What is bulk SMS?
Bulk SMS means sending one text message to many mobile numbers at once from a computer system instead of from a phone. In Nepal the messages are delivered through the mobile networks, mainly Nepal Telecom and Ncell. An SMS reaches every type of phone, needs no app and no internet connection, which is why it remains useful outside the main cities.
Two kinds of message
- Transactional messages are triggered by something the customer did: a one-time password (OTP), a payment receipt, a fee reminder, an appointment time.
- Promotional messages are sent to a list: a festival offer, a new branch opening, an admission notice.
Who uses it in Nepal
- Schools: attendance alerts, exam results, fee reminders and holiday notices to parents.
- Cooperatives and finance companies: deposit, withdrawal and instalment alerts.
- Hospitals and clinics: appointment reminders and report-ready notices.
- Shops and online stores: order confirmation, delivery updates and offers.
- Apps and websites: OTP codes for login and password reset.
Things to know before you start
Sender ID
The sender ID is the name shown in place of a phone number, for example your business name. It has to be registered through your SMS provider before use.
Message length
A message in English letters holds up to 160 characters. A message in Nepali (Unicode) holds up to 70 characters. Longer messages are split into several parts, and each part is charged as one SMS, so a long Nepali message costs more than it appears.
Consent and timing
Send only to people who gave you their number for that purpose, say who you are in the message, and avoid late-night sending. Messages that feel like spam damage the business name.
How to write an SMS that works
- Put the most important fact first.
- Give one clear action: call, visit or reply.
- Include the business name if the sender ID does not show it.
- Keep it within one message part.
Connecting SMS to your own software
An SMS API lets your website, school system or billing software send messages automatically, with no one typing them. A fee reminder can go out the day an invoice becomes due; an OTP can be sent the moment a user signs in.
Neuro AI Nepal provides a Bulk SMS API for Nepal with documentation for developers. We can also build SMS into a school LMS or ERP system for you.
