Time2Chat documentation

Time2Chat gives you a channel for unlimited SMS conversations. You also benefit from the allocation of a mobile number to both be contacted by a customer via SMS or initiate a contact.

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June 25, 2025 - 6 min read

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ChatGPT Perplexity Gemini

Calls & SMS via 06 and 07 are forbidden to Companies.

Romain Didelot

Introduction

In 2023, Arcep published a new numbering project, reshuffling the cards in the telecommunications sector. From now on, 06 and 07 numbers will be dedicated to private individuals. This new orientation gives pride of place to new messaging services for all exchanges between a platform (brands) and the consumer.

The aim, which is still valid today, is to put an end to fraud, smishing and other unwanted telephone solicitations that blight the lives of mobile subscribers. This strategy has made it possible to drastically reduce smishing (even if some cases still exist on a smaller scale, through 07 "e-SIMs" obtained from virtual operators, Editor's note), notably by virtually eliminating brand usurpation (it has become almost impossible for fraudsters to obtain a personalized transmitter evoking a legitimate service or brand, Editor's note). Making 09 a dedicated number for business communications, whether by voice or SMS, has also opened up a new opportunity for professionals, who can fully enter the conversational era. enter the conversational era.

A new numbering plan to protect subscribers

The application of this framework is excellent news, as these measures respond to 2 concrete problems:

By reserving 06 and 07 for private individuals - and switching corporate communications to 09 - the general public will be able to identify corporate calls and messages more easily, and thus be more aware of the nature of the content they are receiving. This decision provides greater protection against the large volumes of calls and messages that can be a nuisance, but also against the increasing number of attempted scams.

In the same way, once this clear new legislation is in place, the regulator leaves the field open for operators to implement their ability to cut off mass shipments of smishing content via 06 and 07.

This action, coupled with the control of Sender IDs (personalized SMS senders), effectively combats smishing and offers the market a definite gain in credibility.

The regulator has also adopted measures to regain control over 06 and 07, and thus avoid a shortage in the future.

New numbers and uses available for businesses (Time2chat)

With the introduction of 09 telephone numbers dedicated to businesses, Arcep is regulating a usage that has seen an explosion! Brands and their customers want to converse, at all times and in an omnichannel way: by voice, by message, by short message.

As Arcep explains, 09 numbers will meet the "growing needs of French businesses" in this respect. Interested companies will be able to implement innovative communication solutions between themselves and a subscriber, with a dedicated and recognizable type of number, offering maximum performance for these new resources.

These long numbers can be used, for example, to establish message-based conversations between a retailer and its customer, or to set up ephemeral relationships with platforms (parcel delivery, VTC drivers, etc.).

GOING FURTHER

Find out more about Time2Chat

Features, benefits, uses and pricing.

From Virtual Mobile Number to Time2Chat

The announcement of the disappearance of 06 and 07 for companies coincides with the announcement of the af2m on the launch of the Time2chat. A new messaging service dedicated to exchanges between brands and their customers, intended to replace the Mobile Virtual Number.

The gradual shift from NVM (mobile virtual number 06 or 07) to Time2chat illustrates the evolution of consumer needs, towards greater immediacy and interactivity.

"Because it uses SMS and voice, Time2chat benefits from the universal nature of native technologies on cell phones. There's no need to install a specific application to use Time2chat. It's a guarantee of simplicity and fluidity. explained AF2M.

With the rise of instant messaging, users and businesses have gradually adopted real-time chat platforms for far more dynamic interactions.

This evolution is explained by the search for greater efficiency in exchanges and a better user experience, responding to modern expectations of speed and user-friendliness.

Democratizing conversational commerce

In recent years, brands and customers alike have seen a growing need for two-way communication. RCS and WhatsApp Business meet this need for conversation. This new use of 09 numbers could offer a universal alternative to these two channels, minus the multimedia aspect. This use of Time2chat could revolutionize customer relations, but also open the door to conversational commerce on all mobiles.

COMPARATIVE

Time2Chat, WhatsApp, RCS. Which conversational channel to choose?

Reasoning about a market with solid growth, but with unclear contours

Arcep(L'Autorité de régulation des communications électroniques, des postes et de la distribution de la presse) has decided. From January 1, 2023, telephone numbers beginning with 06 or 07 will be reserved exclusively for private individuals, for "interpersonal" use.

