Overview
What Africa's Talking is
Africa's Talking is a communications platform that provides SMS and other messaging services across Africa through direct carrier connections and short codes.
Courier sits in front of it as one API, so you keep Africa's Talking for SMS and add push, an in-app inbox, design, and journeys on top.
You need a Courier account and your own Africa's Talking account (API key and Username).
Why Courier
What you get with Africa's Talking + Courier
Add push in the same send
Reach mobile and web with push alongside SMS from one notification, with no new integration in your code.
Add an in-app inbox for web and mobile
Give your app an in-product notification center (SDKs for web, React, iOS, Android, Flutter, React Native), so users see more than just texts.
Automate multi-step flows
Trigger reminders, verification, and lifecycle sequences with delays and branching, all delivered through Africa's Talking.
Write once, edit without code
Compose and localize SMS copy in Courier's visual editor. Product and support teams change messaging without a deploy.
Send to lists and audiences
Broadcast a one-off or recurring text to an entire list through Africa's Talking, alongside your transactional messages.
Localize a message in seconds
Pick a language and let Courier translate your message with AI, then tweak any string.
Use cases
What teams build with it
Setup
Connect it in minutes
An admin adds Africa's Talking once on the Integrations page in Courier. Once connected, anyone on your team can send SMS through Africa's Talking and add push or an in-app inbox whenever they need them.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Africa's Talking with Courier?
Yes. Africa's Talking is a supported SMS provider in Courier, so you can reach recipients across African markets through the Send API while Africa's Talking handles the actual carrier delivery.
Do I still need my own Africa's Talking account?
Yes. Courier sends through your own Africa's Talking account using its API key and application username. Courier does not resell SMS, so your registered sender IDs and carrier billing stay with Africa's Talking.
What do I need to connect Africa's Talking to Courier?
An Africa's Talking API key and your application username, both from your Africa's Talking account. Add them on the Africa's Talking integration in Courier's Integrations catalog to start sending SMS.
How do I set the sender ID or short code for Africa's Talking messages?
Africa's Talking supports an optional short code or alphanumeric sender ID. Register it with your Africa's Talking application first, then set it through the from field in a Courier provider override on the message.
What phone number format does Courier need for Africa's Talking?
Recipients need a phone_number on their Courier profile in international format, like +27765559758. Africa's Talking uses that number to route each SMS, so profiles without a valid number cannot be delivered.
Can I pass custom Africa's Talking parameters through Courier?
Yes. A provider override at message.providers.africastalking-sms.override.body sends values straight to the Africa's Talking SMS API, so you can access options beyond Courier's standard SMS fields for a given send.
Is Courier a replacement for Africa's Talking?
No. Courier sits in front, and Africa's Talking still delivers the SMS. Courier adds the Send API, Design Studio, and Journeys, plus other channels like push and Courier Inbox on one integration.
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