SMS or Short Message Service is a text messaging component of most mobile device systems, the Internet, and telephones. SMS, today, is the most common means of communication. “Short” refers to the maximum size of the text messages that can be sent, i.e. you can send a message of up to 160 characters from one device to the other. Any message that is above 160 characters, will be split into multiple characters. SMS serves the purpose of sharing information from any location and at one’s convenience.
2. How does it work actually?
Your handset uses the Short Message Peer to Peer (SMPP) protocol to communicate with Telephone operators gateways. SMPP is used to send and receive messages from and to GSM, UMTS, iDEN, CDMA, and TDMA cell phones. This level-7 TCP/IP protocol allows fast delivery of SMS messages.
Once you type the SMS, it travels via radio waves to the control channel, which is the pathway that allows your cell phone to interact with your phone tower. This enables your cell phone to send and receive SMS messages.
3. What is MMS?
MMS or Multimedia Messaging Service is a way of sending messages that include multimedia content. Unlike SMS, MMS has the ability to send a wide variety of media such as a video of up to 40 seconds, an image, audio, or a slideshow of images. Most of the modern-day devices support MMS texting. MMS message can send rich media content to mobile devices and is an effective and powerful tool for companies and business to show their loyalty towards their customers by keeping them informed about their products and services in a creative way.
4. How can SMS be sent from a PC or website?
SMS provider companies such as Screen-Magic directly buy SMSC connections from Telecom operators and submits messages to them. Telecom operators then sends the messages to end devices. Same works in the opposite way for Inbound numbers or VMN (Virtual Mobile Numbers)
5.What is TCPA/DND?
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) controls the outbound telemarketing calls to third-party generated leads. The TCPA prevents businesses from sending text messages, making telemarketing calls, and broadcasting pre-recorded messages without obtaining a prior express consent of the consumers.
SMS is a popular marketing channel, and anyone can send SMS to mobile numbers. Telecom regulatory authorities of most of the countries have brought in laws to control unsolicited messages. TCPA or DND are basic laws that prevent misuse of SMS for unsolicited usage. The National Do Not Call (DNC) or Do Not Disturb (DND) Registry is a specific provision of TCPA. It is created with an intension of restricting the businesses to send messages or make phone calls to consumers who have activated DND.
How to Choose Right SMS Service or Provider
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SMS messaging came into existence back in the year 1992. Even today, SMS messaging is in demand and is one of the most reliable modes of communication.
Every small, medium, or large scale companies, nowadays, use the power of SMS text marketing. Choosing the most reliable SMS service or provider is the first thing that you should take care of for running successful SMS campaigns.
How to Choose the right SMS Service or Provider
The majority of SMS service providers offer Bulk SMS, promotional, and transactional SMS services as per the requirements of the businesses. Here is the list of important things that you should consider while selecting the right SMS service or provider:
SMS Services Offered
It is always an advantage to select an SMS service provider that offers all possible messaging services such as bulk SMS, transactional SMS, promotional SMS, etc. With this, you can reach a larger target audience at a low cost.
Test Before You Buy
Check if the service provider is willing to offer a free trial for a limited period to check the services. With this, you can experience the capacity of their SMS gateway platform and the delivery rate.
Reliability
Reliable SMS service providers will always make sure of a high level of uptime with less room for errors.
Scalability
The SMS service provider must have a platform that offers the capability to expand as your business grows. As your business grows, and as the SMS campaigns grow bigger, the platform offered by the SMS service must be able to handle the huge volume of messages sent.
24/7 Customer Support
While selecting an SMS service, check if a 24/7 customer support is provided. A 24/7 customer support enables you to get a faster resolution to your queries.
Data & Analytics
It is important to track the SMS campaign to better understand the CTA. To plan the future SMS campaigns and to reach the right target customers, it is important to measure the number of messages delivered. A reliable SMS service provider ensures you a graphical representation of the number of messages delivered.
User Experience
Using the services of the SMS service provider during the trial period and checking their reach will get you the idea of user experience that you might get from the service provider. The network operator connections, number of clients, and different industries they cater will assist you in selecting the right SMS service provider.
CRM Integrations
Choose a service provider who offers a range of CRM integrations for your platform. This will erase a lot of hiccups related to applications and infrastructure.
Multi-language SMS
Choose a service provider that offers a platform supporting multi-language SMSs. With this, you can break language barriers and send SMS as per region-specific languages.
Pay-as-you Model
Select a provider who charges you as per the services used. Check for the hidden charges if any and API limitations that would add to your final cost.
Best Practices for using SMS Messages for Your Business Communication
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SMS has a mission-critical role in modern business— many high-priority applications, alerts, and content depend heavily on an SMS being delivered in a timely manner. SMS is considered to be one of the safest channels for the transmission of critical information to a phone. It works on any handset, in any country, and it is still used often by recipients than many other channels.
But it’s deliverability is not flawless. The telecom industry is not fully interoperable and the optimal path for delivery is not always the one you are using. However, there are proven techniques that you can use to improve SMS delivery.
Use Numeric Sender IDs: Avoid using alphanumeric sender IDs in countries where telecom restrictions don’t allow the use; most carriers spam filters, alphanumeric senders. Instead, use numeric senders in international format (e.g. 397525856425).
Don’t Spam: Not only is it illegal, more often than not, it doesn’t work. Most likely the message will not arrive at the handset and you will still be paying for it. Spam filters have become very effective at detecting spam attacks.
Randomize the Body of the Message: As we have seen with sender IDs, it is better to randomize the body of the message, if you can. If you are sending a campaign or password code, come up with more than one version of the content and change it randomly.
For example: Message 1: Your Pin Code is 2234 Message 2: Please enter 6765 into your application to verify your account
Randomize Sender ID: Some carriers will block repeated messages from the same sender, be they numeric or alphanumeric. To achieve optimal performance, get enough numeric senders in international format and then rotate them randomly for each message you send. This differs from country to country telecom restrictions.
Provide Opt-Out details in SMS: For any Marketing/Promotional SMS, it’s always good to add opt-out details. This gives more credibility to your messages and reduces the chances of getting blocked by carriers.
To summarize, here are the key points to keep in mind:
Use numeric sender IDs in international format
Avoid alphanumeric senders
Randomize sender and content
Don’t spam
There are many restrictions placed by Network operators to filter our SPAM messages or to comply with local regulations. The complete list of countries & restrictions is mentioned below in the section “SMS Restrictions”. If a country is not mentioned in the below list, it means that the country does not have any known restrictions for sending messages. However, it’s advisable to follow the best practices mentioned above for all countries.
