10DLC US A2P
10DLC wiki
This is a 10DLC info page created by SMS-Magic to help you understand everything you need to know about the new 10 Digit Long Code (10DLC) regulation by the U.S. Mobile Carriers and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Attention: Extended 10DLC registration deadline by US Carriers and FCC: May 31, 2023.
Quick links:
In this wiki:
- Why 10DLC regulation?
- How can you register for 10DLC and what time it takes?
- What does brand registration (step 1) for 10DLC mean?
- What does campaign registration (step 2) for 10DLC mean?
- What does long code mapping (step 3) for 10DLC mean?
- Forbidden Message Categories
- FAQs for SMS-Magic customers
Why 10DLC regulation?
10DLC is the new industry-led long-code solution to increase consumer trust and messaging volume and reduce spam texts for A2P (Application-To-Person) business messaging. It allows businesses to send sanctioned A2P messaging traffic over phone numbers.
When businesses text over long codes, the carriers need a solution that protects consumers from messaging spam. The U.S. carriers will now offer the same to encourage the growth of businesses communicating with their consumers through text messages while also protecting the consumers from unwanted messages. The 10DLC registration ensures that end users receive text messages that are verified and valid and allows legitimate businesses to send a large volume of messages.
The idea of the 10DLC regulation is you must own and declare the messages 💬 you send. And help mobile carriers know that you do not spam consumers. It is a step in the right direction to prevent spam and increase accountability in the entire messaging ecosystem.
What is 10DLC?
10 DLC is a 10-digit phone number (for example 555-555-5555) that businesses use for promotional and transactional texting.
What is the 10DLC regulation?
It is the new anti-spam regulation brought by the U.S. wireless carriers and industry groups in collaboration with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA). It applies to all businesses using applications (such as SMS-Magic) to send text messages over long codes in the United States. Under this regulation, businesses have to register their long codes with The Campaign Registry (TCR).
What is The Campaign Registry (TCR)?
TCR or The Campaign Registry is the reputation authority for business messaging on 10DLC. The 10DLC (10-digit long code) Campaign Registry is a database that keeps track of various 10DLC text messaging campaigns. It records information about these campaigns, including sender information, campaign content, opt-in and opt-out management, and compliance with regulations and guidelines. The registry helps ensure proper oversight and management of text messaging campaigns using 10DLC numbers, promoting transparency, and compliance with industry standards.
To whom does the 10DLC regulation apply?
It applies to all businesses using applications (such as SMS-Magic) to send text messages over long codes in the United States. Under this regulation, businesses have to register their long codes with The Campaign Registry (TCR) – the reputation authority for business messaging on 10DLC.
What is A2P texting?
A2P stands for Application-to-Person. And A2P texting refers to the practice of sending text messages from an application or software system to individuals. It involves automated or programmatic communication where businesses, organizations, or service providers send text messages to their customers or users.
A2P texting is widely used for various purposes, such as:
- Notifications: Sending alerts, reminders, or notifications to customers about important updates, appointments, or events.
- Marketing and Promotions: Conducting marketing campaigns by sending promotional offers, discounts, or announcements to a targeted audience.
- Authentication and Verification: Sending verification codes, one-time passwords (OTPs), or account activation links to verify user identities during registration or login processes.
- Customer Support: Engaging in two-way communication with customers for support queries, order status updates, or resolving issues through text-based interactions.
- Surveys and Feedback: Collecting customer feedback or conducting surveys by sending text messages with questionnaires or links to online surveys.
A2P texting is commonly used by businesses in industries such as higher education, finance, healthcare, lifestyle and wellness, law services, staffing and recruitment, and contact centers. It provides a convenient and effective way to reach a large number of individuals quickly and reliably. However, it’s important for businesses to comply with local regulations and guidelines to ensure user privacy, prevent spam, and maintain the trust of their customers.
What is A2P 10DLC?
