TCOne Netsend Classic: Complete Feature Overview

How to Use TCOne Netsend Classic — Step-by-Step GuideTCOne Netsend Classic is a legacy tool for sending SMS and notifications through various telco channels. This guide walks you through everything from account setup and configuration to composing, sending, and monitoring messages. Where relevant, I include practical tips and troubleshooting steps to make your workflow smooth.

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Table of contents

1. Prerequisites and account setup
2. Accessing the Netsend Classic interface
3. Configuring sender IDs and routes
4. Preparing recipient lists
5. Composing and sending messages
6. Scheduling and throttling messages
7. Monitoring delivery and interpreting reports
8. Error handling and common troubleshooting
9. Best practices and compliance
10. Appendix: sample workflows and templates

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1. Prerequisites and account setup

Before using TCOne Netsend Classic, ensure you have:

• An active TCOne account with Netsend Classic enabled.
• Credentials (username and password) and any API keys or tokens provided by TCOne.
• Sender ID(s) provisioned if you need branded messages (alphanumeric or numeric, depending on destination country).
• Access to documentation or support contacts for country-specific route and regulatory constraints.

If you don’t yet have an account, contact TCOne sales/support to request access and provisioning. Provide business details and intended traffic volumes to speed up sender ID and route approvals.

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2. Accessing the Netsend Classic interface

TCOne Netsend Classic typically provides two ways to send messages:

• Web UI (dashboard) for manual and scheduled sends.
• API/SMPP for programmatic sending and integration with applications.

To access the web UI:

1. Open your browser and go to the Netsend Classic portal URL provided by TCOne.
2. Log in with your provided username and password.
3. Navigate to the messaging/send section — labels may vary (Send SMS, New Campaign, Message Center).

For API access:

• Obtain API endpoint URLs, documentation, and sample request formats (usually REST or HTTP POST parameters).
• Confirm IP allowlists, authentication method (basic auth, token), and rate limits with TCOne support.

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3. Configuring sender IDs and routes

Sender IDs:

• If you need a branded sender name (e.g., your company name), ensure an alphanumeric sender ID is provisioned and approved for each target country.
• For two-way messaging or number-only requirements, provision a numeric long code or short code as required.

Routes:

• Choose the appropriate route (international, local operator-direct, aggregator) based on deliverability and cost.
• Test small batches on each route to verify message formatting and delivery behavior.

Tip: Some countries have strict registration and template registration requirements. Confirm content approval and sender registration ahead of time to avoid rejections.

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4. Preparing recipient lists

Recipient formats:

• Use E.164 format for phone numbers (e.g., +14155552671).
• Remove duplicates and invalid or temporary numbers to avoid unnecessary costs.

List creation:

• Create CSV files with one column for numbers and optional columns for personalization tokens (first_name, code, etc.). Example CSV header:

  
  msisdn,first_name,code +14155552671,Alex,839201 +447911123456,Claire,129004 

Validation:

• Run basic validation: correct country codes, no alphabetic characters, trimmed whitespace.
• If Netsend Classic offers bulk validation tools, use them before sending.

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5. Composing and sending messages

Message types:

• Plain text SMS (GSM-7 or UCS-2 if non-Latin characters).
• Concatenated SMS for messages over single-part limits (split into segments; billing per segment).
• Flash SMS, binary, or WAP push if supported and needed.

Character encoding:

• GSM-7 supports most Western characters; messages up to 160 characters in a single segment.
• UCS-2 (for non-Latin scripts) supports Unicode but reduces single-segment length to 70 characters.
• Netsend Classic usually shows character count and estimated segments in the compose UI; review before sending.

Personalization:

• Use tokens matching your CSV headers (e.g., Hello {first_name}, your code is {code}).
• Preview samples to ensure tokens map correctly.

Sending via web UI:

1. Upload the recipient CSV or paste numbers.
2. Select sender ID and route.
3. Enter or paste message text; include personalization tokens if needed.
4. Choose delivery options: immediate send, scheduled time, retry policy.
5. Review cost estimation and segment count, then confirm send.

Sending via API:

• Construct request per API docs. Typical fields: username, password/API token, sender, destination, message, encoding, schedule_time.
• Example (pseudo-HTTP POST body):

  
  username=youruser password=yourpass sender=MyBrand to=+14155552671 message=Hello Alex, your code is 839201. encoding=UTF-8 schedule=2025-09-05T09:00:00Z 

• Always test with a single number before large campaigns.

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6. Scheduling and throttling messages

Scheduling:

• Use the schedule feature to send campaigns during optimal engagement windows or to comply with local sending hours.
• Time zone awareness: confirm the platform uses UTC or local time for scheduling.

Throttling:

• Set delivery rate limits to avoid operator throttles or to smooth traffic peaks (messages per second/minute).
• If using API, implement client-side pacing to respect rate limits specified by TCOne.

Batching:

• For very large lists, split sends into smaller batches and monitor initial batch performance before continuing.

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7. Monitoring delivery and interpreting reports

Delivery reports:

• Netsend Classic will provide delivery status codes (delivered, failed, pending, rejected). Delivery success is not instantaneous — networks update statuses asynchronously.
• Common statuses:
  • Delivered: final positive confirmation from operator.
  • Failed/Rejected: rejected by operator or blocked due to content/sender issues.
  • Expired: message could not be delivered within validity period.

Reports:

• Download CSV or view dashboards showing counts by status, by country, by sender ID.
• Use unique message IDs from API responses to correlate logs between your system and Netsend reports.

Analytics:

• Track delivery rates, latency, and failure reasons. Use this to choose routes or adjust content.

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8. Error handling and common troubleshooting

Common issues:

• Authentication errors: confirm credentials/API tokens and IP allowlists.
• Formatting errors: ensure numbers are E.164 and message encoding matches character set.
• Rejections due to unregistered sender IDs or unapproved templates.
• Rate limit errors: throttle sends or request higher throughput from TCOne.

Troubleshooting steps:

1. Reproduce the issue with a single test message.
2. Check API response codes or UI error messages for specific reasons.
3. Consult delivery report codes for operator-provided rejection reasons.
4. Contact TCOne support with message IDs, timestamps, and sample payloads for investigation.

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9. Best practices and compliance

Content and consent:

• Only send messages to recipients who opted in. Maintain clear records of consent.
• Include opt-out instructions (e.g., Reply STOP) where required by law.

Templates and registration:

• Pre-register templates for markets that enforce message-level approvals (e.g., some APAC/MENA countries).
• Avoid promotional words or patterns that trigger filters in sensitive markets.

Rate and retry policies:

• Respect carrier limits and implement exponential backoff for retries.
• Monitor feedback loops and promptly handle spam complaints.

Security:

• Protect API credentials and rotate tokens periodically.
• Use IP allowlists and TLS for API calls.

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10. Appendix: sample workflows and templates

Sample transactional template: “Hello {first_name}, your verification code is {code}. This code expires in 10 minutes. – {CompanyName}”

Sample marketing template with opt-out: “Hi {first_name}! 20% off sitewide today only. Shop now: https://example.com – Reply STOP to unsubscribe.”

Sample API request (JSON-style pseudo-example):

POST /api/send HTTP/1.1 Host: api.tc1netsend.example Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN Content-Type: application/json {   "sender": "MyBrand",   "to": "+14155552671",   "message": "Hello Alex, your code is 839201.",   "encoding": "UTF-8",   "schedule": null } 

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If you want, I can:

• Write a concise checklist for a first-time campaign.
• Create CSV templates and sample API requests customized to your account details.