Country-Specific SMS Restrictions
Albania – Albanian Mobile Communications (AMC Mobil) filters for alphanumeric sender ID’s. We recommend using a numeric sender ID that does not start with a 0 to bypass the AMC Mobil filter.
Algeria – Orascom Telecom Algerie Spa (Djezzy 60302) filters local (i.e. Algerian domestic) sender IDs and also possibly alphanumeric sender ID’s. To bypass the Djezzy filter, we suggest using an international format numeric sender ID.
Argentina – Nextel Argentina (722020) does not provide DLR’s, hence Delivery Receipts should not be expected for messages sent to this network.
Number formatting – When sending messages to Argentina you should ensure the 9 (normally used for an international voice call to an Argentinian mobile) between the country code and the local number is always omitted: Country Code 54 + 10 digit local number.
Azerbaijan – Use of Sender ID is generally not allowed by carriers. Sender ID will be changed to a random numeric string in messages sent to Barkcell Azerbaijan (40002) and Azerfon (Nar Mobile) (40004) to avoid messages getting caught by their filters.
Bahrain – Messages to all networks in Bahrain (MCC=426) are being sent over a direct link between 09:00 A.M. and 8:00 P.M. according to the Kingdom of Bahrain’s timing. This route is fully featured, supports DLRs and dynamic senderID. Outside of these hours, an alternative link will be used. As always, political, religious, or adult content is likely to be blocked by the Bahraini operators.
Bangladesh – All message sender ID’s in messages sent to Bangladesh networks will be changed to a local Number (in international format) to ensure message delivery, as Bangladesh networks are heavily filtering on Sender ID’s.
Belgium – Any non-supported sender IDs will be changed to a shortcode.
Brazil – Brazil networks either don’t support handset DLR’s or provide them only sporadically. We recommend that you not rely on handset DLR in Brazil. Concatenated, binary and Unicode messages are not supported. The maximum size of a message is 157 Characters. We will break the message into as many parts as necessary if you exceed this maximum.
Sender ID is a local shortcode such as 27199. Marketing, political and religious content is not allowed. Number formatting for Brazil: (Country Code =55), (2 Digits for Area Code), (8 Digits for the number). Note that landlines are being converted to mobile numbers all the time, due to limitations in mobile numbering plan. The porting information gets updated only once per month.
Cameroon – For MTN Cameroon, sender IDs which contain both Alpha and Numeric, but start with a Numeric are rejected by the MTN SMSC.ie:
SMS123 = delivered
123SMS = rejected
123456etc = delivered
SMS = delivered
Also, MTN will very likely reject messages with sender ID’s using local numbers and shortcodes that are not assigned to them by MTN or Orange Cameroon.
Chile – Sender ID’s will be automatically changed to a numeric within +5644890XXXX. Handset delivery reports are supported, but please note that in Chile successful delivery rates are unusually high and therefore DLR’s cannot be considered an accurate measure of message delivery. As on all direct connections, no spam, political, and/or adult content is allowed.
China – China Unicom (46001)- WAP push messages are not supported. For China Mobile, the use of binary content is restricted. In general, the following restrictions apply for all Chinese carriers:
Sender ID will be replaced by numeric local service code
Message content-length:
up to 65 chars UCS2 or 130 chars ASCII for each non-concatenated SMS
up to 62 chars UCS2 for each SMS if concatenated (not support ASCII)
Adults and especially political messages are very likely to be blocked
URL links are not allowed in messages. Any messages with a URL will be blocked.
Arabic characters cannot be supported into any Chinese networks
Colombia – Colombia Movistar (732102) does not provide Delivery Receipts, hence final message status should not be expected. If the number is available at the time of sending the message, it should be considered as delivered.
Cuba – CubaCel (36801) has implemented some filtering and it seems that messages are being filtered randomly. We recommend not sending more than 100 copies of the identical message. You must change at least 1 letter in the message every 100 messages.
Czech Republic – We are using local direct connections to reach the Czech Operators. T-Mobile and Vodafone are filtering the international routes heavily, so this direct route is the best path of delivery. Sender ID will be automatically changed to a local shortcode to ensure delivery. All other features, such as binary and concatenation, are supported.
Democratic Republic of Congo – Messages towards Tigo DRC (aka SAIT) will be replaced with a shortcode as the sender ID. DLRs are supported, as are concatenated, Unicode, and binary messages.
Ecuador – DLRs are not provided by the carrier on our local direct link to Movistar Ecuador (74000). However as this is a high-quality direct route, all messages should be successfully delivered. Since 30/09/2012 international senders are required to include an extra 9 between the country code and the local number when sending messages to Ecuador: Country Code 593 + 9 + 8 digits local number (omitting the first 0) Claro 740-01 and Allegro 740-02 are delivered on a local direct connection when messages are less than or equal to 140 characters. Any messages longer than this are terminated on international routes.
Egypt – All messages sent have a high risk of filtering imposed by operators in Egypt. Always test a specific case before sending the campaign. Carriers in Egypt do not provide handset delivery receipts. Etisalat Egypt (60203): Filters alphanumeric sender IDs. We suggest using an international format numeric sender ID to bypass the Etisalat Egypt filter. Vodafone Egypt (60202): filters alphanumeric sender IDs, local numbers (both national and international format), and shortcode.ECMS-Mobinil (60201): filters alphanumeric and shortcode sender ID’s. We recommend using an international format numeric sender ID to bypass the Mobinil filter.
Finland – Telia Sonera Finland (24491) filters alphanumeric sender ID’s. We suggest using international format numeric sender ID to bypass Telia’s filter. Any alphanumeric, non-numeric, sender might be converted on the intermediate carrier level to an international numeric sender in order to minimize the filtering risk. Shortcode senders may also be converted. Elisa Finland (24405) is filtering on alphanumeric originators and local sender IDs. Message originators will be modified to international format numeric strings in order to ensure delivery.
France – French networks don’t allow P2P Carrier to Carrier traffic (or therefore numeric-only sender IDs, to avoid spoofing of identities). AlphaNumeric sender id’s are fully supported. On our direct route, any numeric-only sender IDs will be automatically replaced by “NSMS” except for the following networks:
For Free Mobile, all senders will be replaced by Shortcode 36105. For LycaMobile, all Sender IDs will be replaced with a local French Number. For Virgin (OMEA) Mobile, they allow dynamic Numeric and AlphaNumeric Sender ID.
Special characters in sender IDs are not allowed and will be replaced by character escape. Non-standard GSM characters will be downgraded to avoid breaking the handset display. SFR and Bouygues will only accept messages for delivery between 8 AM and 8 PM local time, Monday to Saturday. Unicode Messages are not supported.
