Hubtel SMS Integration
Configure Hubtel for SMS notifications. Includes sender ID setup, message types, rate limits, and delivery status tracking.
Hubtel SMS Integration
Ardent SMS integrates with Hubtel to provide reliable SMS delivery for transactional alerts and bulk school announcements in Ghana and across West Africa.
Overview
SMS is the primary communication channel for reaching parents and staff who may not have consistent access to mobile data.
Rate Limits: Hubtel enforces a rate limit of 5 requests per minute for transactional endpoints. Ardent SMS includes an internal queuing engine that automatically buffers your messages to respect these limits. Please note that bulk announcements may take several minutes to finish sending for larger schools.
API Endpoints
The integration utilizes three core Hubtel endpoints to ensure message reliability.
| Endpoint | Method | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Send | GET | Single transactional messages (OTPs, urgent alerts). |
| Regular Send | POST | Batched announcements and scheduled notifications. |
| Query Status | GET | Checking the real-time delivery status of sent messages. |
Hubtel API Endpoints used by Ardent SMS
Sender ID
Your Sender ID is the name that appears on recipients' phones (e.g., ARDENT_SMS or ACHIMOTA_HS).
- Constraint: Maximum of 11 alphanumeric characters.
- Approval: Must be pre-approved by Hubtel to prevent spoofing.
- Process: Email
support@hubtel.comwith your school's business registration and requested ID. Approval typically takes 2-3 business days.
SMS Notifications by Trigger
| Notification | Trigger Event | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Absent Student Alert | Attendance marked as absent. | High |
| Invoice Issued | New fee structure published. | Medium |
| Payment Received | Paystack webhook or manual record. | High |
| Overdue Reminder | Invoice exceeds due date. | Medium |
| Emergency Announcement | Admin manual override. | Critical |
| Payslip Notification | Payroll run processed. | Medium |
| Login OTP | Multi-factor authentication request. | Critical |
Automated SMS triggers in Ardent SMS
Delivery Status Tracking
Every message sent through the Ardent platform is assigned a unique messageId. The platform polls Hubtel every 10 minutes to update the status in your communication logs.
| Status | Meaning | System Action |
|---|---|---|
| Delivered | Confirmed on the recipient's device. | Logs as successful; stops polling. |
| Sent | Accepted by telco; awaiting delivery receipt. | Continues polling for status update. |
| Blacklisted | Recipient has blocked premium SMS or opted out. | Marks phone as opted-out; prevents future sends. |
| Undeliverable | Phone is off, out of range, or inbox is full. | Retries up to 3 times with exponential backoff. |
| InvalidDestination | Phone number is formatted incorrectly. | Flags contact record for data quality review. |
Hubtel Delivery Statuses