# Message Delays in Deliverability

HOW ARIST MESSAGING WORKS:

Arist uses Twilio to push messages out via SMS and WhatsApp. These two channels
make use of global SMS infrastructure to send and receive messages. This
introduces a number of variables in the time we deliver a message and time it
actually displays on a Learner's mobile device.

> Fun Fact: Our longest time to transmit a message to Twilio is only 17 seconds.
> 99% of our messages reach Twilio within 1.2 seconds.


DELIVERED VS. RECEIVED:

When a Learner hasn’t received a message it does not necessarily mean that we
didn’t deliver it. With SMS especially, there are many outside factors that can
lead to a message not making it to the user, including:

 * Content filters

 * Bad reception

 * Phone powered off

 * Phone provider (Sprint, Verizon, AT&T) blocked the message


MESSAGE TYPES:

Arist sends the following messages throughout the course experience:

 * System Messages - Confirming Enrollment, Answer receipt, etc.

 * Course Lessons - Main course content, including images, body text, and
   questions

 * Responses - after a learner answers a question responses are sent

All of these message types are processed and sent immediately by the Arist
Messaging System, but they are still subject to certain deliverability variables
based on the realities of global SMS infrastructure and misalignment of Schedule
Settings.




A LEARNER DIDN’T RECEIVE THEIR LESSON, WHY?

Sometimes messages are not delivered when expected because Delivery times were
not clearly explained in the Course Description.

> Example: If you have a course that only sends at 12pm daily and a Learner
> enrolled in the course at 3 pm, they will not receive their day 1 lesson until
> the next day at 12pm.

Aside from that, most delivery problems are caused by Mobile Carrier issues.


COMMON SCENARIOS INCLUDE:

 * The phone is turned off or out of service - In this case, messages should
   deliver when the phone is turned back on or regains service.

 * Wrong Phone Number or Country Code

 * Content Block - Mobile Carriers (like Verizon, Sprint, etc.) will sometimes
   block messages for content reasons. If your lessons contain language that
   triggers their spam filter, the carrier may block the message. The filters
   that Carriers employ are always changing so it can be hard to predict what
   content will get blocked, but we recommend avoiding the following:
   
   * Overuse of ALL CAPS phrases. Instead, use an emoji to add emphasis
   
   * Too many links in one message
   
   * Bad language or suggestive dialogue. Keep it clean, folks!
   
   * Copyright-protected material.
   
   * Gaming or Gambling language. e.g. JACKPOT!!! NOW’s YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!


GETTING MORE HELP:

If you’ve ensured that your learners have service at the time they expect to
receive messages and that content is not likely to trigger a spam filter, feel
free to contact [email protected]
[/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#681b1d1818071a1c28091a011b1c460b07] and send us:

 * The phone number of the Learner

 * A link to the course they expected to receive

 * And your learner's Enrollment ID

And our team can investigate any message deliverability issues.

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