Text messaging is a convenient way to communicate. It allows you to communicate without send notifications without waiting for confirmation of physical paper delivery.
For businesses who regularly need to visit a postal office, the time wasted is worse than wasting money. According to a report by the UK government, 66% percent of SME users said that the length of time they have to wait to be served is the third most important factor when considering the important quality of service aspects relating to the delivery of messages.
Recently multiple judgements in various courts in South Africa have afforded digital registered communication the same status as conventional registered post in cases that tested provisions in the Magistrates Court Amendment Act 19 of 2010 and the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 (the ECT Act).
The Registered SMS that led to the judgement was related to a case where demands for payment on a defaulted loan were sent to the defaulter’s mobile phone through Registered Communication , a Lleida.net partner in South Africa.
Developed by Lleida.net, Registered SMS allows notifications to be sent by text messages generating a certificate with legal validity that can be presented as evidence in courts. The Registered SMS delivery method has been patented in several countries by the corresponding national authorities. Lleida.net has been granted a total of 70 worldwide patents.
“Sending registered communication digitally saves the sender time and money, as the cost of a registered SMS or email is nearly half the cost of a traditional registered letter,” explains Norman Colling, a partner at Registered Communication.
“Delivering a digital registered communication is instantaneous, meaning that the sender can receive an audited report confirming that the addressee has received the document within seconds, rather than waiting for the somewhat slower traditional registered mail delivery,” he adds.
South Africa has 37.5 million unique mobile subscribers while in comparison the South African Post Office has 2 222 points of presence throughout South Africa highlighting the significant potential reach of registered digital communication.