applicable charges alongside the number. Calls and messages to mobile short codes do not count towards inclusive allowances or bundles.
Where the benefit passed on to the service provider is more than 10p per call, per minute or per message, Ofcom's Premium Rate Services Condition defines it as being a Controlled Premium Rate Service and is subject to the additional regulations detailed in The Regulation of Premium Rate Services Order 2024.
Until 31 January 2025, these services were regulated by the Phone-paid Services Authority. As of 1 February 2025, Ofcom has regulated these services directly. A number of key PSA staff had already been embedded within Ofcom for some time in preparation for this move.

United States

Codes are leased by the short code program's registry service provider GCH Technologies, under a deal with the Common Short Code Administration and Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association. It costs twice as much to choose a specific code as it does to get one that is randomly assigned. Some carriers assign a subset of their carrier-specific codes to third parties.
Texting "HELP" to a short code causes the short code service to return a message with terms and conditions, support information – consisting of either a toll-free phone number or email address at minimum – and other information from the leaseholder of the short code. Texting "STOP", "END", "QUIT", "CANCEL", or "UNSUBSCRIBE" to the short code opts the user out of receiving any further messages. After doing so, one final message is sent to confirm the opt-out.