Ghana – Tigo (Millicom) Ghana (62003) filters on alphanumeric senderID. We recommend using numeric international MSISDN formatting to reduce the risk of being filtered.
Hungary – Handset DLR is supported. The sender ID will automatically be changed to +36707177171 to ensure delivery. Alternatively, you can get your own numeric sender ID which can be used to enable 2-way SMS with your customers. Note that on all direct connections no spam, political, and/or adult content is allowed.
India – Messages sent to numbers registered in the NDNC (National Do Not Call) list will be blocked. You can check the destination number on the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India registry. Sender ID is fixed to a local shortcode as required by regulation. We can only guarantee message delivery between 9 AM and 9 PM. We will attempt to send messages submitted after 9 PM, but due to local regulations, these messages may be blocked or queued. Number of messages to the same number limitations: More than 6 messages with the same sender or text to the same number within an hour may be blocked. Users may not be able to receive more than a total of 200 SMS per day across all incoming streams. Messages towards Jammu and Kashmir networks (example, 405/55 – Airtel J&K) will be blocked by the government due to political sensitivity.
Indonesia – It is known that carriers in Indonesia are filtering on alphanumeric sender IDs and are frequently sending false positive delivery receipts. We strongly recommend the use of international format numeric sender IDs to bypass Indonesia Carriers filtering. There are some routes to Indonesian carriers where the SenderID will be replaced automatically by a numeric string in the format of an International Carrier to ensure delivery. We strongly recommend using international format numeric sender ID’s to bypass Telkomsel and XL filtering.
Iran – Sender ID will be changed to a random numeric string in messages sent to MCI Iran Telecom (43211) Sender ID will be changed to a random numeric string in messages sent to MTN Irancell (43235) Sender ID will be changed to a long number string in messages sent to Iran Rightel (43220).
Iraq – Asiacel Iraq (41805) filters Alphanumeric sender ID. We recommend using International numeric sender ID to bypass network filters. Zain Iraq (41820) filters shortcode and alphanumeric senders. We suggest to use international format numeric sender to bypass Zain Iraq filtering. Avoid using senders starting with 46. Iraq Korek (41840) does not support alpha sender IDs. We advise you to use numeric senders to avoid this problem.
Israel – Please note, SMS cannot be delivered to kosher phone numbers.“Kosher” phones and networks are essentially phones with Haredi rabbinical approval that can be used for communication without entertainment functionality or connectivity. This is a line that has a pre-defined prefix and it is blocked to content that Haredi activists feel is not appropriate for their community. Such blocking includes cellular internet access, chat rooms, SMS, etc. It should not be imputed that other phones are not kosher according to Jewish law, as evidenced by the fact that a very large number – if not the majority – of observant OrthodoxJews worldwide do not restrict themselves to “kosher” phones; rather the description “kosher” phones is a loose description implying an added level of stringency accepted by some communities. Please be aware that messages must be 160 characters or less.
Italy – Italy supports most features, including handset DLR, Unicode, binary, concatenation. It allows only alphanumeric sender IDs and local numeric sender IDs with a maximum of 11 digits and sent in local format. Any SMS sent with an international numeric sender ID will not be sent via the direct route, but rather via international p2p routes. In addition to the usual anti-spam policy, the Italian networks are keen to stress that using a company name in the Sender ID is only allowed when the message is from that company.
Japan – The following set of restrictions applies to au KDDI (44007) Japan: Alphanumeric sender IDs will be modified to numeric as KDDI does not allow alphanumeric sender Ids. Concatenated messages currently not supported. If there is an URL in the message body, message delivery will fail. Mobile users can over-ride this by sending an SMS activation command to KDDI. Unicode messages supported, but some handset types are not able to display the content correctly. All DLRs are unreliable SenderIDs for messages to eMobile (44000) will be modified to a numeric string to ensure delivery.
Jordan – Zain (Jordan Mobile Telephone Services – JMTS) (41601) filters on alphanumeric sender ID’s, and on the following numeric sender ID’s: 962XXXXXXX whatever the number of digits. Also for other international formats numeric sender ID, please make sure the number of digits does not exceed 11 digits. We recommend using international format numeric sender ID of a maximum of 11 digits to bypass network filters. Advertisement messages require you to add the word “adv” before the sender id e.g. FROM= ”adv Nokia” to be in line with the TelecomRegulationCommission of Jordan. Also, these promotional messages should not be sent after 9:00 PM Amman time (GMT + 3:00). Zain Jordan (41601) alpha senders are dynamic but numeric senders will be overwritten by a fixed numericUmniah (41603) should have dynamic senderID Orange Jordan (41677) filters on numeric senders so all non-alpha senders will be changed to message to ensure delivery.
Kazakhstan – GSM Kazakhstan Kcell (40102) filters on alpha sender IDs, shortcode, and local phone numbers as numeric sender IDs. We recommend using international phone number format sender IDs to avoid this filtering.
Kenya – Kenya Safaricom (63902) is filtering on alphanumeric sender IDs. We recommend using international format numeric sender IDs to bypass Safaricom’s filtering. Additionally, Kenya Safaricom might send false positives (delivered Delivery Receipts) for messages being blocked by their filters.
Kuwait – Zain Kuwait (MTC) (41902) filters messages with alphanumeric or shortcode sender IDs. We, therefore, recommend using international format numeric sender ID to bypass these network filters. In order to bypass filtering, alphanumeric sender ID will be changed to a random numeric string in messages sent to this network.
Latvia – Messages with the same content, and sent to the same number within 5 minutes will be blocked by Latvian networks’ SPAM filters.
Macedonia- VIP Macedonia (29403) is filtering messages with alphanumeric and shortcode sender IDs. We suggest using an international format numeric sender ID to by-pass this filtering.
Madagascar – Orange Madagascar (64602) is filtering heavily in SenderID, Alphanumeric Senders will be blocked and also some Numeric in International format such as: 47xxxxxx, 44xxxxxxxx, 22xxxxxx and most likely other senders as well. We recommend to always test before switching live traffic.
Malaysia – Delivery receipts are network receipts and not handset ones. SenderID is changed to a random numeric ID (shortcode) to ensure delivery. Please note that marketing traffic must start with RM0.00 (with a space after the last 0). This is because the end-users should know that they will not be charged for replying to opt-out. If you have not put this in your message the operator will automatically add it and may compromise the maximum length of your SMS (153 characters) therefore we strongly advise you do add this ‘RM0.00′ at the start of your messages of our routes into Malaysia (MCC=502) are fully featured and can support concatenated messages. Unicode and binary. sender IDs are all overwritten with a random Malaysian number or occasionally a shortcode.
