# Overview

Send and Receive SMS through a single connection for timely and cost-efficient communication using the 9bits API.

## Send SMS

### Example

Here is an example of the SMS that should be sent to 9bits endpoint. This example is written in Python.

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```python
import requests

api_token = "{YOUR_API_Token}"
url = f"https://app.9bits.net:2081/ng/v1/sendsms"

# Define the payload data in a Python dictionary
data = {
    "from": "48974",
    "to": "2348020000000",
    "message": "When was the last time you went to the cinema?",
    "session_id": "67543uhn3",
    "sent_date": "2024-01-02T23:50:37.000000Z"
}

# Define headers with authorization and content type
headers = {
    "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_token}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

# Send the POST request
response = requests.post(url, json=data, headers=headers)

# Check the response
if response.status_code == 200:
    print("Request was successful.")
    print(response.json())
else:
    print(f"Request failed with status code: {response.status_code}")
    print(response.text)

```

{% endcode %}

## Receive SMS

### Example

Here is an example of the SMS that would be delivered to your URL. This example is written in Python.

```python
import requests

url = f"{{ client_url }}"

# Define the payload data in a Python dictionary
data = {
    "type": "two-way sms"
    "telco": "mtn",
    "from": "2348020000000",
    "to": "48974",
    "message": "When was the last time you went to the cinema?",
    "session_id": "67543uhn3",
    "sent_date": "2024-01-02T23:50:37.000000Z"
}

# Define headers with authorization and content type
headers = {
    "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_token}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

# Send the POST request
response = requests.post(url, json=data, headers=headers)

# Check the response
if response.status_code == 200:
    print("Request was successful.")
    print(response.json())
else:
    print(f"Request failed with status code: {response.status_code}")
    print(response.text)

```

### SMS REST formats and conventions

### JSON

JSON (appplication/json) is the content type of both requests and responses unless otherwise specified.

Your response to our POST request should be a valid JSON.

#### Phone numbers (MSISDN)

MSISDNs (phone numbers) would always be delivered to you in international format.

Phone numbers will be sent with or without a leading `+` (for example, +2348020000000 or 2348020000000).