10DLC Registration: A Comprehensive Guide

What is and why do you even need 10DLC registration?

10dlc registration

Simply put, A2P 10DLC has been designed for business messaging, offering simplicity, stability, reliable delivery, and security for businesses and their customers to handle high message volumes.

When businesses sign up for these ten-digit codes, it’s more complex than just expressing their intention to use them for sending business texts. They also have to explain how they intend to use the messaging service.

This rule adds to the openness and encourages businesses to think about how they engage with their consumers.

If you want to learn more about 10DLC registration, we’ve covered all of the main points.

The purpose of 10DLC Registration and how do these campaigns work!?

A2p 10DLC messaging campaigns are a type of SMS messaging that businesses use to send out text messages to their customers.

Carriers in the United States launched the 10DLC initiative on March 1, 2022, to prevent spam and improve message sender monitoring.

Companies can send messages using standard 10-digit phone lines to increase the credibility and reliability of their messages.

The purpose of 10DLC

Implementing 10DLC(10-digit long code) aims to protect consumers against spam and increase their reputation while allowing companies to use ordinary phone lines for texting.

Rules and regulations

Mobile carriers have established rules for sending text messages enforced by The Campaign Registry (TCR), designed to prevent spam texts and ensure that all SMS users, including businesses, follow the same guidelines when reaching out.

Compliance and registration

If your company uses text messages to interact with customers and employees, you must follow these standards based on regulatory requirements, industry recommendations, and carrier policy.

These include guidelines for message content, timing, and sending methods.

To send text messages through 10DLC, you must register your phone number with a verified brand and an approved campaign.

Campaign registration

The Campaign Registry is the central platform for businesses to register their 10DLC initiatives.

Registering your brand and campaign data with the Campaign Registry automatically shares this information with cell carriers.

Potential challenges

While 10DLC helps avoid spam, the registration procedure can be confusing, expensive, and time-consuming, especially for smaller companies.

The issue comes from their requirements to register their phone lines and run campaigns to verify their legitimacy.

10DLC vs shortcodes

Ownership

Cost

Customer trust

Use cases

SMS opt-ins

10DLC

Businesses already have 10DLC numbers, making them readily available for use.

10DLC numbers are very affordable, making them a budget-friendly option for businesses.

Customers tend to trust messages from 10DLC phone numbers more than short codes numbers since they are associated with local phone numbers, making them seem more legitimate.

10DLC numbers are a newer messaging solution that supports voice services and MMS. However, they do not provide delivery receipts like shortcodes.

The use of 10DLC numbers has been promoted in response to short code concerns since carriers have banned the distribution of short code numbers to prevent spam and improve the message experience.

Short codes

Brands typically need to purchase shortcodes starting at $1,000 per month, which is overall a bit costly.

Short codes are known to be expensive, which can be costly for businesses.

Short codes are often linked to mass texting and may not be as trusted by customers due to their connection with marketing campaigns.

Short codes are suitable for high-volume messaging and occasions where immediate message delivery is crucial. They are also effective for branding when used appropriately.

SMS opt-ins for short code numbers rely on keywords, which may be difficult to monitor and lead to spam and eventually annoy customers.

10DLC

Ownership

Businesses already have 10DLC numbers, making them readily available for use.

Cost

10DLC numbers are very affordable, making them a budget-friendly option for businesses.

Customer trust

Customers tend to trust messages from 10DLC phone numbers more than short codes numbers since they are associated with local phone numbers, making them seem more legitimate.

Use cases

10DLC numbers are a newer messaging solution that supports voice services and MMS. However, they do not provide delivery receipts like shortcodes.

SMS opt-ins

The use of 10DLC numbers has been promoted in response to short code concerns since carriers have banned the distribution of short code numbers to prevent spam and improve the message experience.

Shortcodes

Ownership

Brands typically need to purchase shortcodes starting at $1,000 per month, which is overall a bit costly.

Cost

Short codes are known to be expensive, which can be costly for businesses.

Customer trust

Short codes are often linked to mass texting and may not be as trusted by customers due to their connection with marketing campaigns.

Use cases

Short codes are suitable for high-volume messaging and occasions where immediate message delivery is crucial. They are also effective for branding when used appropriately.

SMS opt-ins

SMS opt-ins for short code numbers rely on keywords, which may be difficult to monitor and lead to spam and eventually annoy customers.

10DLC vs toll-free number

Messaging volume and features

Cost

Delivery rates

Personalization

Registration process

Ease of setup

Use cases

Messaging costs

10DLC

10DLC numbers can support a high volume of text messages and offer many mass SMS features.

10DLCs offer cheaper monthly expenses than specialized shortcodes, although registered numbers can face a $15 monthly maintenance fee.

10DLCs tend to have higher delivery rates compared to toll-free numbers, making them a good choice for SMS marketing campaigns.

10DLCs provide a more personalized feel to recipients due to their local area codes.

To achieve the best delivery rate, businesses may need to go through a registration process with mobile carriers, which takes around 5 business days and requires a $15 per month maintenance fee.

10DLC setup is relatively quick and affordable for most businesses.

Ideal for small businesses for SMS marketing campaigns and local presence.

10DLC outbound messaging costs are lower overall, and inbound messages are usually free.

Toll-free number

Toll-free numbers generally have a lower throughput and may not support as many features as 10DLCs.

