Sending messages

You can send messages two ways with the same credentials: the HTTP API (simplest) or a direct SMPP bind (for high throughput). See Credentials for SMPP client examples.

HTTP API

Send a message with a single request to https://smpp.esmsafrica.io/send.

curl -G "https://smpp.esmsafrica.io/send" \
  --data-urlencode "username=YOUR_USERNAME" \
  --data-urlencode "password=YOUR_PASSWORD" \
  --data-urlencode "to=254712345678" \
  --data-urlencode "from=eSMS" \
  --data-urlencode "content=Hello from eSMS Africa" \
  --data-urlencode "dlr-level=3" \
  --data-urlencode "dlr-url=https://your-app.example.com/dlr" \
  --data-urlencode "dlr-method=POST"

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Description
`username`	Yes	Your bind username
`password`	Yes	Your bind password
`to`	Yes	Destination number in international format (no `+`)
`content`	Yes	Message text
`from`	No	Sender ID (must be an approved sender ID)
`coding`	No	`0` = GSM 03.38 (default), `8` = UCS-2 for non-Latin text
`dlr-level`	No	`1` = SMSC receipt, `2` = terminal receipt, `3` = both (recommended)
`dlr-url`	No	Your endpoint to receive delivery reports
`dlr-method`	No	`GET` or `POST`

A successful response returns the message id: Success "07033084-5cfd-4812-90a4-e4d24ffb6e3d".

Check balance

curl -G "https://smpp.esmsafrica.io/balance" \
  --data-urlencode "username=YOUR_USERNAME" \
  --data-urlencode "password=YOUR_PASSWORD"

Returns your remaining SMS count. Top up any time from Billing & top-up.

Delivery reports (DLR)

Request DLRs to know whether a message actually reached the handset. Without dlr-level, messages show as sent (accepted by the network) but not confirmed delivered.

When you set dlr-url, we call your endpoint with the final status:

Field	Description
`id`	The message id returned when you sent
`message_status`	`DELIVRD`, `UNDELIV`, `EXPIRED`, `REJECTD`, etc.
`level`	The DLR level you requested

Your endpoint must respond with HTTP 200 and the body ACK/Jasmin, or the DLR is retried up to 3 times at 30-second intervals.

Note: many African networks do not return DLRs by default, so some routes report sent rather than delivered. Your dashboard shows per-operator delivery confirmation rates.

Two-way (inbound / MO)

Inbound messages to your numbers can be delivered to your SMPP bind or forwarded to a webhook. Ask the team to enable MO for your account.