Phone Provider Format–Hold For Pickup Notifications

Hold For Pickup is a USPS service that holds a package at a Post Office for the addressee or a designee to pick up.2Publication 199: Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for Confirmation Services and Electronic Payment Systemspage 91“Hold For Pickup service allows packages to be held at a designated Post Office to be picked up by a specified addressee or designee.”USPS original USPS sends the customer an automated notification when the mailer provides an email address or an SMS text address.1PostalPro: Phone Provider Format–Hold For Pickup Notifications“Automated notifications are provided to the customer when an email address or a SMS text address are provided by the mailer.”USPS original

An SMS text address is the recipient's phone number in a form that depends on the phone service provider.1PostalPro: Phone Provider Format–Hold For Pickup Notifications“When an SMS text address is provided, the format is specific to recipient’s phone number and the Phone Service Provider.”USPS original The chart is a suggested list of the formats known providers use, and Publication 199 holds the complete specifications.1PostalPro: Phone Provider Format–Hold For Pickup Notifications“Complete specifications for the SMS text address format can be found in Publication 199: Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for: Confirmation Services and Electronic Verification System (eVS) Mailers, however, this reference chart provides a suggested listing of known phone providers formats.”USPS original

The chart is titled for COD Hold For Pickup Service.3Phone Provider Format Reference ChartPDF page 1“COD Hold For Pickup Service”USPS original COD Hold For Pickup puts Collect on Delivery and Hold For Pickup on one mailpiece, under a single-ply label.4Publication 199: Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for Confirmation Services and Electronic Payment Systemspage 102“A single-ply COD Hold For Pickup label may be used only when both Collect on Delivery and Hold For Pickup are desired for the same mailpiece.”USPS original PostalPro has moved the chart to the Publication 199 page.1PostalPro: Phone Provider Format–Hold For Pickup Notifications“Please note that this file has moved to https://postalpro.usps.com/pub199”USPS original

USPS sends the notification when the package reaches the pickup Post Office, if the mailer provided contact detail.2Publication 199: Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for Confirmation Services and Electronic Payment Systemspage 91“Upon arrival of the package at the destination Post Office pickup location, the customer or the addressee will receive an email notification or SMS text message from the Postal Service (if contact detail is provided).”USPS original

Each format on the chart is the phone number, written 000-000-0000, followed by the provider's carrier URL.3Phone Provider Format Reference ChartPDF page 1“000-000-0000 … Numerical Phone Number + Additional Format”USPS original

The Shipping Services File carries the SMS text address in the D2 record, the record for special products such as Hold For Pickup.5Publication 199: Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for Confirmation Services and Electronic Payment Systemspage 46“The Shipping Services File Detail Record 2 contains fields needed for specific products (such as Hold for Pickup), and must be used for domestic packages when applicable.”USPS original The recipient's address goes in the Recipient SMS Number field, positions 236 to 299, 64 alphanumeric characters.6Publication 199: Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for Confirmation Services and Electronic Payment Systemspage 209“236 - 299 File Types 1 and 2 (see rules) Recipient SMS Number Alphanumeric(64)”USPS original

The field holds the phone number at which the recipient will receive text messages, such as 5555551234.6Publication 199: Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for Confirmation Services and Electronic Payment Systemspage 209“Phone number at which recipient will receive text messages. 5555551234”USPS original The required format no longer includes the carrier URL, the part after the @ in 6035550323@wirelesscarrier.com.2Publication 199: Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for Confirmation Services and Electronic Payment Systemspage 91“The required format for a SMS number in the SSF no longer includes the carrier URL (e.g. 6035550323@wirelesscarrier.com).”USPS original

The chart's footnote says mailers must use its format on PS Form 3816 or in the Shipping Services File when the recipient's mobile phone number is included.3Phone Provider Format Reference ChartPDF page 1“Mailer's must use this format on Label 3816 or in the Shipping Services File when the recipient's Mobile Phone Number is included.”USPS original For Hold For Pickup, required elements on the Hold For Pickup label and in the Shipping Services File replace PS Form 3816.2Publication 199: Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for Confirmation Services and Electronic Payment Systemspage 91“Instead, the PS Form 3816 is replaced by required elements on the standard Hold For Pickup label and in the Shipping Services File (SSF).”USPS original Version 26 of the IMpb implementation guide, dated April 18, 2023, removed all references to SMS carrier information.7Publication 199: Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for Confirmation Services and Electronic Payment Systemspage 14“04/18/2023 Version 26 … Removed all references to SMS Carrier information”USPS original

The sender has a matching field, the Sender SMS Number, positions 412 to 475.8Publication 199: Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for Confirmation Services and Electronic Payment Systemspage 210“412 - 475 File Types 1 and 2 (see rules) Sender SMS Number”USPS original

When a recipient SMS text address is invalid, the Confirmation/Error/Warning file returns INVALID RECIPIENT SMS ADDRESS; DEFAULT TO SPACES, and the field defaults to spaces.9Publication 199: Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for Confirmation Services and Electronic Payment Systemspage 393“Appendix E – Confirmation/Error/Warning (CEW) Files … INVALID RECIPIENT SMS ADDRESS; DEFAULT TO SPACES”USPS original An invalid sender SMS text address has a matching message.9Publication 199: Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for Confirmation Services and Electronic Payment Systemspage 393“INVALID SENDER SMS ADDRESS; DEFAULT TO SPACES”USPS original