{{Short description|Short digit sequences used to address SMS messages}}
{{About|mobile telephone text messaging|the early computer programming language|Short Code (computer language)|short telephone numbers for public services|Abbreviated dialing}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2017}}
'''<span lang="en">Short</span> codes''', or '''short numbers''', are short digit sequences, significantly shorter than [[telephone number]]s, that are used to address messages in the [[Multimedia Messaging System]] (MMS) and [[short message service]] (SMS) systems of [[mobile network operator]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What is an SMS Short Code? {{!}} Twilio |url=https://www.twilio.com/docs/glossary/what-is-a-short-code?utm_source=docs&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=guides_tags |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=www.twilio.com |language=en}}</ref> In addition to messaging, they may be used in [[abbreviated dialing]].
Short codes are designed to be easier to read and remember than telephone numbers.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Short Code - What Is It, How Should You Use It? {{!}} CM.com Glossary |url=https://www.cm.com/en-za/glossary/short-code/ |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=CM.com |language=en-ZA}}</ref> Short codes are unique to each operator at the technological level. Even so, providers generally have agreements to avoid overlaps. In some countries, such as the United States, some classes of numbers are inter-operator (used by multiple providers or carriers, U.S. inter-operator numbers are called '''common short codes''').<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.youra.com/stats/mobileuse.pdf | title=Common Short Codes: Cracking The Mobile Marketing Code | access-date=2022-12-27 | last=Neufeld |first=Evan |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140114064327/http://www.youra.com/stats/mobileuse.pdf |archive-date=2014-01-14 }}</ref>
Short codes are widely used for value-added services such as [[Mobile donating|charity donations]], mobile services, ordering [[ringtones]], and television program voting.<ref name=":0" /> Messages sent to a short code can be billed at a higher rate than a standard SMS and may even subscribe a customer to a recurring monthly service that will be added to the customer's mobile phone bill until the user texts, for example, the word "STOP" to terminate the service.{{citation needed|date=June 2016}}
== Short codes and service identifiers (prefix) ==
