FCC - Almost Done Accepting Comments on Short Codes
I think we've all encountered a Short Code, whether we knew it or not. Any time that a TV show or radio station wants you to send a text message to a 5-digit number, you're being asked to use a Short Code. Some cost extra money (especially those bastardly ones that sign you up for the joke of the day) and some just cost the same as a regular text message. They're used for a variety of purposes. San Francisco alt rock radio station Live 105 (KITS) uses them to conduct listener polls and as an avenue for receiving requests. Twitter uses them so that you can send and receive Tweets via SMS.
Carriers have to reach agreements with the companies that distribute content and information via Short Code before their subscribers will have access to them. Verizon Wireless (VZW) caused quite a stink when they decided not to allow pro-choice organization NARAL to distribute Opt-In messages to its subscribers via Short Code SMS. VZW quickly reversed their decision.
Ars Technica has details on why the FCC should get involved
Tech freedom advocacy group Public Knowledge, Free Press and other groups were unsatisfied with Verizon's turnaround and have asked the FCC to issue a clear policy position that will block Verizon from engaging in similar practices in the future. Noting that the FCC already unambiguously forbids similar discrimination in voice calls and e-mails, the activist groups argue that there is no reason why those same protections shouldn't extend to SMS messaging, especially since it is becoming an increasingly important vector for communication.
Verizon has also been accused of denying short code access to companies that intend to use SMS to promote of facilitate services that compete directly with other services offered by the carrier. Critics argue that this practice stifles innovation and discourages third-party development of some SMS-based services that are potentially advantageous to consumers.
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