Address Validation

Destination Address Validation Policy

Critico accepts message requests for a number of destination networks and services, including:

• Mobile networks (via SMS or text-to-speech)
• Paging networks (via pager number or call-sign)
• PSTN Landline networks (via text-to-speech)
• Email services
• Critico Connect/Flare accounts (IM address)
• Responder smartphone app (via push)

To direct messages to the correct recipients Critico accepts destination ‘numbers’,‘addresses’ or ‘Addresss’ (“Addresses”). This policy defines how Critico services validate and process destination Addresses received in order to route message requests to destination networks/devices. Address Validation Any address when presented to the Critico system is assessed against the followingvalidation rules;

1. If the Address is missing, the message is rejected.
2. If the Address contains blank spaces, the blank spaces are removed.
3. If the Address contains hyphens, the address is treated as an IM address
4. If the Address starts with a + sign, the + sign is removed
5. If the Address contains @ the address is treated as an email address
6. If the Address starts with IM the address is treated as an IM address

The Address is then processed as follows:

 

1.	Address = 6 numeric digits	This is treated as a pager number and the Critico system will prefix with 447623 to convert the pager number into an international format 12-digit number for processing i.e. 447623123456
2.	Address = 8 numeric digits and starts with ’23’	This address is treated as a pager number and the system will prefix 4476 to convert the pager number into an international format 12-digit number for processing. i.e. 447623123456
3.	Address = 10 numeric digits and starts with ‘7’	Then this address is treated as a 10-digit mobile phone number or pager number and the system will prefix 44 to convert the number into an international format 12- digit number for processing. i.e. 447764123456
4.	Address = 11 numeric digits and starts with ’07’	Then this address is treated as an 11-digit mobile phone number or pager number and the system replaces 07 with 447 to convert the number into an international format 12-digit number for processing. i.e. 447764123456
5.	Address = 11 digits and starts with ’01’ or ‘02’	The number is accepted as a UK PSTN number for processing as a national landline number using Critico’s text-to-speech service. Other UK ranges are rejected i.e. 03 or 04
6	Any 11 digit number that does not start with ‘0’	Is treated as an international number and sent to our international SMS gateways.
7.	Any 12-digit number that does not start ‘44’	Is treated as an international number and sent to our international SMS gateways.
8.	Address = 14 digits and starts with ‘00′	The leading 00 is deleted to make the number into an international format 12-digit number for processing. i.e. 337764123456

 

To avoid any potential unintended mis-direction of messages Critico recommendscustomers should always use 12-digit numbers that includes the country code and exclude any spaces wherever possible. An example of a 12-digit number would be 337764123456

where the 33 is the international dialling code for France. See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/102613/national-numbering-plan.pdf for a more detailed explanation of Ofcom UK Numbering conventions.

 

Address Book Imports

In cases where customers are uploading addresses to Critico Connect/Flare accounts foruse in the Contacts/Address book it is important that mobile/landline/pager addresses are entered as full 12-digit numbers to avoid any possible unintended misdirection. For example, importing a PSTN landline number as a 6-digit local number will result in the address being processed as a pager number.

 

Incorrect or Mal-formed Addresses

Note that Addresses less than 12 digits may be wrongly directed using the rules described above. Mis-typed or mal-formed addresses may also result in messages being directed to unintended recipients and must be avoided. Please note, there is a duty of care on all Customers to ensure addresses are correctly and accurately presented to or stored within the Critico messaging service.

For customers who are capturing mobile phone number using web forms we recommend input validation is performed as follows: Allow only 11 numeric digits starting 07 to be entered into the form without any spaces, and then strip the leading ‘0’ and replace with 44 before sending to Critico. Do not allow any non-numeric characters to be entered.

Paging call-signs or pager numbers that pass the validation process may still not be sent if the pager number is not active on the paging network.

SMS messages sent to invalid or disconnected mobile phone numbers will be rejected by the GSM networks. Emails sent to incorrect or invalid email addresses may be rejected by the destination email servers.

 

 

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