Product Trivia
P2A Messaging allows customers to start conversations with businesses — making it one of the most interactive and customer-driven messaging solutions available today.
How to P2A Messaging Work
Use Cases
P2A (Person-to-Application) messaging allows users to initiate contact with a business or system by sending messages directly to an application. It supports quick inquiries, requests, and automated responses, enabling efficient two-way interaction and improving customer engagement through simple, user-initiated communication.
Banking and Finance
Banking and Finance
Banking and Finance
Frequently Ask Question (FAQ)
What is P2A Messaging from a technical standpoint?
P2A (Person-to-Application) Messaging refers to inbound messages initiated by end users and received by an application through telecom channels such as SMS short codes, long numbers, virtual numbers, WhatsApp APIs, or USSD gateways.
How do users send messages to the application?
Users interact via short codes, long numbers, DID/virtual numbers, toll-free numbers, or messaging app IDs. Messages are passed from the operator’s SMSC/OTT gateway to the service provider via SMPP, HTTP callbacks, or webhook endpoints.
Which protocols are used to receive P2A messages?
Common protocols include HTTP/REST webhooks, SMPP (deliver_sm packets), WebSocket, SIP/USSD integration, or direct connectivity depending on the messaging channel.
How does the application process inbound messages?
Inbound traffic is forwarded to the client’s system via real-time callbacks (webhooks) containing message metadata such as sender MSISDN, timestamp, message content, encoding type, session ID, and operator information.
How are inbound sessions handled in P2A systems?
Platforms often maintain session states using session tokens or operator-provided session IDs, especially for USSD, two-way SMS, and interactive chat flows, allowing multi-step conversation logic.
Are P2A messages secure?
Yes. Providers typically implement HTTPS/TLS encryption, HMAC signing, OAuth or API key authentication for callbacks, and optional IP whitelisting to secure inbound message delivery.
Can P2A services support high inbound volumes?
Yes. The system uses scalable message queues, stateless consumer services, and load-balanced callback dispatchers capable of handling high throughput from campaigns or large customer interactions.
What types of numbers are supported for P2A messaging?
P2A supports:
Short Codes (high throughput, high reliability)
Long Numbers (MSISDN/DID)
Toll-free numbers
Virtual mobile numbers
WhatsApp Business numbers
RCS and OTT IDs
Availability depends on operator regulations.
How are delivery acknowledgments handled for inbound messages?
Most P2A channels do not provide traditional DLRs (Delivery Reports), but the platform provides message-received confirmations and timestamped logs when the inbound message hits the gateway or callback endpoint.
What is required to integrate P2A messaging into my system?
You need:
A provisioned short code/long number
An inbound-capable messaging account
A publicly accessible webhook endpoint for receiving traffic
API keys or authentication tokens
Parsing logic for inbound payloads (JSON/SMPP fields)
Optional session handling logic if building two-way flows