A2P 10DLC is a system in the U.S. that enables businesses to send A2P messages via 10-digit long code phone numbers. A2P 10DLC is specific to long-code messaging and does not affect short-code numbers messaging or toll-free numbers.
Consequences of not registering
Businesses that do not register for 10DLC by May 31, 2023, could face messaging disruption starting June 1, 2023. Increased message filtering and fees will apply to messages sent without registration. Soon, unregistered messaging to the US via long code numbers will start getting blocked altogether. This could directly affect the performance of all their customer-facing communications and functions.
Surcharges for unregistered 10DLC messaging
Please be advised that the following 10DLC pass-through surcharge fees will increase for T-Mobile and AT&T. We expect to see similar trends with other carriers so kindly register for 10 DLC campaigns to avoid carrier surcharges. With this increase in surcharge fees, the per-text messaging cost will increase drastically for the unregistered numbers.
T-Mobile
Unregistered and/or Non-Migrated traffic will be charged at the pass-through rate and effective dates indicated below.
| Effective (6/1/23) | Effective (8/1/23) | Effective (10/1/23) | Effective (12/1/23) | |
| 10 DLC messaging Fees- SMS (Outgoing & Incoming) | $0.005 | $0.006 | $0.007 | $0.008 |
| 10 DLC messaging Fees- MMS (Outgoing & Incoming) | $0.014 | $0.015 | $0.016 | $0.017 |
AT&T
The following pass-through fees will apply for Unregistered 10 DLC campaigns for AT&T, effective June 1st, 2023.
- Flat rate of $0.01 per SMS MT
- Flat rate of $0.015 per MMS MT
Other Carriers
As we expect to see similar trends with other U.S. carriers, please register complaint 10DLC campaigns well in advance of the June 1st, 2023 deadline to avoid carrier surcharges.
Please complete 10DLC registration to avoid increased pass-through fees. Please keep in mind that the carriers can enforce a zero-tolerance policy at any time
The sending of Unregistered and/or Non-Migrated traffic is a violation of the Participating Carrier Requirements and as such, the 10DLC delivery hub reserves the right to potentially suspend, terminate or block messages or non-sanctioned traffic as required to maintain compliance with Participating Carrier Requirements.
Benefits of 10DLC registration
- Higher messaging volume: With 10DLC registered numbers you can send higher volume messages at a much lower cost than shortcodes
- The common number for voice and text: 10DLC numbers are text as well as voice-enabled so you can receive texts on the same number that customers call you on.
- Goodwill among mobile carriers: Having 10DLC registration also improves your goodwill among carriers and communication providers. It prevents unintentional spam filtering, so you enjoy higher deliverability than unregistered long codes.
10DLC numbers give businesses the best of both worlds: mass text messaging support with lower overhead costs. This is what you can expect from 10DLC:
| Benefit | Explanation |
| Higher SMS Message Volumes | A 10DLC number is much more capable of A2P text messaging than a local long code |
| Lower Cost | The 10DLCs operate relatively low in cost compared to shortcodes. So, businesses that can’t afford a short code number or don’t send enough messages to justify paying for a short code have a cost-efficient alternative. Businesses can send more messages from their existing phone number and won’t have to pay for an additional number to get 10DLC capabilities. |
| Support & Assurance | The communications providers will look over businesses and the 10DLC messaging programs before allowing them to send A2P messages. This will assess the risk, ensure proper usage, and avoid unintentional spam filtering |
| Carriers, Carriers’ customers, and Businesses | The 10DLC brings many benefits to carriers, carriers’ customers, and businesses. Carriers protect their consumers from unwanted and nuisance messaging spam. Businesses gain higher throughput than they could with the unregistered long codes and have a more affordable alternative to short codes and toll-free numbers. End users get increased confidence and trust in their No. 1 means of communicating with businesses. |
| Text and Voice-enabled phone numbers | The 10DLC numbers also support voice and allow the customers to send or receive text messages on the same number they call you from. This creates a more seamless customer experience and makes engaging with your business easier and more convenient with calls and text messages. |
| Local phone number recognition | The 10DLC helps businesses confidently to send text messages to customers individually or at a large scale with a local phone number. It improves customer engagement and experience. |
| Better Deliverability | The term vendors sanction 10DLC numbers, and messages sent on these numbers are more likely to reach the recipient than with regular local long codes. |
How can you register for 10DLC and what time it takes?