Mali – Malitel Mali (61001) is filtering in Alphanumeric and Shortcode Sender. We suggest to use International format, Numeric Sender, to by-pass Malitel filter.
Mexico – Since local law forbids personalized senders, all senders will be replaced with a random U.S. numeric sender defined by the local carriers. Binary content is not supported. Concatenated messages are supported, as are Unicode SMS. The content of adult, religious, or political nature is strictly forbidden. Delivery receipts are now supported but are still unreliable especially for Nextel (33401)These restrictions do not apply when sending from a Mexican Virtual Number.
Monaco – Monaco Telecom (21201) is filtering in Alphanumeric and Shortcode Sender. We suggest to use International format, Numeric Sender, to by-pass Monaco Telecom filtering.
Morocco – IAM (Maroc Telecom) (60401) is filtering in Alphanumeric originators and also might be returning false Delivery Receipts. We recommend using International format Numeric Sender to by-pass IAM filter.
Mozambique – MCel Mozambique (64301) and Vodacom Mozambique (64304) are now filtering alphanumeric sender IDs. We recommend using a numeric sender ID to bypass this filter.
New Zealand – Telecom New Zealand (53002) is filtering in alphanumeric sender. We will change the sender ID to local shortcodes to ensure delivery. Alternatively, we can procure a dedicated shortcode to gather response messages.
Nigeria – Delivery to CDM networks in Nigeria is not officially supported. Messages sent to CDMA operator Starcomms Nigeria will not return Delivery Receipts, but only acknowledgment of message reception by the carrier. CDMA operator Visafone Nigeria (62125) does not provide Delivery Receipts. You should not expect Final Status notifications for messages to this Operator. Glo (62150) does not support alpha sender IDs, therefore all alpha senders will be overwritten by a random numeric in order to ensure delivery.
Oman – As with many destinations in the Middle East, Oman is a difficult market to deliver messages to. Numerous filters are in place to block SMS and even legitimate AtoP traffic can often be blocked. We have a direct route into all networks in Oman (MCC=422) This is a high-quality route that supports handset delivery receipts, and the sender ID is dynamic. Additionally, we strongly advise you not to send messages using Arabic characters as operators often cannot deliver them. We would recommend that you send messages using standard GSM8 in the body of your messages and avoid using Unicode.
Palestine – Palestine is a notoriously difficult destination to deliver SMS to, due to heavy filtering by carriers. In many cases, even legitimate application to person traffic is blocked and so cheap signaling/roaming links do not deliver well particularly for high-value content such as password delivery or alerts. In order to get around this filtering, we use a direct route to all networks in Palestine. This direct connection is fully featured including handset delivery receipts, dynamic sender ID, and delivery to ported numbers. No religious, political, or adult content is allowed.
Panama – Telefonica Panama (BSC de Panama) (71402) is filtering in Shortcode sender. We recommend to use International format Numeric sender to bypass BSC de Panama filter.
Peru – We offer a direct route to all networks in Peru. For Telefonica/Movistar (71606) the sender ID on all messages will be changed to a local number to ensure delivery. For Nextel (71607) dynamic alpha and numeric sender IDs are supported. For Claro (71610) dynamic numeric senderID is supported. Handset delivery receipts are not supported by networks in Peru.
Philippines – Sender ID for messages to Smart Philippines (51503) is converted to NXSMS to ensure delivery, please note that handset DLR is not supported. Globe Philippines (51501) and Sun Philippines (51505) support dynamic sender ID, as above handset DLR is not available. Additionally, certain characters are not supported on any Philippines networks.
Officially supported characters are: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz % & ‘ ( ) * + – . / : ; ! ” # < = > ? @ 0123456789 € is not supported by Smart or Globe, £ is not supported by Globe, and $ is supported by both. Unicode is not supported on any Philippines networks.
Poland – Messages sent to ALL Networks with Numeric SenderID will be converted to “NXSMS”. Alphanumeric Sender is allowed. Sender IDs that contain the operator name (i.e., “Orange”, “Play” etc.) and sensitive Sender IDs (such as “Police”) will be blocked completely. Messages that contain premium numbers and shortcodes in the body of the message will be blocked as messages related to Premium Services are not allowed to be sent via A2P connections.
Portugal – Via Portugal Local Direct Links all Portuguese Carriers do not allow Shortcode Senders. We strongly recommend the use of Numeric Senders in International format or Alphanumeric Senders for all traffic to Portugal to bypass this blocking. Please note that operators are now filtering on Russian numeric senders throughout Portugal. We therefore strongly advise against using any Russian senders into Portugal as messages are extremely likely to be filtered.
Qatar – On our direct connection to Qatar networks: QTel (42701) and Vodafone Qatar (42702) delivery reports are supported and the sender ID will be changed to a short code (97200-97206). Note that as on all direct connections no spam, political, and/or adult content is allowed.
Romania – With local direct connections, the sender ID is changed automatically to a local shortcode (17xx-18xx). If you want to use a dynamic sender, you will be subject to carrier’s filter and your SMS might not be delivered. If you need that option, get in touch with us to enable it at your own risk. Anti-spam measures in local direct connections to Romania Networks do not allow to send more than one message to the same MSISDN within 30 seconds. Orange Romania (22610): Only pure A2P traffic is allowed, for example: marketing campaigns, promotions, banking and financial traffic, authentification traffic, different service alerts. Orange requires that customers insert identification information in the body of the message, such as a valid email address, website, or contact phone number.
Saudi Arabia – Dynamic Sender ID is supported, but numeric Senders of more than 11 digits will be blocked. We recommend users to stream messages and/or rotate international phone number originators (e.g. 447565433333).
South Africa – Using our local connections towards South Africa, the sender ID will be changed to a local South African Number to ensure delivery. Handset DLRs are supplied by the networks. Unicode and binary messages are supported.
Serbia – In order to avoid filtering, all messages to MTS Serbia (22003) with alphanumeric sender IDs will have it replaced by a UK long number.
South Korea – Sender ID will be changed to a UK numeric number. Binary and Concatenated messages are not supported. Concatenated messages will be split into separate SMS. Chinese Characters are not supporting virtual Numbers in Korea are only reachable locally. In addition, concatenated SMS is not supported locally.
Sri Lanka – Please note that in order to bypass certain filters in Sri Lanka, particularly to Dialog GSMSAT (MCC/MNC=41302), the sender ID may be changed to a Swedish number. This is to prevent messages from being blocked and to ensure delivery to all networks in Sri Lanka.
Sweden – SenderID of messages sent to Telia Sweden (24001) or any of their MVNOs will be changed for a randomly generated numeric string to bypass the Operator filtering in place.
