Home Short Codes Fail on Visited Networks
Short codes configured on the home network may not work while roaming, preventing subscribers from accessing familiar services.
We keep familiar home short codes working across visited networks by translating and routing requests to the correct home services in real time.
Product Overview
Short Codes is our carrier-grade roaming short-code translation platform built on the PRISM Service Creation Platform. We intercept short-code requests from outbound roamers and translate and route them to the appropriate home operator services.
Across voice, USSD, and SMS short codes, the platform maintains access to balance inquiries, top-ups, customer care, self-service menus, emergency services, and promotional services across roaming destinations.
The outcomes are clear
Capabilities
Intercept and translate short-code requests in real time, routing subscribers to the appropriate home operator service.
Support short-code services across voice, USSD, and SMS, covering key subscriber, commercial, and emergency service categories.
Manage short-code mappings across roaming destinations from one platform, with AI-assisted validation for conflicts, duplicates, and numbering-plan changes.
Support MAP for 2G/3G, Diameter for 4G, and SBI for 5G SA to maintain short-code services across network generations.
Use ML to optimize routing, predict translation failures, and suggest new translation entries based on subscriber usage patterns.
Track short-code requests, translation success, failures, and service performance across roaming destinations.
Ensure emergency short codes such as 112, 911, 999, and local equivalents are routed correctly, with fail-safe logic that prioritizes emergency requests.
Integrate with Welcome SMS and other roaming platforms to provide consistent service information and access throughout the roaming journey.
Process
Identify voice, USSD, or SMS short-code requests made by subscribers while roaming.
Determine the subscriber, visited network, destination, and requested home service.
Match the short code to the appropriate destination-specific number or service route.
Direct the translated request to the correct home or local service endpoint.
Deliver the service response to the subscriber through the relevant voice, USSD, or SMS channel.
Track service performance, failures, and routing patterns to continuously improve short-code availability.
Results
Preserve access to familiar home-network services across supported roaming destinations.
Enable subscribers to complete routine transactions through familiar short codes, reducing dependence on customer care.
Maintain access to top-ups and roaming services that help subscribers stay connected to the home network. For one operator with 80% prepaid subscribers across 12 ECOWAS markets, local SIM migration fell by 35%, recovering an estimated $2.8M in annual roaming revenue.
Make roaming bundle purchase and activation easier through familiar short codes. For one operator where the short code failed across 60% of visited networks, restoring access increased bundle uptake by 28% and roaming data ARPU by 15%.
Centralize short-code translation and routing across multiple roaming destinations instead of managing country-specific configurations separately.
Maintain access to critical customer care services across more markets. For one operator, an enterprise customer-care short code was restored across 45+ destinations, enabling 24/7 access to care and supporting enterprise service commitments.
Accelerate service rollout across priority roaming markets, with the top 50 destinations deployable within 4–6 weeks.