The U.S. mobile carriers require all businesses sending A2P messages on a 10DLC phone number to register their brand and campaign with a chosen campaign service provider (for example SMS-Magic).
Once we submit your brand and campaign details on TCR (The Campaign Registry) portal, the TCR authorities verify your application. After successful verification, TCR grants you 10DLC registration. This is a multi-step process as below:
- Step 1: Register the brand and legal identity of your business or organization
- Step 2: Register your campaigns (various transactional and promotional messages you send over long codes)
- Optional step: Additional vetting
- Step 3: Map your long codes (10-digit phone numbers) to registered campaigns.
- Business as usual: Continued compliance.
The time it takes to register for 10DLC
Brand registration (step 1) ideally 5-10 minutes with a flawless EIN (Employer Identity Number) match. If there is any discrepancy, then resolving that can take up to a week of coordination and resubmission.
Similarly, campaign registration (step 2) typically takes 1-3 days if all goes well. If rejected, then resolving the same can take anywhere up to 3 weeks of coordination and resubmission.
As your messaging solution provider, SMS-Magic has dedicated a 10DLC support team to help you register in time.
Fill out the SMS-Magic Application form for 10DLC registration or contact our support team (care@sms-magic.com) to proceed with your 10DLC registration. Our team will provide you with all the information you need. And will help you through the registration process from start to finish.
What information is required for registration?
You will need to provide details about your business details and campaign use cases. Brand registration requires business details such as business name, physical address, and business type (LLC, partnership, etc.). Campaign registration requires campaign use case details such as sample messages, opt-in, opt-out, help information, etc. Refer to The SMS-Magic Application form for 10DLC registration to know more.
What are the fees associated with 10DLC registration?
The Campaign Registry (TCR) has publicly published the registration fees for brand registration, different campaign use cases, additional vetting, and continued compliance month on month. Refer to the 10DLC registration fee details to understand the different charges of registering for 10DLC.
What does brand registration (step 1) for 10DLC mean?
The Campaign Registry asks businesses sending A2P messages over long codes to own and undertake responsibility for the messages they send. Thus it requires every brand to declare its legal identity and company registration details. This is step 1 in 10DLC registration. Only after successful registration of the brand, can you register your campaigns (messages you want to send over 10-digit long codes).
What does campaign registration (step 2) for 10DLC mean?
The Campaign Registry asks businesses sending A2P messages over long codes to show that the messages they send are not spam. Thus it requires every brand to declare the various types of transactional and promotional messages it sends. They call it the submission of ‘campaign use cases’. Brands have to register each campaign use case separately. With each use case, the brand has to also submit the sample message content and opt-in, opt-out, and support details. This is step 2 in 10DLC registration. Only after successful registration of the brand, can you register your campaigns (messages you want to send over 10-digit long codes).
What is a campaign use case?
Campaign use case in simple terms is a unique messaging purpose. It could be transactional (like confirmed meeting reminders) or promotional (marketing messages).
Which campaign use cases are allowed under the 10DLC regulation?
