Sinch alternative: CPaaS for messaging, voice, AI

Sinch alternative: CPaaS for messaging, voice, AI

The CPaaS landscape has shifted. Pricing models that worked two years ago now strain budgets. While SMS maintains a 98% open rate when delivered, some providers struggle with deliverability rates that have fallen to 85% due to stricter carrier filtering. Meanwhile, compliance requirements for 10DLC registration, toll-free verification and global A2P rules have multiplied across every market.

If you're evaluating Sinch alternatives, you're not alone. Organizations worldwide are reassessing their communications infrastructure as they face new realities: stricter carrier requirements, rising costs per message, and the need to support voice, verification, and AI agents alongside traditional SMS.

Why organizations are looking beyond Sinch

Three factors are driving the search for alternatives:

Pricing unpredictability: What started as straightforward per-message pricing has become complex. Hidden fees for number provisioning, carrier surcharges for unregistered traffic, and unexpected compliance penalties have made budgeting difficult. For example, unregistered 10DLC traffic now incurs fees of $0.012 per SMS and $0.021 per MMS. Some enterprise contact centers have seen their actual messaging costs run 40% higher than quoted rates after factoring in all fees.

Deliverability challenges: Messages that reach customers drive revenue. Messages that don't create friction. As carriers tighten spam filters and require more stringent registration, some providers struggle to maintain deliverability rates. The difference between 95% deliverability and 85% might seem small, until you calculate the impact on customer verification codes, appointment reminders, and time-sensitive alerts.

Compliance complexity: 10DLC registration became mandatory, with carriers blocking unregistered traffic as of December 1, 2024. Neither is toll-free verification, which carriers began blocking for unverified numbers on January 31, 2024, or STIR/SHAKEN attestation for voice calls. Global A2P registration requirements vary by country, and penalties for non-compliance can reach thousands of dollars per day. Organizations need providers who handle compliance proactively, not reactively.

What to evaluate in a CPaaS provider

Network ownership and carrier relationships

Direct carrier connections matter more than ever. Providers who own their network infrastructure and maintain Tier-1 carrier status can route messages and calls through optimal paths, avoiding intermediaries that add latency and reduce deliverability.

When evaluating alternatives, ask:

• Does the provider own network infrastructure or rely entirely on third parties?
• What carrier relationships enable direct routing?
• How many countries can they reach with local numbers?

Providers with global reach and carrier-grade infrastructure are better positioned to deliver consistent performance.

Compliance and registration support

Compliance isn't just about checking boxes. It's about maintaining deliverability while navigating constantly changing requirements. Your provider should offer tools and expertise for:

10DLC registration: From brand registration using your EIN to campaign setup with The Campaign Registry, guidance should cover every step.

Toll-free verification: Requires detailed documentation and typically takes 1 to 3 business days. Providers should handle the heavy lifting.

STIR SHAKEN: Call attestation levels affect delivery. Providers should implement and manage this behind the scenes.

Global A2P compliance: Requirements vary across regions. Your provider should track these rules and help you stay aligned.

Transparent pricing and support

Hidden fees erode trust and budgets. Look for providers who publish clear pricing for:

• Per-message and per-minute rates
• Number provisioning and monthly fees
• Compliance and registration costs
• Support tiers and SLA guarantees

Engineering support availability matters too. When your verification system fails at 2 AM on a Saturday, you need engineers who can help immediately, not a ticketing system that promises a response within 72 hours.

Unified platform capabilities

The days of stitching together five different vendors for messaging, voice, numbers, verification, and AI capabilities are ending. Modern communications require integrated platforms where voice calls can trigger SMS follow-ups, where verification systems work across channels, and where AI agents can seamlessly hand off to human agents.

Consider whether potential providers offer:

• Messaging and voice on the same platform
• API-first number provisioning and porting
• Built-in verification capabilities
• Voice AI agent support without third-party integration

Migration considerations

Switching CPaaS providers requires planning, but the process doesn't have to disrupt operations. A structured approach minimizes risk:

Start with non-critical traffic: Test the new provider with internal communications or low-volume campaigns before migrating customer-facing systems.

Port numbers strategically: Most providers support number porting, but timing matters. Port in batches to maintain continuity while validating performance.

Implement gradually: Run both providers in parallel initially, shifting traffic progressively as you validate performance metrics.

Document everything: Track deliverability rates, latency metrics, and support response times. Data helps justify the migration and optimize the new configuration.

The path forward

The CPaaS market has matured beyond simple SMS delivery. The global CPaaS market is projected to reach $21.31 billion in 2025, growing at a CAGR of 30.4% to reach $80.34 billion by 2030. Today's requirements span messaging, voice, verification, and increasingly, AI-powered interactions. Organizations need providers who can deliver all these capabilities reliably, compliantly, and transparently.

How Telnyx addresses these challenges

Telnyx takes a fundamentally different approach to CPaaS by operating as both a technology provider and a carrier. With its own global IP network and Tier-1 carrier status, Telnyx controls the entire communication path from origin to destination.

Network infrastructure advantage: Unlike providers who rely entirely on third-party networks, Telnyx owns and operates a private IP network spanning six continents. This infrastructure enables direct peering relationships with carriers worldwide, eliminating intermediaries that add latency and points of failure. Messages and calls travel on Telnyx's network for as long as possible before handing off to local carriers, ensuring optimal routing and reliability.

Unified platform architecture: Rather than cobbling together acquisitions or partner solutions, Telnyx built its platform from the ground up as a single, integrated system. Messaging, voice, numbers, verification, and AI capabilities share the same underlying infrastructure. This means voice calls can seamlessly trigger SMS follow-ups, verification codes work across all channels, and AI agents can access the full communication stack without complex integrations.

Compliance-first approach: Telnyx provides automated tools and expert guidance for navigating 10DLC registration, toll-free verification, and STIR/SHAKEN implementation. The platform includes built-in compliance features that help organizations maintain high deliverability while avoiding carrier penalties. With direct carrier relationships, Telnyx can often resolve filtering issues faster than providers working through aggregators.

Global reach with local presence: Supporting number provisioning in 140+ countries and maintaining points of presence worldwide, Telnyx enables organizations to communicate globally while appearing local. Whether sending messages to customers in Singapore or routing calls through Frankfurt, the platform handles international complexity behind a simple API.

Developer-focused design: Every feature is accessible through RESTful APIs with comprehensive documentation, SDKs in multiple languages, and real-time debugging tools. Organizations can provision numbers, port existing ones, configure routing rules, and deploy AI agents programmatically. 24/7 engineering support: When issues arise, Telnyx provides direct access to engineers who understand both the platform and the underlying network.

Final thoughts

As you evaluate Sinch alternatives, focus on fundamentals: network quality, platform completeness, compliance expertise, and transparent pricing. The right provider won't just match your current needs, they'll scale with your growth and adapt to new communication channels as they emerge.

Whether you're managing customer verification for a financial institution, appointment reminders for healthcare, or customer support for e-commerce, your communications infrastructure directly impacts customer experience. Choose a provider who understands that every message, call, and interaction matters.

Ready to explore your options? Start by auditing your current usage patterns, documenting pain points, and defining success metrics. The clearer your requirements, the easier it becomes to identify the right alternative for your organization.

Contact our sales team or sign up for a free account to start building on Telnyx today.