Taiwan – Far EasTone Taiwan (46601) is filtering in Alphanumeric originator. We recommend the use of International format Numeric SenderID to bypass the Far EasTone filter. Chunghwa Telecom Taiwan (46692) is filtering in alphanumeric and shortcode senders. We recommend the use of Numeric originators in International format to bypass Chunghwa filtering.
Tanzania – Zanzibar Telecom (Zantel) Tanzania (64003) is filtering on alphanumeric and shortcode sender IDs. We, therefore, recommend using international format numeric sender IDs to by-pass Zanzibar’s filter.
Thailand – AIS Thailand (52001) is filtering, both on international carrier routes and on our local direct connection. The filter appears to be triggered by detecting similar traffic from the same sender ID. We would recommend when using a numeric sender ID in the FROM field, to use a pool and round-robin the numbers in the pool. In order to get around this filtering all messages on the default direct route will have their sender ID changed to NXSMS, please contact us to opt-out of this although message delivery will not be guaranteed.
Ukraine – International routes are filtered and there are strict rules on sending from application to person SMS. Due to restrictions on sending certain types of traffic during unsociable hours, we will only deliver on our direct route between 9h and 20h local time. Outside of these times, we will make our best effort to deliver using alternative routes.
U.S. & Canada – Carriers do not send handset delivery receipts. Intermediate DLR (accepted status) will be provided as soon as the message reaches the operator’s platform. Binary, VCard, Unicode, and long SMS are not supported by the U.S. carriers. Multipart (concatenated) messages are not supported by the U.S. carriers. However, we will split the log messages in different parts to ensure delivery. Repeated messages to the same mobile number will be blocked by carriers. Only Person-to-Person traffic is allowed in the U.S. An SMS may originate from a mobile phone, a computer, or an internet-based service, but the message must have been initiated due to human interaction. For one way communication, the sender ID will be a random U.S. number. For two way communication, you need to use the incoming number as a sender ID. Alphanumeric Sender ID is not supported in the U.S./Canada.
United Arab Emirates -To avoid carriers’ filtering rules, the sender ID will automatically be replaced by a local shortcode: 2018 (towards Etisalat) or 4720 (towards Du). We recommend always testing the actual handset delivery.
Vietnam – Viettel Vietnam (45204) This carrier is currently blocking Delivery Reports, so the DLRs sent are actually network receipts. A ‘positive DLR’ does not necessarily mean the message was received on the handset. It has also been advised against using numbers starting with: 997xxxxxx, 8xxxxxxx, and 6xxxxxxx as sender IDs. We do recommend to use an 11-digit long sender ID. Viettel is filtering on alphanumeric sender IDs, and repeated use of the same numeric sender in the form of an MSISDN. We suggest rotating a random list of International format numeric sender IDs to by-pass their filter. If you do send with an alphanumeric sender ID it will be changed to an internationally formatted phone number from the UK.
Vinaphone Vietnam (45202) This carrier is blocking alphanumeric sender ID, shortcode, and local numbers (in both domestic and international formats). We recommend the use of international formatted numeric sender ID to bypass the Vinaphone filter. Sender IDs on messages sent to Vinaphone will be changed automatically into a numeric string in the format of a UK International format-number (44……) to ensure delivery.
MobiFone Vietnam (45201) This carrier is blocking alphanumeric sender ID, shortcode, and local numbers (in both domestic and international formats). Sender IDs on messages sent to MobiFone will be changed automatically into a numeric string in the format of a UK International format-number (44……) to ensure delivery.
Yemen – Yemen Mobile (42103) is filtering on alphanumeric and shortcode sender IDs. We recommend using a numeric sender ID in an international format to bypass Yemen Mobile filtering. Sender ID will be changed to a random numeric string in messages sent to Sabafon Yemen (42101) & MTN SpaceTel Yemen (42102).
Guidelines for using SMS Messages for your Business Communication
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Legal Disclaimer – This document contains best practices and guidelines collated from various sources. Although we have researched enough to draft comprehensive guidelines by interpreting TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act), SMS-Magic is not responsible for any legal dispute arising because of or in spite of using these guidelines. To comply with the TCPA guidelines in the USA is the sole responsibility of every individual customer. If you want to know about whether you have to comply with TCPA or have any doubts, we recommend you to consult your legal advisor. Click here to view the complete list of TCPA guidelines.
In modern business, SMS plays a mission-critical role – a lot of high priority applications, content, and alerts depend on an SMS being delivered in a timely manner. There are certain rules and regulations set by the FCC for sending SMS text messages. SMS communication is broadly classified into two – non-marketing messages, and marketing messages. Any business or company that wants to send marketing messages need to comply with the new TCPA guidelines and regulations. On the other hand, the non-marketing messages are exempted from the TCPA regulations, however, it is advisable to maintain the Opt-in proofs of customers.
Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991
The FCC implemented the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (the “TCPA”) adopted rules, including prohibiting the initiation of telephone calls (other than emergency phone calls or calls made with the prior express consent of the called party) using prerecorded or artificial voice to telephone numbers or automatic telephone dialing systems assigned to a paging service, specialized mobile radio service, cellular telephone service, radio carrier service, or any other services for which the called party is charged for the call.
The new Telephone Consumer Protection Act guidelines, effective from October 16th, 2013 require auditable and written consent for every consumer in a mobile database. The new TCPA guidelines will require a significant change in how the marketers can structure their programs. This is applicable for those marketers who are not using written consent for their opt-in programs. Any business or a company who is sending SMS text messages as part of their marketing campaign need to follow the below TCPA guidelines:
You need to have written consent from your customers before sending them SMS messages. Obtain their written signature via email, website form, voice recording, text message, or telephone keypress.
If you have used a website form for opt-in, you need to immediately send a double-opt-in confirmation request and verify the handset
The opt-in confirmation message that you send to the new subscribers need to be compliant with the MMA and CTA guidelines.
Maintain a “do not call/unsubscribe list” and honor any such request. When such a request is received, the requester may not be called again on behalf of the business for whom the solicitation is made. Do not violate the National Do Not Call registry.
Your current messaging content should be related to the original program that the subscriber opted in to
Your company name/brand name should be clearly mentioned in the text
In every message, you should provide the opt-out details such as – “Reply STOP to opt-out”. It is also advisable to mention “Msg rates may apply” to inform the customer about the cost involved in replying back.
If you used a web-form for opt-in, always provide an empty checkbox with a link to your CTIA compliant mobile T&C’s. Have a clearly written policy available to anyone on request.