The following use cases are allowed.
| Use Case Category | Use Case Description |
| 2FA | Any two-factor authentication with passcodes used to unlock accounts |
| Account Notifications | Notification sent to account holders about changes in accounts |
| Customer Care | Customer care interactions by the support and other customer-facing teams |
| Delivery Notifications | Updates about the delivery of products and services |
| Fraud Alert Messaging | Notifications of suspicious behavior identified by the business |
| Higher Education | Messages sent by colleges, universities, and other educational institutions |
| Low Volume Mixed | For brands with multiple use cases and only need very low messaging throughput. Examples include test or demo accounts and small businesses (single Doctor’s office, single Pizza shop, etc.). |
| Machine to Machine | Machine to Machine (M2M) is a process that implies wireless communication between two or more physical assets. There is no human interaction in the Machine-to-Machine Campaign. Subscriber-facing campaigns are prohibited. This is a dedicated Use Case |
| Marketing | Communications related to time-bound events and sales |
| Mixed | Any messaging campaign containing 2 to 5 standard use cases. |
| Polling and voting | Surveys, polling, and voting campaigns used for non-political purposes |
| Public Service Announcement | Messages aimed at creating awareness about important topics |
| Security Alert | Notifications that alert users about a potential breach of systems |
| Carrier Exemptions (Special Campaign) | Exemption by Carrier. |
| Charity (Special Campaign) | Communications from a registered charity aimed at providing help and raising money for those in need. Includes: 501c3 Charities. Proxy – 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. |
| Emergency (Special Campaign) | Notification services designed to support public safety/health during natural disasters, armed conflicts, pandemics, and other national or regional emergencies. |
| Sweepstakes (Special Campaign) | All gambling and sweepstakes messaging. |
| K-12 Education (Special Campaign) | Campaigns created for messaging platforms that support schools from grades K – 12 and distance learning centers, excluding post-secondary schools. |
| Political (Election Campaigns) (Special Campaign) | Part of an organized effort to influence the decision-making of a specific group. Available only to registered 501(c)(3/4/5/6) and Orgs with a Campaign Verify token. |
| Social (Special Campaign) | Communication between celebrities/ influencers and their communities. Examples include YouTube Influencers’ alerts or Celebrity alerts. |
| Agents and franchises (Special Campaign) | Brands that have multiple agents, franchises, or offices in the same brand vertical but require individual localized numbers per agent/location/office. |
| Sole Proprietors (Special Campaign) | All small-volume messaging for sole proprietor entities |
What does long code mapping (step 3) for 10DLC mean?
The Campaign Registry asks businesses sending A2P messages over long codes to use every 10-digit long code with discretion. Thus it requires every brand to map every 10-digit phone number they use for transactional or promotional texting to respective campaign use cases or message purposes. This is step 3 in 10DLC registration. Only after successful registration of a campaign, can you map your long codes with it.
Forbidden Message Categories for SMS and MMS in the US and Canada
The following messaging use cases are not allowed on SMS or MMS in the United States or Canada. The below information applies to long-code messaging with the rollout of the new A2P 10DLC system, in addition to the shortcode and toll-free messaging. Lastly, we have also provided suggested alternatives for conducting certain forbidden use cases.
Please note, certain types of message content may be subject to restrictions, even when your use case is not forbidden. For example, the use of shared public URL shorteners is not allowed by U.S. carriers and will result in filtering.
