Terms & Conditions of Service

1. Definitions

For the purposes of these Terms and Conditions, the following definitions apply:

“Akedly” / “the Company”

“Akedly” or “the Company” refers to Akedly LLC, a limited liability company registered in the State of Delaware, USA, operating an OTP and Authentication-as-a-Service platform at akedly.io.

“Platform”

“Platform” refers to Akedly's cloud-based OTP and authentication aggregation service, including the API gateway, customer dashboard (app.akedly.io), SDK libraries, and all associated tooling and infrastructure.

“Third-Party Channels”

“Third-Party Channels” refers to external messaging and notification providers Akedly routes messages through, including but not limited to: WhatsApp Business API (Meta), local and regional SMS gateway operators, the Telegram Bot API, Firebase Phone Authentication (SMS), Twilio, Cequens etc and any future channels made available on the Platform. These are independent services not owned, operated, or controlled by Akedly.

“Customer”

“Customer” refers to the company, startup, or individual who has accepted a quotation issued by Akedly and agreed to be bound by these Terms.

“Message”

“Message” refers to any OTP, authentication code, or verification notification dispatched via the Platform through a Third-Party Channel.

“Successful Authentication”

“Successful Authentication” means a complete event where an OTP is generated, dispatched via a Channel, and verified as correct by the end-user within the permitted time window. Relevant to PPS-tier Customers only, see Section 4.2.

“Credits”

“Credits” refers to prepaid messaging units purchased by the Customer and held in their Platform account, redeemable against messages dispatched via the Platform at per-message rates determined by the applicable Pricing Schedule.

“Pricing Schedule”

“Pricing Schedule” refers to the dynamic rate table attached to or referenced by a Customer's quotation, specifying the per-message rate applicable by Channel, API version, and destination country. Pricing Schedules are subject to change as described in Section 11.

“Pipeline”

“Pipeline” refers to a Customer-configured routing rule within the Platform defining channel selection order, fallback sequence, and success/failure behavior for authentication requests.

2. Service Description

Akedly provides an OTP and Authentication-as-a-Service platform built for startups and businesses operating in Egypt, the GCC, and beyond. The Platform enables Customers to authenticate their end-users via a API integration, routing messages intelligently across multiple Third-Party Channels to maximize deliverability and minimize cost.

By default, Akedly bills on a Pay-Per-Message (PPM) basis, the Customer is charged for every message dispatched via the Platform, regardless of whether the end-user completes the authentication. A Pay-Per-Success (PPS) billing option is available exclusively to enterprise Customers who meet all of the following eligibility criteria: (a) a minimum monthly volume of 30,000 OTPs; (b) a verified absolute message success rate at or above the threshold of 85% unless specified otherwise in the applicable quotation; and (c) a minimum of six (6) consecutive months of active usage at the qualifying volume prior to activation. PPS eligibility is assessed by Akedly and must be explicitly stated in the signed quotation, it does not apply by default.

Akedly's multi-layer anti-fraud system filters illegitimate requests before they reach a Third-Party Channel. Under PPM billing, charges are incurred at the point of dispatch to the Channel layer. Under PPS billing (where applicable), charges are incurred only upon a Successful Authentication as defined above.

Akedly does not transmit messages directly to end-users. All message delivery is performed by the underlying Third-Party Channels. Akedly's role is to manage channel selection, multi-channel fallback sequencing, retry logic, fraud filtering, delivery reporting, and unified billing.

3. Third-Party Channel Disclaimer

This is the most operationally critical section of these Terms. The Customer must read it carefully before accepting a quotation.

3.1 Delivery Failures & Delays

Akedly makes no guarantee of successful or timely message delivery. Delivery outcomes depend on factors outside Akedly's control, including:

• The operational status, capacity, rate limits, and policies of the selected Third-Party Channel at the time of the request;
• Telecommunications network conditions, carrier filtering, regulatory restrictions, and country-specific blocking rules in Egypt, GCC markets, and all other destinations;
• WhatsApp Business API throughput caps, Meta policy enforcement, and account-level restrictions applied by Meta to the shared sender account;
• Telegram Bot API rate limits and per-user delivery restrictions;
• Firebase Phone Authentication service availability, Firebase-side number restrictions, and carrier routing limitations applied by Firebase's SMS sending infrastructure;
• Local SMS carrier delivery queues, number blacklists, and national Do-Not-Disturb registries;
• End-user phone number validity, device availability, and whether the destination is active on the requested channel.

