What is "Validation"?

Validation is the process by which Omnilert verifies each SMS number and/or email address a subscriber adds.

A subscriber's account is considered "unvalidated" until it has at least one validated device (SMS or Email).

For SMS (text messaging):

When a subscriber adds a new phone number to receive text alerts, the system will send a validation text message to that number from the shortcode 79516.

The subscriber must receive that text to retrieve his/her four-digit validation code. The Subscriber Portal will prompt them to enter the code when the device is added.

Their number will remain "unvalidated" until they enter the code into their account. Unvalidated numbers will not receive alerts.

For email:

New email addresses are sent a simple validation email from no-reply@omnilert.com with a link to validate the service. The subscriber must simply click the link to enable email alerts to their address.

What purpose does validation serve?

The validation process serves several important roles in maintaining a healthy subscriber database, including:

• Ensures the entered phone number is correct.
• Ensures the recipient's phone plan supports text alerts. (Not all phone plans allow subscriptions.)
• Ensures the recipient agrees to receive alerts. (Omnilert does not send spam.)
• Prevents a "false sense of inclusion" by helping the recipient detect problems, such as a blocked/restricted phone plan, before an emergency occurs.
• Ensures that the sending organization does not have bad phone data in its account.