" The Authority reserves the use of numbers starting with 06 and 07 - permanently attached to a user in everyone's mind - exclusively for interpersonal communications services.

As indicated in Arcep's press release on this decision, " non-interpersonal use of mobile numbers will be switched to other categories, such as the new 09 category ".

Today, companies can still send short messages to their customers from short codes (with or without Sender ID), only numbers starting with 06 and 07 are forbidden.

Why this change in numbering?

The use of notification messages has exploded in recent years. By 2022, 60% of text messages sent in France will be notifications. This strong growth is accompanied by new uses linked to the immediacy of the customer/brand relationship. These include calls and short messages sent by companies, via 06 or 07 numbers , to confirm an appointment, a delivery, or to be able to make and receive a call on a temporary number.

However, these new uses have blurred the relationship between brand and customer, paving the way for the misuse of cold calling and, above all, for a surge in fraud.

Phishing by telephone, smishingA veritable epidemic of fraud has spread, forcing the regulator to take action to better protect subscribers.

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BUILDING

Guarantee optimal customer activation and follow-up with Time2Chat

As a platform for inspiration, advice and contact with building professionals, Maison Saint-Gobain wanted to benefit from better "transactional" identification of the SMS sent, in order to achieve the high level of response previously obtained with a long number.

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The Time2Chat solution and dedicated long 09 number enabled them to reach :

A response rate of 15% to 18

With the long 09 number, the response rate to SMS returned to the level seen with an 06 mobile number.

Reduced response time

Response time to SMS has fallen to under 1 day (compared with an average of 2 to 4 days with a short code).

An approved channel for reminders

The asynchronous nature of SMS is ideal for calling back people who are absent or who don't answer the phone very often.

Easy, flexible interconnection

Integrated with smsmode API^©SMS conversations are managed directly in their internal application, and notifications are then fed back into their Saleforce CRM.

Find out in detail how Time2Chat has enabled La Maison Saint-Gobain to activate and follow its customers with more direct, personalized and effective interactions.

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COMPARATIVE
Time2Chat vs SMS, RCS, WhatsApp. Which one to choose?

- PDF AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND FRENCH -

Discover our comprehensive comparison of Time2Chat, SMS, RCS and WhatsApp features. Compare the strengths of each mobile channel at a glance to find the one that's perfect for your needs.

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September 22, 2024 - 5 min read

Conversational commerce: engage in conversation

Elsa Paparone

Introduction

Conversational commerce is transforming and improving the way brands interact with their customers, building longer-lasting exchange relationships.

This new conversational approach to customer relations allows you to start a conversation with your users, wherever they may be, by sending messages directly to their cell phones via a variety of channels (RCS, SMS, WhatsApp).

A variety of tools (online platforms, chatbots, product carousels, etc.) are available to professionals, enabling them to offer content that is richer and more dynamic than ever. This evolution not only adds a new dimension to the customer experience, but also reshuffles the cards in your sales strategy.

Today we take you on a journey of discovery into conversational commerce.

What is conversational commerce?

Conversational commerce is characterized by the use by companies of new communication technologies such as chatbots integrated into messaging applications, two-way SMS two-way and other voice assistants.

It enables professionals to ensure personalized interactions with their customers, but above all to lead the exchange with your customers and accompany them throughout the sales funnel during a session/conversation.

These conversations can easily be automated, ensuring efficiency and speed for the company. What's more, the use of these different customer relations channels, sometimes in concert, leads to an overall improvement in the customer experience and the ability for operational staff to analyze the data collected. The integration of a multi-channel sales strategy rapidly accelerates the sales process.

In short, the principle of conversational commerce is to enable your customers to carry out all their purchasing actions in a single channel, without having to leave it to land on your website or an online payment platform. It is therefore important to identify in advance which conversational messaging is preferred by your targets to ensure the purchase of your products.

What are the different mobile channels used for conversational commerce?

COMPARATIVE

WhatsApp, SMS, RCS and Time2Chat. Which conversational channel to choose?

SMS - Via a dedicated number (Time2Chat)

In recent years, corporate communication via SMS has exploded. Nowadays, customers don't just want to be kept informed by SMS, they also want to talk to companies via these popular messages. New legislation forcing companies to use 09 numbers has led to the emergence of a new feature called Time2Chat.