3.2 Channel Outages & Policy Changes

Akedly monitors Third-Party Channel health and will make reasonable efforts to notify Customers of known outages via the dashboard. However, Akedly is not responsible for:

• Unplanned outages, maintenance windows, or capacity issues imposed by any Third-Party Channel provider;
• Unilateral changes to Third-Party Channel APIs, pricing, message templates, or availability, including Meta WhatsApp Business API policy updates that may affect delivery routes;
• Suspension or termination of Third-Party Channel access triggered by the Customer's content, usage patterns, or the channel provider's independent decision.

3.3 Platform SLA vs. Channel Availability

Any uptime or performance SLA offered by Akedly applies exclusively to the Platform itself (API gateway, routing engine, dashboard, credit system). It does not extend to and cannot be interpreted to cover the availability or performance of any Third-Party Channel.

3.4 Customer Responsibilities Regarding Third-Party Channels

The Customer is solely responsible for:

• Ensuring their use of the Platform complies with the Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policies of each Third-Party Channel in their Pipelines;
• Obtaining all required consents and opt-ins from end-users for receiving messages via the selected channels, in compliance with applicable regulations in the Customer's jurisdiction and each destination country;
• Ensuring message content, template types, and sender identification comply with applicable channel rules, particularly WhatsApp Business API template policies enforced by Meta;
• Designing their application to handle OTP delivery delays or failures gracefully, with appropriate end-user communication.

4. Pricing, Credits & Billing

4.1 Dynamic Pricing Model

Akedly's pricing is determined on a per-message basis and varies according to the following factors:

• Channel: The Third-Party Channel through which the message is routed (e.g., WhatsApp Business API, SMS, Telegram, Firebase Phone Authentication (SMS), Email);
• API Version: The API version or product tier activated on the Customer's account, which may offer different routing capabilities and rate structures;
• Destination Country: The country of the end-user's phone number or registered account. National and international rates differ, and rates may vary by specific destination country.

4.2 Billing Models, PPM (Default) & PPS (Enterprise)

Standard billing for all Customers is Pay-Per-Message (PPM):

• Under PPM, credits are deducted for every message dispatched to a Third-Party Channel, at the per-message rate applicable to the Channel, API version, and destination country as specified in the Pricing Schedule.
• Credits are consumed at the point of dispatch, not at the point of end-user verification. A message dispatched but not verified by the end-user is still chargeable under PPM.
• Requests blocked by Akedly's own anti-fraud layer before reaching a Third-Party Channel are NOT charged under any billing model.

Enterprise Customers eligible for Pay-Per-Success (PPS) billing (see Section 2) are subject to the following:

• Under PPS, credits are deducted only upon a Successful Authentication, i.e., correct OTP verification within the permitted window.
• Messages dispatched but not verified by the end-user are NOT charged under PPS.
• PPS eligibility and applicable rates are explicitly stated in the signed quotation and do not apply unless confirmed in writing by Akedly.

4.3 Prepaid Credits

Akedly operates on a prepaid credit system. The Customer purchases credits upfront; credits are deducted per message dispatched (PPM) or per Successful Authentication (PPS, where applicable) at the applicable rate. Credits are valid for twelve (12) months from activation and are non-refundable upon expiry.

4.4 Billing Disputes

In the event of a verifiable Platform-side billing error (i.e., credits incorrectly deducted due to a fault in Akedly's routing engine, dispatch system, or, for PPS Customers, verification system), the Customer may raise a dispute in writing to support@akedly.io within 14 calendar days of the affected transaction. Akedly will investigate and respond within 10 business days. Verified errors will result in credit restoration.

