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Doesn't bode well for Twilio that Amazon keeps rolling out these ecosystem-enhancing SMS features. They're still a standout solution for anybody who doesn't use

Doesn't bode well for Twilio that Amazon keeps rolling out these ecosystem-enhancing SMS features. They're still a standout solution for anybody who doesn't use AWS IMP but these features are getting a little too close for comfort

dpcx 9y ago
Twilio's advantage is that they have amazing API documentation, and extremely low barrier to entry.
- zitterbewegung 9y ago
  Yea, I tried to use SNS today but couldn't find any example code for Python. I got frustrated and signed up with twilio. After signing up and doing their test I was able to click directly to the Python example.
  - Kocrachon 9y ago
    I admit I don't use SNS but the boto3 docs are usually really well documented.
    - wickawic 9y ago
      the integration between the python code and SNS is relatively well documented, but it is missing examples for how to actually achieve real-world results (such as sending yourself a text message).
      - zitterbewegung 9y ago
        Responding to this and the parent it was the lack of examples that made me change my behavior. Not the lack of documentation for boto3.
  - ranman 9y ago
    1. I love Twilio and I recommend it over pinpoint most of the time. The API is objectively easier and the documentation is better. 2. import boto3 sns = boto3.client('sns') number = '+12345678900' sns.publish(PhoneNumber=number, Message='Hello, World') Disclaimer: I work for AWS and wrote the post
    - marksomnian 9y ago
      OT: why on Earth would you call your library boto3, instead of something obvious, like aws? I can't be the first person who was confused by this.
      - ranman 9y ago
        This would be a good Quora question for Mitch Garnaat. https://twitter.com/jrhunt/status/913087294222905344 https://twitter.com/jrhunt/status/913087294222905344 https://github.com/boto/boto3/issues/1023 https://github.com/boto/boto3/issues/1023 http://acsonline.org/fact-sheets/boto-amazon-river-dolphin/ http://acsonline.org/fact-sheets/boto-amazon-river-dolphin/
        ranman 9y ago
        Here's the right twitter link sorry: https://twitter.com/garnaat/status/913093232917086209 https://twitter.com/garnaat/status/913093232917086209
- antoniuschan99 9y ago
  I have some Twilio stock. It has been under performing for the last year :$. As a product, I hear that Twilio is great. But from what I've read, after their IPO last year, the have to close large Enterprise accounts and are having trouble. Amazon eating their lunch is not good news either. Also, is Twilio still using AWS?
  - wonder_bread 9y ago
    Yes they are still using AWS entirely (as far as I've seen) in fact they've doubled down on their AWS commitment it seems by integrating with Lex and Connect. Their stock isn't so hot right now but that's not terribly out of sorts for a relatively new company. Enterprise I've heard many stories about. Their commitment to starting with the developer is admirable though.
  - aviv 9y ago
    Twilio is in a very tough spot, because any relatively large account quickly realizes that they are big enough to roll out their own solution, and in 2017 is very easy to do, from stellar open source options to many vendors willing to sign up just about anybody as a wholesale account. And many have moved away, and will continue to do so. Even with the recent discounts, Twilio is way over priced, and its REST API is simply not in line with what is expected from a communications platform in this day and age. That's why they are trying to will continue to shift to hosted code. Corvisa (acquired by Shoretel) had it right when they had embedded lua. Disclaimer: I do own some Twilio and several other telco stocks (but I still believe Twilio is way overvalued and buy on dips because a large carrier will eventually buy them out so I'm willing to go for the ride), but I make more money from companies dumping Twilio/Nexmo/Plivo and going with custom solutions.
    - wonder_bread 9y ago
      What are some of the open source options?
- myroon5 9y ago
  I imagine this matters less for the larger customers spending a lot in this space.
  - dpcx 9y ago
    True. But for every IBM spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, there are thousands of small companies spending hundreds of dollars. So long as you control the software, it's probably a wash in the end.
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
- fish_fan 9y ago
  Also in my experience SMS is confusing (read: arbitrary and complicated rules per country) enough you want a domain expert available for support. Given the track record of other AWS products I find this unlikely. That said, if you have an existing sms setup, this is quite exciting.
- josu 9y ago
  >extremely low barrier to entry. Isn't AWS' entry barrier even lower?
  - CodeWriter23 9y ago
    I think this makes the answer to your question "No" https://www.twilio.com/labs/twimlets https://www.twilio.com/labs/twimlets
- SmellTheGlove 9y ago
  Twilio is dead simple. An idiot like me integrated SMS alerts into my fantasy football injury notification app literally in the 15 minutes that I drink my coffee in the morning before leaving for work. And 10 of that was signing up for the trial and reading some docs.
Xorlev 9y ago
Not exactly, given that Amazon is using Twilio.

