A2P 10DLC refers to a system in the United States that allows businesses to send Application-to-Person (A2P) type messaging via standard 10-digit long code (10DLC) phone numbers. A2P 10DLC offerings provide better delivery quality and lower filtering risk than long code SMS of the past, using the same phone numbers. This registration process is also available for countries outside of the U.S.
Register now to benefit from improved deliverability and increased throughput in the new verified A2P 10DLC ecosystem.
To help ensure your Campaigns are approved in this vetting process, please follow these best practices when submitting new Campaigns.
Note: Don't think of these best practices as a "catch-all" that will guarantee approval if you adhere to them all; rather, think of them as a baseline that shows the overall direction the ecosystem is heading toward when it comes to compliant, high-quality communications.
- If the business has a Tax Number (EIN for the US, CCN for Canada, etc.), Please select "Yes, the business I’m registering has a US EIN"(Standard Low Volume Brand Registration).
- If the business does not have a Tax Number but operates from a valid Business Address in US/Canada, Please select "No, the business I’m registering does not have a US EIN"(Sole Prop Brand Registration).
- If the business does not have a Tax ID and its address is not in US/Canada, it cannot proceed with A2P Brand Registration. In this case, the best alternative would be to use Toll-Free numbers after completing the registration process.
Forbidden use cases will result in Campaign rejection
Make sure your A2P Campaign does not involve prohibited content such as cannabis, hate speech, etc., and that your use case is compliant with the Messaging Policy. Please view our article on messaging policy for more information.
Opt-In Guidelines
We checked the rejected campaign and found that the opt-in description lacks details.
Opt-In Keywords should be alphanumeric or accented characters. Using spaces between keywords, such as 'I Agree' and 'Sign UP,' is prohibited. However, one-word keywords are acceptable. Suitable options include Subscribe, Start, Y, Yes, Confirm, and Register.
As per our carrier requirements, opt-in should follow the following guidelines.
Website opt-in: Add a form on your website where clients can enter their phone numbers and agree to receive messages. Clearly state that submitting their phone number allows them to receive messages from your company. Include a checkbox for clients to indicate their agreement.
Website Posting (Support): Prominently display the phone number on your website so customers can find it and use it to opt-in for messaging. This can be done through support pages, contact sections, or call-to-action buttons. Make it clear that customers can use the provided phone number to opt in and receive messages.
Keyword or QR Code Opt-In: Use specific keywords or QR codes that customers can use to opt-in for messaging. Communicate the keyword or display the QR code in ads, social media posts, or physical materials. Instruct customers to text the keyword or scan the QR code to opt in.
Ensure data accuracy and consistency.
Consistency in brand, website, and sample messages
Consistency in brand, website, and sample messages: If your brand name is Store, your website is www.store.com, but your sample messages say, “Here’s your one-time passcode for logging into www.business.com” your campaign will be rejected
Consistency in sample messages and use cases
If you register a marketing campaign, but sample messages say, “Here’s your one-time passcode: 123456”, your campaign will be rejected.
Consistency in email domain and company name
If you register a brand as Business Inc but provide an email address with a Gmail domain name, your campaign will be rejected.
Note: This check only applies to large, well-known corporations that should have dedicated email domains
Make sure you submit real, working websites.
If you indicate that your customers opt-in to your messages via the website but provide a website address that does not function, your campaign will be rejected.
Make sure you create as few duplicative brands and campaigns as possible
Excessive brands with the same EIN and excessive campaigns with the same campaign attributes may be seen as high-risk and may result in campaign rejection
If you wish to send templated messages, please indicate the templated fields in sample messages with brackets to help reviewers better identify which parts are templated.
For example, please write, “Doctor check due for [John Doe]. Visit [www.business.com] to schedule an appointment or call [123-456-7890]”
Ensure your use case involves consumer consent before sending messages
Make sure you collect consumer consent appropriately. Please refer to the CTIA guidelines for detailed instructions and best practices on handling consumer consent. (https://api.ctia.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/190719-CTIA-Messaging-Principles-and-Best-Practices-FINAL.pdf)
Make sure consumer opt-in is collected appropriately
If you indicate you collect opt-in via text messages, but your sample messages say, “Hi, is this the owner of 123 Maple Street? I’d like to discuss how I can help you sell your property”, it is clear that you have not collected appropriate consent before sending messages and your campaign will be rejected.
Make sure opt-in language is available on your website if you indicated in the “message flow” field that a consumer opts into your campaign on your company website.
If your brand "Store" uses its website, www.store.com, to collect phone numbers but your website does not contain opt-in language such as “By providing your phone number, you agree to receive text messages from STORE. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies.”, your campaign will be rejected.
We recommend having opt-out language in at least one of your sample messages.
For example, please add language such as “Please reply STOP to opt-out” in one of your sample messages.
Please Note: Ensure you have all the required information before registering
- Business Name
- Physical Address (Street, City, State/Province/Region, Postal Code, Country)
- Business Identity (Direct Customer or ISV/Reseller/Partner)
- Business Type (Sole Proprietorship/Partnership/Corporation /Co-Operative/LLC/Non-Profit)
- Company Status (Private/Public)
- Stock Ticker & Exchange (if Public)
- Business Registration Number & Type (EIN for US-based companies, other business identifiers for non-US companies)
- Industry
- Website
- Regions of Operations
An authorized representative with the following info:
- Name
- Title
- Phone Number
- Job Position (Director/VP/GM/General Counsel/CEO/CFO)
Notes
1: The ecosystem actively discovers new infractions, and the vetting standards continually improve.
2: Toll-Free messaging remains an attractive alternative to A2P 10DLC. Toll-Free messaging does require a verification process but does not rely on Brand and Campaign Registration
How A2P 10DLC works:
When you complete your US A2P Brand registration, your Brand will receive a Trust Score. This rating influences the maximum message throughput that will be allocated to each of your Campaign use cases.
Trust Scores are grouped into three levels, from lowest to highest. Your Trust Score level and your Campaign Type will determine the message throughput allocated to your campaign use case.
Your campaign use case describes the type of messaging you plan to send.
There are two important requirements under the new A2P 10DLC system:
- Businesses must identify who they are to the carrier networks (Brand registration).
- Businesses must register what type of messages they send, i.e., notifications (Campaign registration).
You should register for Low Volume use case if you have a Tax ID (EIN) and send under 6,000 message segments daily.
If you have a Tax ID (EIN) and send over 6,000 message segments per day, you should register for appropriate campaign types within the Standard use case
Here are screenshot examples of the process menu:
