Businesses send out bulk SMS messages daily, and they need to ensure that each one is accurate and sent to the correct address. Although this can be done manually, automated SMS testing is one method or tool to ensure this goal is met.

But first, let's explain what SMS testing is all about before we go on to explain the techniques for doing this.

What is SMS Testing?

SMS ("Short Message Service") is the most straightforward method of sending messages between mobile devices. The maximum character count for an SMS message is 160, and it only contains the text.

By sending messages containing things like updates and verification codes, [SMS testing] is a simple way to ensure that your text messaging service is functioning as it should. Other benefits of SMS testing include,

  • To make sure that the intended recipients of messages received them.
  • To guarantee that SMS messages are promptly delivered to their intended recipients in urgent situations.
  • To test one-time passwords for two-factor authentication and SMS verifications.
  • SMS testing can verify that appointment reminders are being sent out as they should if you have clients who schedule appointments with you.

Problems with Manual SMS Testing

Manual SMS testing can be complex, require specialized equipment, and be physically demanding. Here are some typical manual SMS testing pitfalls.

  • Without test scripting, each step of an SMS test requires human input.
  • This process can be time-consuming and raises the possibility of user error.
  • The number of testing devices you have access to could severely restrict your ability to conduct a large-scale test.
  • Furthermore, because human testers must perform the same tasks repeatedly, running repeat tests takes a lot of time.
  • It can get pricey to buy phones and numbers to take the required number of tests.

Automated SMS testing is a far better option than manual SMS testing, which is still one way to check if a customer received the intended SMS.

Automated SMS Testing

Writing scripts that will automate the necessary tasks is a requirement for automated testing. These codes are much more effective at running repeated tests and don't worry about user error.

Automated tests can even simulate real users to see how they might react to an SMS. Testers can adjust or maintain code as test parameters change.

Utilizing an automated SMS testing strategy also has the following advantages:

  • Automated testing can mimic voice- and image-related testing.
  • Location mocking allows it to simulate users in various locations.
  • Facial recognition and fingerprint testing can both be simulated using standard testing frameworks!
  • Since automated testing can achieve much greater test coverage than can a manual tester, you can be sure to get the number of test samples you need.

Writing Automated Test With SMS Testing Tools

Tools like MailSlurp's service specifically enable the writing of automated tests for the emails and SMS messages you would send out. SMS tests can be created using well-known frameworks like Selenium, Cypress, and Robot Framework. Using an SDK, it is also compatible with popular programming languages like Java and Python.

Writing Your First SMS Test

First, choose the framework that best suits your needs. To illustrate this, let's use Cypress. To use Cypress with MailSlurp, install MailSlurp’s Cypress email library.

In the example below, the user of our website is requesting a one-time password (OTP) for authentication. It's possible that two-factor authentication has been set up, and this person needs a six-digit code to access the system.

The very last line of our program prepares for a one-time password request from our website (in this case, example.org). We will also need to create a test for the scenario where a user accesses our test website and requests an OTP code. That, however, is not covered here.

Conclusion

One way to save money is to use SMS testing. And an excellent tool for automating SMS testing is MailSlurp.