The details on 10DLC
What is A2P 10DLC (Application-to-Person via 10-digit long code)? It is a program that is being implemented by the mobile carriers to support SMS/MMS message delivery that originates from an application and not another handset (P2P). Carriers have considered A2P messaging to be unsanctioned; and, for this reason, messages were subject to throttling and/or blocking. The A2P 10DLC program has been specially designed and sanctioned for business messaging - offering simplicity, stability, delivery reliability, and security to businesses and their audiences. It will also support the volume of messaging throughput that almost any business use case might require.
Throughout 2021, the Mobile Carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and others) will be implementing their own specific version(s) of A2P 10DLC. Verizon has had their version in place for several months. AT&T is the next to announce the implementation of their A2P 10DLC program for SMS which becomes effective March 1, 2021. They are followed by T-Mobile, who has announced the implementation of their A2P 10DLC program for SMS effective April 1, 2021.
How does this impact you:
This implementation of A2P 10DLC will require the registration of all US long code numbers (excluding toll-free numbers). The registration process will associate a 10DLC with both a Company (“brand”) and the message content type that will be sent using the approved company long code number(s) (“campaign”).
A grace period will be allowed until June 1, 2021 for unregistered campaigns and their messages to be delivered, at the discretion of the mobile network operators.
Additional surcharges may be applied to messages during this grace period, per carrier regulations, and may be passed-through to you.
After the grace period has expired, any messages from unregistered campaigns will not be delivered.
Additional fees and surcharges are expected as the other mobile carriers bring their A2P 10DLC programs online.
What do you need to do:
If you use SMS messaging as part of your customer engagement strategy, or if you plan to introduce messaging in the near future, there is an immediate requirement to register both your Brand and Campaign(s) in order to continue to send SMS over A2P 10DLC.
How does Campaign Registry for A2P 10DLC function:
All companies must first register as a Brand.
For each message content type transmitted by a Brand, a Campaign is registered. Sample messages, including STOP and HELP, are required for each campaign. Campaigns are associated with the Brand and, in most cases, a single Telephone Number will be used to transmit SMS messages for each campaign. If more than one Telephone number is required, please contact us through live chat for a use-case review.
VoteTxt will assign Telephone number(s) as campaigns are approved. Please contact us through live chat if you have any special requirements for number assignment (Ie. vanity numbers)
Auto-response messages for HELP and STOP are required for all campaigns. If you need assistance with the required message components, please contact us through live chat.
Brands (companies) can have many different types of campaigns registered. If your company has multiple types of content, (for example: OTP, notifications, customer services communications, etc.) then Campaigns will be registered for each.
Upon completion of both the Brand registration form and Campaign registration form, a score will be generated from each Mobile Network Operator indicating, to VoteTXT, the following controls to be placed on your Campaign(s):
Classification
Surcharge
Throughput Rate Limits
A sample Help Message:
{Company name}: Call {Toll free support number}. Email {Support email}, or visit {website} for more info. Msg&DataRates may apply, REPLY STOP to cancel
T-Mobile Campaign Registry Special Process:
Who this applies to?
A customer sending local SMS that has more than 50 phone numbers in their Brand across all campaigns.
A customer sending local SMS sending over 200k T-Mobile SMS in a day, from their Brand, across all campaigns.
Platform providers must Brand and Campaign Register each customer individually AND if any of their customers (Brands) meet the Sending Number or Sending Volume criteria.
What do I have to do?
Brand and Campaign forms must be submitted.
For each criteria which is met, (50+ phone number or 200K messages) a separate form must be completed.
Contact Customer Support through live chat to request the necessary forms.
Is there a Cost?
We are currently in a grace period where the associated fees are being waived for submissions received during said grace period. T-Mobile will announce 30-days before they begin to implement the fees. As of March 26, 2021 T-Mobile has announced a $50 per Brand registration processing fee. In addition, they will require a separate processing fee of $5,000 per brand for the Special Registry process above. Please note, approval from T-Mobile is not guaranteed and these fees are non-refundable by T-Mobile. VoteTXT is a pass-thru intermediary.
T-Mobile Update May 11, 2021
Per-message surcharges were implemented April 1, 2021. However, T-Mobile has postponed the implementation of the special business review and campaign activation for a date to be determined. T-Mobile will provide a minimum 30-day advance notification ahead of the new date.
AT&T Update May 11, 2021
To address specific use cases and allow time for additional campaign registration, AT&T has extended the registration grace period until further notice. 10DLC pass-through fees went into effect March 1, 2021. However, AT&T is temporarily offering discounted SMS and MMS rates during the registration grace period. Beginning March 1, the following discounted rates continue to apply:
SMS will be flat rated for all classes at $0.002 per message sent
MMS will be flat rated for all classes at $0.0035 per message sent
AT&T will provide at least a 30-day notice of any changes to these discounted rates. Unregistered traffic will continue to be subject to P2P spam policies and traffic throughput restrictions, as well as the above discounted rates.
Both AT&T and T-Mobile have announced new surcharges effective July 1, 2021. Read more here: Surcharge Updates Effective July 1, 2021
Learn more from VoteTXT’s phone service provider Ytel here https://support.ytel.com/en/articles/4879824-a2p-10dlc