Is your company engaging with prospects and customers in the U.S. through SMS or text message marketing? If so, you’ve probably heard about 10DLC, a recent update that went into effect in October 2021 in texting regulations set by U.S. mobile carriers. If not, here’s what you need to know to remain compliant when texting with your audiences.
What is 10DLC?
A2P 10DLC stands for application-to-person ten-digit long code. It is the new business standard created by all U.S. mobile carriers for companies sending text messages to customers and prospects.
Who Does 10DLC Apply to and Who Does It Not Apply to?
Anyone texting to a U.S. number and not using a short code needs to register for 10DLC. Alternatively, they can use a toll-free number for special cases explained below. If you are in Canada and only texting people in Canada, you do not need to register for 10DLC compliance. If you are in Canada and texting some people in the U.S. and Canada, you need to register for 10DLC compliance.
If you are only sending 1:1 messages, non-marketing, customer service, and alert notifications to your users in the U.S., you may text from a toll-free number and you do not have to register for 10DLC, but it’s important that you don’t send any marketing messages from that toll-free number, or else you could face heavy fines.
What That Means for Your and Your SMS Campaigns
If 10DLC applies to you, you will have two options to become 10DLC compliant:
- Register for 10DLC number(s)
- Buy a toll-free number
Why Are These Changes Being Made?
Before 10DLC, most businesses relied on long codes designed for person-to-person use. These codes have the throughput of one message a second and were unsanctioned for business use by mobile providers. This leads to the potential of your messages being blocked.
With 10DLC, you’ll benefit from improved deliverability and security and lower spam rates. Additionally, 10DLC numbers have much higher daily restrictions for sending in the U.S. If you don’t comply with 10DLC, you may face restrictions based on your carrier, and your message will most likely be blocked.
How to Register for a 10DLC Number
When becoming 10DLC compliant, you’ll need to register your brand and define the individual campaigns you’re using to send text messages using local phones. As noted, this is for customers sending to the U.S. only. If your business is in Canada and you’re sending to Canadian contacts, 10DLC does not affect you. However, if you’re a Canadian business sending messages to U.S. contacts, you will need to register both your brand and campaigns.
Are There Fees Associated With 10DLC?
Yes, and compared to short codes, they’re lower. They include:
- $5 brand registration (one-time fee)
- $65 campaign registration (fee per campaign)
- $40 quarterly campaign subscription (how you can renew registration every quarter)
Use Cases or Campaigns You Can Use With 10DLC
When registering your campaigns, you’ll need to provide a description and two sample messages to receive approval. When you’re approved, you’re good to send! Here is a list of some examples of 10DLC use cases:
- 2FA: Any authentication, verification, or one-time passcode
- Account Notifications: Standard notifications for account holders, relating to and being about an account
- Customer Care: All customer interaction, including account management and customer support
- Delivery Notifications: Information about the status of the delivery of a product or service
- Fraud Alert Messaging: Messaging regarding potential fraudulent activity on an account
- Higher Education: Campaigns created on behalf of Colleges or Universities. It also includes School Districts and educational institutions that fall outside of any “free to the consumer” messaging model
- Low Volume Mixed: Small throughput, any combination of use-cases. Examples include: test, demo accounts.
- Marketing: Any communication with marketing and/or promotional content
- Mixed: Any undeclared combination of use-cases
- Polling and voting: Requests for surveys and voting for non-political arenas
- Public Service Announcement: An informational message that is meant to raise the audience’s awareness about an important issue
- Security Alert: A notification that the security of a system, either software or hardware, has been compromised in some way, and there is an action you need to take
- Carrier Exemptions: Exemption by Carrier
- Post-registration approval by Mobile Network Operators is required for this Use Case
- Charity: Communications from a registered charity aimed at providing help and raising money for those in need. Includes: 5013C Charity. Does not include: Religious organizations.
- Post-registration approval by Mobile Network Operators is required for this Use Case
- Conversational Messaging: Peer-to-peer app-based group messaging with proxy/pooled numbers. Supporting personalized services and non-exposure of personal numbers for enterprise or A2P communications.
- Post-registration approval by Mobile Network Operators is required for this Use Case
- Emergency: Notification services designed to support public safety / health during natural disasters, armed conflicts, pandemics and other national or regional emergencies.
- Only Mobile Network Operators pre-approved Communications Service Providers are eligible for this Use Case
- Sweepstakes: All sweepstakes messaging.
- Post-registration approval by Mobile Network Operators is required for this Use Case
- Political: Part of organized effort to influence decision making of specific groups. All campaigns to be verified. Only federal campaigns.
- Only pre-vetted Brands are eligible for this Use Case. Please register at www.campaignverify.org and select ‘Import Vetting’ on the Brand Details page
- Social: Communication within or between closed communities. (For example: influencers’ alerts).
- Only Mobile Network Operators pre-approved Communications Service Providers are eligible for this Use Case
- Large Communications Service Providers Trial: Large Communications Service Providers Trial Offers with strict controls and Mobile Network Operators audit rights (MO opt in).
- Only Mobile Network Operators pre-approved Communications Service Providers are eligible for this Use Case
Please Note: Registering your campaigns applies to all bulk and automated messaging.
Buying a Toll Free Number
If you are only sending 1:1 messages or alerts, you can be 10DLC compliant by texting from a toll-free number. You can purchase a toll-free number on the Zap Phone Number page in the Account Settings.. There are some important things to note if you go this route:
- 1:1 communication can be done via a toll-free number that does not need any campaign registration
- Toll-free numbers cost $4/month
- Up to 500k messages per month from one toll-free number
- No marketing messages are allowed, can face fines if you send marketing messages from toll-free numbers starting October 1, 2021
How to Sign Up for 10DLC
If you are a SMSZap user, you should have received information from our team on how to register from your Account Settings. If you need help locating it, reach out to support at support@smszap.com! For any questions about the details outlined above, feel free to reach out at the address as well.