dpcx 9y ago

Twilio's advantage is that they have amazing API documentation, and extremely low barrier to entry.

zitterbewegung 9y ago
Yea, I tried to use SNS today but couldn't find any example code for Python. I got frustrated and signed up with twilio. After signing up and doing their test I was able to click directly to the Python example.
- Kocrachon 9y ago
  I admit I don't use SNS but the boto3 docs are usually really well documented.
  - wickawic 9y ago
    the integration between the python code and SNS is relatively well documented, but it is missing examples for how to actually achieve real-world results (such as sending yourself a text message).
    - zitterbewegung 9y ago
      Responding to this and the parent it was the lack of examples that made me change my behavior. Not the lack of documentation for boto3.
- ranman 9y ago
  1. I love Twilio and I recommend it over pinpoint most of the time. The API is objectively easier and the documentation is better. 2. import boto3 sns = boto3.client('sns') number = '+12345678900' sns.publish(PhoneNumber=number, Message='Hello, World') Disclaimer: I work for AWS and wrote the post
  - marksomnian 9y ago
    OT: why on Earth would you call your library boto3, instead of something obvious, like aws? I can't be the first person who was confused by this.
    - ranman 9y ago
      This would be a good Quora question for Mitch Garnaat. https://twitter.com/jrhunt/status/913087294222905344 https://twitter.com/jrhunt/status/913087294222905344 https://github.com/boto/boto3/issues/1023 https://github.com/boto/boto3/issues/1023 http://acsonline.org/fact-sheets/boto-amazon-river-dolphin/ http://acsonline.org/fact-sheets/boto-amazon-river-dolphin/
      - ranman 9y ago
        Here's the right twitter link sorry: https://twitter.com/garnaat/status/913093232917086209 https://twitter.com/garnaat/status/913093232917086209
antoniuschan99 9y ago
I have some Twilio stock. It has been under performing for the last year :$. As a product, I hear that Twilio is great. But from what I've read, after their IPO last year, the have to close large Enterprise accounts and are having trouble. Amazon eating their lunch is not good news either. Also, is Twilio still using AWS?
- wonder_bread 9y ago
  Yes they are still using AWS entirely (as far as I've seen) in fact they've doubled down on their AWS commitment it seems by integrating with Lex and Connect. Their stock isn't so hot right now but that's not terribly out of sorts for a relatively new company. Enterprise I've heard many stories about. Their commitment to starting with the developer is admirable though.
- aviv 9y ago
  Twilio is in a very tough spot, because any relatively large account quickly realizes that they are big enough to roll out their own solution, and in 2017 is very easy to do, from stellar open source options to many vendors willing to sign up just about anybody as a wholesale account. And many have moved away, and will continue to do so. Even with the recent discounts, Twilio is way over priced, and its REST API is simply not in line with what is expected from a communications platform in this day and age. That's why they are trying to will continue to shift to hosted code. Corvisa (acquired by Shoretel) had it right when they had embedded lua. Disclaimer: I do own some Twilio and several other telco stocks (but I still believe Twilio is way overvalued and buy on dips because a large carrier will eventually buy them out so I'm willing to go for the ride), but I make more money from companies dumping Twilio/Nexmo/Plivo and going with custom solutions.
  - wonder_bread 9y ago
    What are some of the open source options?
myroon5 9y ago
I imagine this matters less for the larger customers spending a lot in this space.
- dpcx 9y ago
  True. But for every IBM spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, there are thousands of small companies spending hundreds of dollars. So long as you control the software, it's probably a wash in the end.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
fish_fan 9y ago
Also in my experience SMS is confusing (read: arbitrary and complicated rules per country) enough you want a domain expert available for support. Given the track record of other AWS products I find this unlikely. That said, if you have an existing sms setup, this is quite exciting.
josu 9y ago
>extremely low barrier to entry. Isn't AWS' entry barrier even lower?
- CodeWriter23 9y ago
  I think this makes the answer to your question "No" https://www.twilio.com/labs/twimlets https://www.twilio.com/labs/twimlets
SmellTheGlove 9y ago
Twilio is dead simple. An idiot like me integrated SMS alerts into my fantasy football injury notification app literally in the 15 minutes that I drink my coffee in the morning before leaving for work. And 10 of that was signing up for the trial and reading some docs.

Xorlev 9y ago

Not exactly, given that Amazon is using Twilio.