Visit Time2Chatalso known as SMS conversational, is a mobile solution specially designed for exchanges between brands and their customers. This product combines SMS and voice. Benefiting from the native presence of SMS, available on all phones even without an Internet connection, it combines a number of advantages for a variety of uses (appointment confirmation, parcel delivery...). Communicate with your users via a messaging system that's well-known and popular with the general public. Time2Chat offers a toll-free number linked to your business. So your customers can respond directly to the number (09) assigned to you. It's also possible to plugging a chatbot (like the one proposed by smsmode^© and dydu, powered by artificial intelligence 😉)

RCS - Chat sessions within the native messaging application

RCS (Rich Communication Service), or SMS 2.0, is a messaging protocol developed by Google that enables you to share messages with your customers featuring enriched media content (images, videos, GIFs, carousels, maps, buttons, etc.). Just like its predecessor, there's no need for an additional application to receive these messages: they're received directly in the native messaging applications of smartphones(both Android and Apple). Its professional use (called RBM for Riche Business Messaging) enables you to engage in conversations with your customers from a Google-validated brand profile, a certification that can be identified and recognized by your users.

WhatsApp Business - WhatsApp for Professionals

With 100 billion messages a day, WhatsApp is a channel that is very popular with users. WhatsApp Business is the version dedicated to the business world. This channel enables you to reach your customers on their mobiles, via the most popular instant messaging application of the moment. Once your profile has been validated by Meta (Facebook), you're ready for enriched conversations! Please note that WhatsApp Business is designed more for customer service or "pull marketing" (initiated by the online user). It's customary to include a chatbot to answer your users' recurring questions.

A few figures on conversational commerce

Recent studies show that conversational commerce has been well received by users, becoming part of their daily routine. For example, they prefer to be informed of the most important updates to their favorite service by SMS, which they are much more likely to open than a conventional e-mail. Engagement rates and sales seem to be rising steadily. This proposal for an exchange channel and an "upgraded" customer experience at your fingertips is seductive. Its use seems to be taking root in customer habits.

75% of consumers have responded to a SMS message from a company in the past year (Source: SimpleTexting, 2023).
Services using conversational commerce have seen a 30% increase in sales conversions. (Source: Business Insider, 2023)
45% of brands have integrated conversational commerce solutions into their marketing strategy by 2023. (Source: Forrester, 2023)
80% of companies will use chatbots for customer service by 2025. (Source: Gartner, 2023)
SMS messages have an average open rate of 98%, compared with around 20% for e-mails. (Source: Mobile Marketing Watch, 2023)
SMS campaigns generate an average engagement rate of 45%, compared with 20% for e-mail marketing (Source: SMS Global, 2023).
90% of consumers prefer to receive notifications via SMS rather than e-mail for important updates. (Source: Twilio, 2023)

STUDY

SMS marketing trends and key performances under the microscope

Find out more about our major study based on 745 million mailings SMS.

Conclusion

Technological advances in conversational commerce will benefit companies that know how best to integrate them into their sales strategy. Chatbots, SMS conversational, are all tools that will enable brands to offer a more fluid, personalized and responsive customer experience and purchasing process. Recent figures show that these new instant messaging tools are becoming increasingly popular.

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Try out our SMS platform and benefit from 20 free test credits, with no obligation.

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Time2Chat documentation

Create your free account

Calls & SMS via 06 and 07 are forbidden to Companies.

Introduction

A new numbering plan to protect subscribers

New numbers and uses available for businesses (Time2chat)

From Virtual Mobile Number to Time2Chat

Democratizing conversational commerce

Reasoning about a market with solid growth, but with unclear contours

Why this change in numbering?

Our team advises you

Create your free account

Guarantee optimal customer activation and follow-up with Time2Chat

Download the use case

A response rate of 15% to 18

Reduced response time

An approved channel for reminders

Easy, flexible interconnection

Download the use case

Create your free account

COMPARATIVE Time2Chat vs SMS, RCS, WhatsApp. Which one to choose?

Download the comparison

Conversational commerce: engage in conversation

Introduction

What is conversational commerce?

What are the different mobile channels used for conversational commerce?

SMS - Via a dedicated number (Time2Chat)

RCS - Chat sessions within the native messaging application

WhatsApp Business - WhatsApp for Professionals

A few figures on conversational commerce

Conclusion

Create your free account

COMPARATIVE
Time2Chat vs SMS, RCS, WhatsApp. Which one to choose?