What do P2P and A2P stand for？

In our mobile industry, what could P2P and A2P mean?

Recently, not only in business but also among family and friends, '3-letter-acronyms' such as B2B or E2B, that consist of 2 x alphabet letters sandwiched by a numeric number 2 (refers to 'to') are often used.

That said, do you know what do P2P and A2P stand for in the mobile industry?

P2P = Person-to-person A2P = Application-to-person

Yes, they show the difference in the method of how SMS messages are sent to the P (person)'s mobile phones. P2P, of course, means from person to person, using their personal mobile phone. For example, two friends exchanging SMS messages.

P2P messages are often: - Two-way - Used by individuals rather than businesses - Conversational only

A2P ,also known as Business SMS or Professional SMS is any kind of traffic in which a person is receiving messages from an application. It can be utilized in various ways, for example chat bots, as an authentication method, as user confirmation for online services, One-time-passwords (OTPS) as well as an emergency notification method.

A2P messages are usually: - One-way or two-way - Automated using an API, program or application - Used for conversation, transactions or to convey information

Within those places where A2P-SMS can show-off its skills, the typical use is 2-factor-authentication. (2FA) Auto-booking systems, Upgrade confirmation, and Online Travel Bookings. Many businesses of various industries find A2P-SMS attractive for its convenience, effectiveness and better communication.

A practical example of A2P is the Xoxzo SMS API. Using this API you can send SMS marketing messages in bulk to customers including a link to retrieve information about how many customers clicked the link (this function is called link-tracking). The Xoxzo web API can also be used for two-factor-authentication (2FA), with an easy and convenient set up. Check out the tutorial of How to set up Two-Factor Authentication using SMS here!

The history of A2P-SMS of financial websites goes back 15 years. They use A2P-SMS for Login, Authentication at Sign-up, Fraud prevention, as well as the balance notification and withdrawal confirmation, plus the pre-notice of a coming up direct debit.

The Xoxzo, SMS API is providing a good role on the technology side of these services. SMS APIs can be accessed via the web or being installed in the business applications by developers as a part of the solution.

EZSMS, the online tool to send bulk SMS from your PC is also a great example of A2P that can be used for your business if you require something simple.

Now, what kind of A2P-SMS did you receive recently?