Last I checked random short codes were $500 per month and vanity short codes were $1,000 per month. In the past I did mobile banking projects for large regional banks and of course a vanity short code is appropriate for that. For small businesses though I don't see the monthly fee, let alone the stringent approval requirements being feasible.
I've also done many text projects for small businesses using Twilio with long codes. I sincerely hope the FCC would prioritize cracking down on scamming robocallers (a major nuisance) before they crack down on small businesses attempting legitimate communication with their customers.
Agreed about the FCC. For the $500/month short codes, were those unique or shared? Shared short codes don't work with 2-way communication (when someone replies, which business does it go to?).
The $500/month short codes were for unique. That is the actual CSCA pricing. When I do mobile banking projects, we typically pay that directly to CSCA and then we pay our SMS Gateway provider (commonly used Syniverse in the past) separately for usage.
I'm a pretty risk-averse person and I can't imagine in any way the FCC cracking down on the use of long codes for legitimate two way communication with an existing customer. On the other hand, using long codes for mass marketing campaigns and you'll probably be shut down by the carriers and possibly sued, no FCC action required.
Providers typically do a shared short code in this case. They share customers across multiple unique keywords per shortcode and their API lets you be on your own. Siignal7 or something like that is one of these. They also monitor your compliance with the FCC rules.
Now is probably not the time to be using long codes.
I've also done many text projects for small businesses using Twilio with long codes. I sincerely hope the FCC would prioritize cracking down on scamming robocallers (a major nuisance) before they crack down on small businesses attempting legitimate communication with their customers.