Document single or double opt-in confirmation messages on with a timestamp
Set time limit between 8 AM and 9 PM (local time of the customer) to send the messages
The new guidelines impact every new opt-in that a marketer acquires as well as all of the existing names in their databases. The guidelines are retroactive, meaning that after Oct. 16th 2013, if marketers do not have written consent from someone already in their mobile database, they can no longer message that consumer legally.
There have been some discrepancies in the follow-up message sent for acknowledging Opt-out requests. Specifically, opt-out messages do not violate the TCPA as long as:
The consumer has previously given express consent to receive mobile messages from the sender
The confirmatory message does nothing more than confirm the consumer’s request to opt-out of receiving future mobile communications (i.e., it does not include any additional marketing)
The confirmatory message is the final one sent to the consumer
Additionally, the FCC ruled that as long as a confirmatory text is sent within five minutes of receipt of the opt-out request, the message is presumed to be part of the consumer’s prior express consent to receive messages. On the other hand, if the confirmatory test is sent more than five minutes after opt-out, there is no presumption and the sender will be required to show that the delay was reasonable.
Exemption from TCPA
Non-marketing messages such as flight updates and bank balances are excluded from the guidelines. One-time transactions are also excluded; such as texting a keyword to a common short code to receive a coupon, which is delivered via a code in the responding SMS message, with no further messages sent.
A text message is exempted from the TCPA if the message:
Is on behalf of a tax-exempt nonprofit organization
Is not for a commercial purpose
Does not include an unsolicited advertisement, even if it is for a commercial purpose
Is sent to a consumer with whom the calling company has an established business relationship. This relationship cannot be established merely by having made a prior solicitation call. The customer ends this exemption when he or she requests that no more calls/texts be made.
In case of any doubts regarding the category in which your messages fall, or whether you need to comply with TCPA, please refer to the original guidelines or contact your legal advisor. You should obtain written consent from your customers for all messages where you are not sure of the nature of the content.
SMS on Zoho CRM
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Zoho and SMS
Texting has evolved over the past decade and is one of the most preferred media of business communication today. The percentage of people using text messaging for business is increasing every year.
By communicating with customers through the medium that they prefer, you can attract more leads, accelerate your time-to-revenue and enhance customer loyalty.
With SMS-Magic, CRM users experience the power of messaging to engage seamlessly with prospects, customers, and buyers, right from the CRM system. It is fast, effective, and simple!
SMS-Magic empowers you to enable two-way communication to complete your conversation cycle. Conversations are not just messages, they are chains of messages that create open discussions. Messages are the base for trusted relationships. Increase the response rates and dialogs between your customers by making your messages conveniently reach your customers.
Zoho CRM is simple to use and customizable for all businesses. With messaging, you can expect more out of your Zoho CRM. It is always beneficial if you communicate with your customers via messaging from a familiar interface of your Zoho CRM.
Zoho Marketplace allows you to easily access and integrate third-party applications that assist you to send text messages to your clients. The SMS-Magic extension is easily available on the Zoho Marketplace, and as it integrates with Zoho CRM seamlessly, you can start conversing with your customers on the go. When your data is stored in one place, it is easy to receive and record customer responses to the campaign and communicate with a particular customer within your Zoho CRM.
What can you do with SMS-Magic on Zoho CRM?
With the SMS-Magic messaging platform, you can connect seamlessly with your customers and prospects. Personalized messages enable you to close deals with your customers faster and offer prompt support. You can add dynamic fields to the SMS templates and customize each message (single or bulk) that you send, with minimal effort.
Automated messages enhance operational efficiency
Automate messages on the basis of ‘time and action’ triggers in the workflows, and increase customer experience and engagement. For example, by using webhooks, set up an automated welcome message for your leads.
Bulk messages reduce the workload
Extract more from your marketing campaigns and set up better support communication via bulk messages. Send a text message with a time-bound offer to increase the response rate. Asure that you take the customers’ consent before sending them any marketing messages.
SMS history shows message status
You can easily track incoming and outgoing messages from the SMS history section and find out the status of your messages. Also, with SMS history you can review the campaign performance, sales followups, service contacts, etc. If your sent messages are not getting delivered, they cannot be read. The only way to find out who opted out and whether you are getting the desired responses is to monitor the status of your messages.
Summary
SMS messaging is the new mode of conversation, with which you can easily win more deals, engage with, and retain more customers. Knowing when to send a personalized message, an automated template-based personalized campaign message will assist you to drive seamless conversations with your customers.
Since our mobile phones are personal devices, using them intelligently will help you move ahead in the competition swiftly. Read our installation guide and user guide and get started with SMS-Magic on Zoho CRM.
Process for onboarding New customers in India for SMS
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Onboarding Indian Customers
1) What steps need to be followed to set up SMS services in India?
You can send 2 types of messages in India depending on your use case and message content i.e. Promotional and transactional SMS.
Transactional messages are not intended for marketing purposes. Their main motive is to convey the required information to your registered users e.g. ‘Thanks for signing up with SMS-Magic. Your OTP for Login is 1A3sde. It’s valid for upto 20 minutes only.’
In Transactional SMS you can configure sender IDs (which you need to get approved from Carrier end) & these can be sent to DND number as well.
Promotional messages includes marketing messages which may or may not be desired by the recipient customer.
Promotional SMS messages may only be sent between 9.00 am and 9.00 pm standard India time. This means your messages could be blocked or delayed if you send outside of these times, depending on the operator.
If you would like to send promotional messages but still want to use sender Id referring to your company name then you can go ahead with Trans-promo route setup where you can register sender Id like transactional route but restriction on messages will be similar to promotional messaging.
Summarized Feature-wise difference between these 3 types of Messaging -:
Feature
Transactional
Trans-Promo
Promotional
Sender Id
We can configure sender Id max/min of 6 characters e.g.HDFCBK
We can configure sender Id max/min of 6 characters e.g.HDFCBK
It will be a random number generated by the carrier e.g. DM-0001
SMS Text
Predefined /registered SMS templates only
any text
any text
Time limit on sending SMS
we can send 24/7 i.e. any time
only in between 9 AM to 9 PM IST
only in between 9 AM to 9 PM IST
National Do Not Call list (NDNC)
You can send messages to DND registered numbers as well
You are not allowed to send messages to DND registered numbers
You are not allowed to send messages to DND registered numbers
2) Details of Documents we expect from customers and examples/screenshots of those docs
If you decide to go ahead with promotional messages, you can sign up with SMS-Magic and start using Services. Entity Registration under New Regulation of TRAI (DLT registration is needed). Refer detail here
If you decide to go ahead with transactional messages, you need to get the transactional route setup specific for your company.