Akedly does not issue refunds or credits for messages delivered successfully to the Third-Party Channel layer but not received by the end-user, as Channel-side delivery is outside Akedly's operational control.

5. Platform Availability & Service Level

Akedly targets a Platform API availability of 99.9% per calendar month, excluding scheduled maintenance. The following conditions apply:

• Scheduled maintenance will be communicated via the dashboard and/or email at least 48 hours in advance where operationally possible.
• Emergency maintenance may be performed without prior notice to protect Platform integrity or security.
• Downtime caused by Third-Party Channel unavailability, force majeure, internet infrastructure failures, or the Customer's own systems is excluded from Platform SLA calculations.

In the event of a verified Platform SLA breach, the Customer's sole remedy is service credits. Akedly shall not be liable for consequential or indirect losses arising from downtime.

6. Anti-Fraud Protection & Acceptable Use

6.1 Akedly's Security Layer

Akedly operates a multi-layer fraud detection system protecting Customers against:

• SMS pump attacks: artificially inflated OTP request volumes designed to drain the Customer's credit balance;
• Brute-force and enumeration attacks targeting OTP verification endpoints;
• Automated bot traffic generating high-frequency, illegitimate OTP requests;
• Requests from phone numbers or IPs associated with known fraud patterns.

This is a best-effort system. While it substantially reduces exposure, Akedly does not guarantee that zero fraudulent requests will reach the Channel layer and does not charge for requests blocked at its own fraud filter.

6.2 Acceptable Use Policy

The Customer agrees not to use the Platform for:

• Sending messages to end-users who have not consented to receive OTPs or communications from the Customer;
• Transmitting unlawful, deceptive, abusive, or fraudulent content;
• Attempting to circumvent Akedly's rate limits, fraud filters, or channel restrictions;
• Generating artificial OTP request volume for any purpose;
• Any use that violates the Acceptable Use Policies of integrated Third-Party Channels;
• Transmitting phishing content, malware links, or content designed to compromise recipient security.

Akedly may immediately suspend Platform access for Acceptable Use violations without prior notice and without liability to the Customer.

7. Service Cancellation

The Customer may cancel their service agreement by providing thirty (30) calendar days' written notice to info@akedly.io. Upon cancellation, Platform access remains active through the notice period. Unused credits at cancellation are non-refundable. Akedly may terminate immediately and without notice in the event of a material breach of these Terms.

8. Intellectual Property

All software, algorithms, routing logic, APIs, dashboards, documentation, and brand assets comprising the Akedly Platform are and shall remain the exclusive intellectual property of Akedly LLC. The Customer receives a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access the Platform solely as described in their quotation. The Customer shall not reverse-engineer, sublicense, resell API access, or build competing products based on knowledge gained from the Platform.

9. Data & Confidentiality

Message content, recipient data, and authentication logs are treated as confidential Customer data. Akedly will not sell or disclose such data to third parties except as required for Channel routing or by applicable law. Akedly maintains appropriate technical and organizational security measures. The Customer is responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable data protection laws in their jurisdiction, including Egypt's Personal Data Protection Law No. 151 of 2020 and relevant GCC data protection frameworks.

10. Limitation of Liability

11. Modifications to Pricing, Service & Terms

Akedly reserves the right to update Pricing Schedules, modify Platform features, add or remove Third-Party Channel integrations, and revise these Terms at any time. Material changes to Terms and pricing will be communicated via email and/or in-Platform notification at least 30 days prior to the effective date where operationally possible. Continued use of the Platform after the effective date of any change constitutes acceptance.

12. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, USA, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Disputes shall first be subject to good-faith negotiation for 30 calendar days following written notice. If unresolved, disputes shall be referred to binding arbitration or the competent courts of the State of Delaware, USA, at Akedly's election.

13. Acceptance

By accepting a quotation issued by Akedly LLC, making a payment for Platform credits, or initiating use of the Platform following receipt of a quotation, the Customer confirms that they have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions in their entirety.