Roberto,
I completely understand your frustration. Let me give you a bit more context so you can see how we got to this point.
When we launched the ElkConnect WebPortal in late 2023, the plan was to support Push, Email, and SMS/Text notifications. For SMS/Text, we used the same approach most security service providers relied on at the time: email-to-SMS. In this method, the server emails an address tied to a carrier (for example, 5551234567@vtext.com for Verizon), and the carrier converts it into a text message. This was widely supported, simple to implement, and didn’t involve carrier fees—just our cost to maintain the mail server.
By the time we launched, Bell and Rogers had already ended support for this service, so we couldn’t include them. Unfortunately, since then, AT&T, Verizon, and most other large carriers have also shut it down. For now, it still works for some existing customers, but it’s only a matter of time before it fully stops. With the MAC I can see failed SMS attempts in your logs, this is why your having a delay your email notifications (since the system retries SMS for each user before moving on to email). Push is first, SMS is second, then Emails in the send priority.
The path forward is a direct, paid SMS service that works like sending a text from a mobile phone—reliable, carrier-independent, and not subject to these shutdowns. I’ve already approved this project, and engineering has started work on it, though other priorities have slowed progress. I’ll be reviewing it with the team to push it along.
In the meantime, Push and Email are fully supported. If you turn off SMS for your users, email delivery will be much quicker since the system won’t be hung up retrying failed texts.
I’ll update this thread as soon as the new SMS service is live. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused and appreciate your patience as we make this transition.
Thanks,
Michael Burrell