Enhanced push messaging

A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by a data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, from a user device of a user, a request to subscribe to a push messaging service of a particular subscription list, with the one or more servers storing lists of numbers for respective subscription lists;
• selecting, in response to receiving the request, a given number from a list of numbers for the particular subscription list, wherein the given number differs from a number of the user device;
• transmitting, to the user device and in response to receiving the request, a first message that presents a visual indication of the given number used to confirm the request to subscribe to the push messaging service of the particular subscription list;
• receiving a notification transmitted, by the user device, to the given number that is provided to the user device by the one or more servers and that differs from the number of the user device, with the notification specifying that the user device communicated a confirmation to receive messages from the particular subscription list, and the notification including contextual information corresponding to the user device or the user;
• selecting an additional message that presents additional visual information at the user device based, at least in part, on the contextual information and in response to receipt of the notification transmitted to the given number by the user device;
• and
• transmitting the additional message to the user device.

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a computer-readable medium coupled to the processor and having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
• receiving, from a user device of a user, a request to subscribe to a push messaging service of a particular subscription list, with the one or more servers storing lists of numbers for respective subscription lists;
• selecting, in response to receiving the request, a given number from a list of numbers for the particular subscription list, wherein the given number differs from a number of the user device;
• transmitting, to the user device and in response to receiving the request, a first message that presents a visual indication of the given number used to confirm the request to subscribe to the push messaging service of the particular subscription list;
• receiving a notification transmitted, by the user device, to the given number that is provided to the user device by the one or more servers and that differs from the number of the user device, with the notification specifying that the user device communicated a confirmation to receive messages from the particular subscription list, and the notification including contextual information corresponding to the user device or the user;
• selecting an additional message that presents additional visual information at the user device based, at least in part, on the contextual information and in response to receipt of the notification transmitted to the given number by the user device;
• and
• transmitting the additional message to the user device.