Authenticated push notifications without publishing the App to the Windows Phone Store

Question

We are currently developing a Windows Phone 8 application that won't be published to the Windows Phone Store but will be distributed through our Company Portal (Windows Intune Direct Management).

Our team would like to add Push Notifications using MPNS (Microsoft Push Notification Service) but we are aware that, without submitting the app to the Windows Phone Store, we would be forced to use unauthenticated push notifications that are throttled to something like 500 notifications\day per subscription.

We are evaluating to try a service like Azure Notification hub but It's hard to find some clear documentation about how to set up authenticated push notifications with Notification Hub and even more important, if Notification Hub has the same policy that force to submit the mobile application to the Store.

So, the questions are:

1. In order to use unthrottled authenticated push notifications, do you know if Notification Hub requires the app submission to the Windows Phone Store?
2. Do you know any other valid way to get no-quota push notifications?

Answer 1

Microsoft has finally updated its term of service enabling no-quota (unthrottled) notifications for company apps on Windows Phone.

1. Create a Windows Phone Store developer account if you do not have one. Even though you won’t be submitting apps to the store, you will need to use the Windows Phone Store to manage your certificate.

2. Prepare your push service to use the authenticated endpoint as documented here. Also, retrieve your certificate and set up its service as outlined here.

When you have completed the steps above, do not link it to any app.

Official link:
blogs.windows.com/windows_phone/b/wpdev/archive/2013/12/10/enabling-no-quota-push-notifications-for-company-apps-on-windows-phone.aspx