Below is the list of documents that we would be requiring to create a transactional account -:
Organization registration document.
NDNC Document-: Confirmation from the organization that the messages are sent to their client base and they have maintained proofs for the same.
Indemnity declaration doc on Company LetterHead.
“Section_6_Clause_iii_Agents_Included” doc on Rs.200 stamp paper.
All SMS templates that will be used for sending messages for registration purposes.
6 character alphabetical mask (sender ID).
Opt-in proof (which is a screenshot of your org which shows a sample of all the customer’s details (Customer Name, Mobile Number, Creation/Registration Date) that would be stored in your org and you should also have your company’s logo at the top-left corner).
3) Approximate timeline to complete the whole setup & with various stages.
Setup Detail
Timelines
Dependencies
Sender Id registration
1-3 working days
Documentation from customer side. It should be registered/approved on DLT as well.
Transactional Account Creation and Routing
3-5 working days
Documentation from customer side
Transactional Template registration/Approval
1-3 working days
Customers should have existing Transactional account setup with SMS-Magic. It should be registered/approved on DLT as well.
4) FAQs/Common problems in this process which may delay the onboarding process.
Best Practices to be followed.
Customers should provide all the documents mentioned above based upon messaging they are planning to do so that the process can be smooth and faster.
Generic sender Ids are not allowed while sending transactional messages. So make sure your sender Id is not generic e.g. ALERT as it will be rejected by the carrier.
While registering templates make sure you have the same template format which is being used while sending out messages. Position of full-stop, comma or new line in message is changed then your messages will be rejected with error “ Message does not match with specified template” from the carrier side and it will result in deduction of SMS credits.
While your transactional account creation process is ongoing (as your account will be on promotional route by default) or you are willing to send only promotional messages,
you need to make sure you do not send messages on DND registered numbers. If you send promotional messages to DND registered numbers, it will fail at operator level resulting in deduction of sms credits.
Also there is a timing (in between 9.00 AM & 9.00 PM IST only) when promotional messages can be sent. Make sure you send messages during working hours. You can set up Business hours from SMS-Magic Customer Portal to schedule messages sent after working hours. Sending promotional messages during business hours will ensure timely delivery, else they will be queued for the next day.If you do not set Business hours, your message will be rejected with the error message “cannot send message outside business hours” by the carrier and it will result in deduction of SMS credits.
1. Common Questions -:
a) What kind of messages can I send when I sign up or during trial? By default your account will be having Promotional route enabled. You need to reach out to your point of contact with Screen Magic or SMS-Magic Support Team <care@screen-magic.com> with required documents if you are willing to send transactional messages.
b) How much time does it take to set up a transactional Route for my SMS-Magic Account? It takes around 3-5 business days to set up a transactional route for your SMS-Magic account, provided we have received all the necessary documents we need. Also make sure you have completed DLT registration with at least 3 operators in India.
c) Can I send both Transactional as well as Promotional messages by using the same account? You can send both Transactional as well as Promotional messages by using the same account. We need to define sender Id routing for your account and you need to use different sender Ids while sending messages based upon the kind of message you want to send. Please get in touch with SMS-Magic Support Team <care@screen-magic.com> to get it enabled. Do mention sender Ids that you want to use for both the messaging. E.g. I want to use “Promo” for Promotional messaging and “SMAGIC” for Transactional messages.
2. Transactional Messaging
a) Can we add more than one sender Id for Transactional Account? Yes, you can have more than one sender Id for a Transactional account but it should be approved from the carrier as well as from DLT.
b) Can I have sender Id more than 6 Characters? No, you cannot have sender Id more than or less than 6 characters. It has to be exactly 6 characters e.g. SMAGIC.
c) How to register SMS Templates with carriers? You can get the template registered/approved with Operator directly while doing DLT registration. Then you can send those SMS templates to SMS-Magic Support Team to get them registered with our carrier. You must have an existing Transactional account to get the templates registered.
d) What will happen if I send an SMS which is not registered with the carrier? Will it deduct SMS credits if Message is not as per the SMS Template? Your messages will be rejected with error “Message does not match with specified template” from the carrier side and it will result in deduction of SMS credits.
e) Can we increase the dynamic char limit being used in SMS Templates? Yes, you can. Reach out to SMS-Magic Support Team <care@screen-magic.com> with sample content of template along with dynamic character limit detail which needs to be increased.
3. Promotional Messaging
a) What will happen if I send messages to DND registered numbers? If you send promotional messages to DND registered numbers, it will fail at operator level resulting in deduction of sms credits.
b) Can I use my own sender Id while sending promotional messages? You can use own sender Id but it will be It overridden by operator It will be a random number generated by the carrier e.g DM-0001.
c) How can I check if the mobile number is DND registered or not? You can check online sites like http://dndcheck.co.in/ to verify if mobile number is DND registered or not. Please note we are not promoting any sites and we will not be responsible for any kind of data loss.
d) What will happen if I try sending messages after 9.00 PM IST or before 9.00 AM IST? your message will be rejected with the error message “cannot send message outside business hours” by the carrier and it will result in deduction to SMS credits.
e) Can we have messages sent after 9.00 PM IST or before 9.00 AM IST scheduled and processed during allowed time i.e. in between 9.00 AM to 9.00 PM IST? You can set up Business hours from SMS-Magic Customer Portal to schedule messages sent after working hours. Business hours will ensure to process messages during Business/working hours only. Else it will schedule that message next working day and time
5) Can we use tools like the Portal dashboard to track delivery issues & alerts systems?
A2P messaging is a term for messaging that is sent from a software application run by a business to a consumer device. Businesses use these applications for marketing messages, appointment reminders, chatbots or virtual assistants, notifications, one-time passwords (OTPs) or PIN codes, and other messaging use cases.
By definition, A2P messaging is a one-way communication only, but we also have P2A messaging also where messages originate from customers’ devices(Mobile Originated) to business applications, and the most common usage of P2A messaging includes Opt-in/Opt-out, TV voting campaigns, competitions, SMS lottery campaigns, subscriptions, etc. Have you heard of P2P messaging? This is straightforward messaging between 2 persons on their devices using SMS or OTT chat apps
A2P messaging is also known as application-to-person messaging, application-to-person SMS messaging, application-to-person SMS, A2P SMS messaging, or A2P SMS.
Currently A2P messaging is popularly used for sales and marketing communication between a company and its customers, a few examples of current trends are:
Two-factor authentication (2FA) to increase account security or verify change’s to a user’s account, typically by sending a one-time passcode to the user’s mobile device.
Anti-fraud alerts are immediately sent to a user when suspicious account activity is detected.