Forbidden message categories for SMS/MMS in the U.S./Canada
| Category | Examples | Notes |
| High-risk financial services | Payday loans, short term high-interest loansThird-party loans (e.g., auto, mortgage)Student loansCryptocurrency | “Third-party” means originating from any party other than the one which will service the loan. |
| Third-party lead generation services | Companies that buy, sell, or share consumer information. | |
| Debt collection or forgiveness | Third-party debt collection, debt consolidation, debt reduction, credit repair programs | “Third-party” means originating from any party other than the one who is owed the debt. For example, a hospital could send messages regarding bills for its own patients, assuming they provided an opt-in to receive that message. Third-party debt collectors may send transactional messages that consumers have directly opted in to; however, they cannot use SMS as a channel to collect a debt. |
| “Get rich quick” schemes | Deceptive work-from-home programs Risk investment opportunitiesPyramid schemes | This is different from outreach about employment as a result of compliant opt-in practices, messages from brokerages to their members, investment news alerts, or other investment-related messages. |
| Illegal substances/articles | Cannabis (United States)CBD (United States)Fireworks | Cannabis is federally illegal in the United States. Cannabis businesses will not be permitted to use SMS/MMS messaging in the US, regardless of message content. CBD is federally legal, but is subject to varying legal restrictions across U.S. states, so U.S. carriers do not permit messaging related to CBD. Fireworks are a regulated product and U.S. and CA carriers do not permit messaging related to fireworks. |
| Prescription drugs | Drugs that require a prescription | Offers for drugs that cannot be sold over-the-counter in the U.S./Canada are forbidden. |
| Gambling | Casino appsGambling websites | Gambling traffic is prohibited in the U.S. and Canada on all number types (Toll-Free, Short Code, Long Code). |
| “S.H.A.F.T.” use cases | SexHateAlcoholFirearmsTobacco | While tobacco and alcohol traffic is prohibited on Toll-Free, it is allowed on Short Code, or Long Code, as long as proper age-gating procedures are followed. Firearms and vaping-related traffic are prohibited. |
FAQs for SMS-Magic customers registering for 10DLC
I already have a few long code numbers, do I have to register myself for 10DLC?
You don’t need to buy new numbers if you already use long code numbers. By following the registration process, you can enable your existing numbers to use the new A2P 10DLC service.
I am using the SMS-Magic product, but some other provider owns the numbers. What should be done in that case?
You need to contact your number provider. The 10DLC registration process needs to be completed by them. For more information, you can get in touch with us at care@sms-magic.com
What are the typical steps for successful 10DLC registration?
Follow these steps to set up 10DLC for use with your 10DLC campaigns.
- We register your businesses with TCR and help you to start submitting campaigns.
- We register your campaigns with key information based on the use case for each campaign.
- We obtain your trust score and determine any carriers’ required throughput/ daily limit on messages
- We establish your 10-digit long code with a new number or an existing one.
How do long numbers, short codes, 10DLC, and toll-free numbers differ?
Shortcode is a 4 to 6-digit number used by businesses for global non-consumer (A2P) messaging. These are ideal for Enterprise level, large-scale, unlimited customer bases and are generally used for marketing blasts, one-time passwords, fraud alerts, and more. Ex.: 156762
10DLC – is the industry-led long code solution for non-consumer (A2P) messaging. These are ideal for localized, in-branch or in-store, smaller, segmented customer bases and are used for chat (text and voice), event-based interactions, service updates, and appointment reminders. Ex.: +1 415 123 2678
A toll-free number (8XX), which has been text-enabled, was available for voice calls. These are ideal for enterprise-level or localized, large-scale or in-branch, low messaging volumes, and used for customer service chat (text and voice) customer feedback, notifications, and updates. Ex.: 1 (800) 227-4567.
| Number Type | 10DLC | Short Code | Long Number | Toll-Free Number (8xx) |
| Example | +1 123 123 1234 | 112312 | +1 123 123 9999 | +1 800 123 1234 |
| Digit length | 10 digits | 5-6 digits | 10 digits | 10 digits |
| Messaging model | A2P | A2P | A2P and P2P | A2P |
| Voice-enabled | Yes, US and Canada | N/A | Yes, US and Canada | Yes, US and Canada |
| Requires brand vetting | Yes | Yes, US only | No | No |
| Requires campaign approval | Yes, via TCR (The Campaign Registry) | Yes | No | Yes |
| Throughput | Up to 2400 msg/min with MNO approvalDepends on Brand Vetting Score | 10-500 msg/sec | 1 msg/sec | 10 msg/sec |
| MMS | Yes, US and Canada | Yes, US only | Yes, US and Canada | Yes, US and Canada |
| Keywords required | Opt-in/out | Opt-in/out and Help | No | Stop, Unstop – Network managed |
| Endorsed by US carriers | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Supported US carriers | AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile/Sprint, US Cellular | All | All | All |