Companies support channels through applications like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.
Banking alerts on any event in customers’ accounts like debit, credit, etc.,
IoT device alerts and notifications between smart devices, such as AI assistants and mobile phones
A2P messages are subjected to local messaging regulations of each country and these restrictions can have delivery implications that customers should be aware of, such as message filtering by recipient carriers or delayed message delivery.
Please write to us at sales@sms-magic.com to guide you to choose a phone number, provider, and message template to maximize your delivery rates.
Note that SMS-Magic Supports A2P Messaging on different phone number types such as Long Codes, Short Codes, and Toll-free numbers. And Associated cost, messaging through-put, and deliverability are subject to the type of phone number.
Messaging Capacity
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Messaging Capacity – Product and Provider – Overview
The messaging capacity for Zoho without a custom view list is 100 messages. For e.g. you can select a maximum of 100 records at a time.
On the other hand, there is no messaging limit for Zoho with a custom view list. This means, whatever number of records are there in the list will be processed.
Sr. No.
Zoho Category
Messaging Capacity
1.
With custom view list
Unlimited
2.
Without custom view list
100 messages
Salesforce Product
With Salesforce, you can send bulk messages with SMS-Magic in 4 ways, as shown in the table below:
Sr. No.
SF Category
Messaging Capacity
1.
Send Bulk SMS Button
200 records at an object level
2.
Converse App Bulk
Unlimited (50 million records)
3.
Campaign Object
50k records
4.
Bulk Messaging with Campaign Manager add-on Package
The telecom provides a daily allowance for throughput which is allocated to each brand and is also tied to the brand’s EIN. If the brand is associated with multiple campaigns, the daily allowance will be shared with all campaigns. Based on your brand, the vetting score and brand tier is defined.
The following image illustrates AT&T and T-Mobile terms* with their relevant tiers and classes.
Example: If the brand has a vetting score of 55 then AT&T will allow only 2400 messages per minute to their consumers.
*The terms can be subject to change by MNOs at any point in time. Please refer to the official MNO documentation for the updated terms.
AT&T Messaging Capacity
T-Mobile Messaging Capacity
Toll-Free
Country – U.S.
What is Toll-Free Message Verification?
Verified Toll-Free Messaging simply means that your business and use case has been reviewed in advance of sending traffic via Toll-Free numbers.
Mobile carriers will apply the following industry-wide thresholds for messaging sent over any unregistered toll-free number:
Sr. No.
Duration
Capacity
1.
Daily
2000 messages
2.
Weekly
12000 messages
3.
Monthly
25000 messages
Short Code
Country – U.S.
Sr. No.
Category
Messaging Capacity(per minute)
1.
Dedicated short code
600 messages
2.
Shared short code
300 messages
10DLC US A2P
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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.
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. A2P10DLC 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.
“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.
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.
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
10DLC US A2P Pricing & Fees
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Here you will find the various fees associated with 10DLC A2P messaging for transactional and promotional purposes. To know more about the 10DLC regulation and registration process, visit our 10DLC wiki.
Attention: Extended 10DLC registration deadline by US Carriers and FCC: May 31, 2023. Register now to prevent messaging disruptions starting Jun 1, 2023.
Three types of fees are associated with A2P 10DLC messaging, namely the registration fees, campaign fees, and vetting charges (optional).
Sr. No.
Category
Fees
1
Brand Registration
$4
2
Campaign Registration
Varies from campaign to campaign
3
Vetting (Optional)
$40
10DLC Brand Registration Fees
The brand registration fee of $4 is applicable while registering your U.S. A2P brand, immediately when they are approved. Basically, these are the standard one-time registration fees that are charged at the time of 10DLC registration in the U.S.
10DLC Campaign Registration Fees
The brand registration fee of $4 is applicable while registering your U.S. A2P brand, immediately when they are approved. Basically, these are the standard one-time registration fees that are charged at the time of 10DLC registration in the U.S.
The table below shows campaign registration fees (use case types) that will be available for registration under the United States A2P 10DLC.
Those who opt for vetting will have to bare primary vetting charges. Vetting is also provisioned with secondary charges that enable businesses to maximize their daily limits and throughput.
The main benefit of opting for secondary vetting is that your brand will go under an additional review from carriers; which in return will maximize the throughput for every campaign and enable higher daily messaging limits. This will maximize the trust score and assure the accuracy of information.
Find out more about A2P 10DLC messaging capacity/throughput in the Messaging Capacity document here.
Standard campaign use cases fee
Campaign Type
Use
Campaign Registry Monthly Fee
2FA
Any authentication, verification, or one-time passcode
$10
Account Notification
Standard notifications for account holders, relating to and being about an account
$10
Customer Care
All customer interaction, including customer care and customer support including appointment reminders
$10
Delivery Notification
Information about the status of the delivery of a product or service
$10
Fraud Alert Messaging
Messaging regarding potential fraudulent activity related to an account
$10
Higher Education
Campaigns created on behalf of Colleges and Universities. It also includes School Districts and educational institutions that fall outside of the “free to the consumer” messaging model
$10
Low-Volume Mixed
Small throughput, any combination of uses
$2
Machine to Machine
Non-human, wireless communication between two or more physical assets
$10
Marketing
Any campaign with marketing and/or promotional content
$10
Mixed
Any undeclared combination of uses
$10
Polling and Voting
Requests for surveys and voting for non-political purposes
$10
Public Service Announcement
Any informational message meant to raise an audience’s awareness around an important issue
$10
Security Alert
A notification that the security of a system, either hardware or software, has been compromised and action needs to be taken
$10
Special campaign use cases fee
Apart from the standard campaign use case fees, there are some special campaign use case fees as below. These are applicable on case to case basis.
Campaign Type
Use
Campaign Registry Monthly Fee
Agents and Franchises
Brands that have multiple agents, franchises, or offices but require individual local phone numbers for each
$30
Carrier Exemptions
Exempt campaigns designated by carriers
$10
Charity
Messages from a registered charity including 5013C charities, but excluding religious organizations
$3
Emergency
Messages promoting public safety and health following a natural disaster, conflict, or any other emergency situation
$5
K-12 Education
Messaging for K-12 educational institutions and distance learning centers, but not post-secondary school
$10
Political Campaigns
Any messaging intended to influence the decision-making of a specific group, but for pre-vetted Federal campaigns and select organizations only.
$10
Proxy
Peer-to-peer, app-based messaging with proxy/pooled numbers
$10
Social
Messaging within or between closed communities like influencers’ alerts
$10
Sole Proprietor
Sole Proprietors are individuals with a billing address but without an EIN / Tax ID