Toll-free numbers are often free, but there may be additional carrier fees associated with them.

Toll-free numbers have lower delivery rates than 10DCLs.

Toll-free numbers may not have the same personalized feel as 10DLCs.

Toll-free number users are recommended to register their brand to avoid messaging caps and filtering, which takes about 4-5 weeks to complete.

Toll-free numbers are free and usable, making them easy to set up.

Suitable for businesses with established toll-free numbers or those looking for a free option.

Toll-free numbers may have higher carrier pass-through fees for outbound messaging, and inbound messages are not free.

10DLC

Messaging volume and features

10DLC numbers can support a high volume of text messages and offer many mass SMS features.

Cost

10DLCs offer cheaper monthly expenses than specialized shortcodes, although registered numbers can face a $15 monthly maintenance fee.

Delivery rates

10DLCs tend to have higher delivery rates compared to toll-free numbers, making them a good choice for SMS marketing campaigns.

Personalization

10DLCs provide a more personalized feel to recipients due to their local area codes.

Registration process

To achieve the best delivery rate, businesses may need to go through a registration process with mobile carriers, which takes around 5 business days and requires a $15 per month maintenance fee.

Ease of setup

10DLC setup is relatively quick and affordable for most businesses.

Use cases

Ideal for small businesses for SMS marketing campaigns and local presence.

Messaging costs

10DLC outbound messaging costs are lower overall, and inbound messages are usually free.

Toll-free number

Messaging volume and features

Toll-free numbers generally have a lower throughput and may not support as many features as 10DLCs.

Cost

Toll-free numbers are often free, but there may be additional carrier fees associated with them.

Delivery rates

Toll-free numbers have lower delivery rates than 10DCLs.

Personalization

Toll-free numbers may not have the same personalized feel as 10DLCs.

Registration process

Toll-free number users are recommended to register their brand to avoid messaging caps and filtering, which takes about 4-5 weeks to complete.

Ease of setup

Toll-free numbers are free and usable, making them easy to set up.

Use cases

Suitable for businesses with established toll-free numbers or those looking for a free option.

Messaging costs

Toll-free numbers may have higher carrier pass-through fees for outbound messaging, and inbound messages are not free.

Do I need to register my campaigns?

If your company wants to send text messages to US customers using a 10DLC, it is highly recommended that you register your brand and campaigns with the carriers to guarantee delivery and meet industry standards.

The goal of A2P 10DLC registration is to prevent spam while improving the delivery of real text messages by verifying businesses that send texts to ten-digit phone numbers in the United States so your messages are not screened as spam and that they are distributed.

What are the primary benefits of a 10DLC campaign?

Higher throughput

You can send messages faster with 10DLC SMS, making it helpful when communicating with customers on a wide scale.

These numbers deal with SMS volumes ranging from shortcodes to toll-free long codes, delivering messages at rates ranging from 1 to 60 per second.

The actual throughput depends on the trust score of your brand.

Compliance with regulations

10DLC helps companies follow industry norms, offering detailed instructions for delivering A2P communications. This ensures integrity and promotes excellent business practices, lowering the risk of noncompliance.

Better deliverability

Messages from 10DLC numbers are more likely to pass through the carrier spam screening than standard local long codes and to reach their intended recipients.

Localized experience

10DCL allows you to retail a local area code with 10DLC, providing a more tailored client experience. Customers have confidence in local numbers, leading to greater open rates than toll-free numbers.

Streamlined marketing campaigns

Using 10-digit long codes on the same number for voice, SMS, and MMS ensures good consumer experience across communication channels, helping users identify the sender and adding to the personal touch of the letter.

Lower costs

10DLC numbers are considerably less expensive than short codes. Because of its cost-effectiveness, companies can implement 10DLC without overspending.

Existing landline numbers can be just as simply converted to 10DLC.

Enhanced customer engagement

Businesses can implement 10DLC to keep clients updated about upcoming products, services, and promotions, increasing client loyalty and engagement as messages from local phones are considered more reliable.

Reduced spam

10DLC uses anti-spam techniques to check whether the messages are sent only to customers who have agreed to receive them, preventing unwanted communications and improving the overall customer experience.

What is the difference between brands and campaigns?

Brand:

  • Longevity: Brands are long-term and enduring, so they want to build visibility and recognition over time.
  • Consistency: Brands rely on a cohesive and consistent look, including logos, fonts, messaging, colors, and a defined identity.
  • Messaging framework: Brands have a messaging structure that develops taglines and a consistent brand voice.
  • Purpose: Brands help establish why a company or product exists and why it matters. They provide a foundation for all marketing efforts.

Campaign:

  • Temporary and ever-changing: Campaigns are short-term advertising initiatives designed to promote a particular service, product, or message. They have a defined start and end date.
  • Variability: Campaigns can incorporate brand elements but have the flexibility to push creative boundaries and experiment with different styles to draw attention.
  • Duration: Campaigns are executed over a period of time, and their creative elements may change from one campaign to another.
  • Specific message: Campaigns aim to deliver a particular message or achieve an outcome within a specific time frame.

How does brand registration work?

Step 1: Gather Your Business Information

To begin the process of registering your business for 10DLC (10-Digit Long Code) texting, you’ll need to provide some essential details, including:

  • Your company’s official legal name.
  • The country where your company is registered.
  • Your organization type (private, publicly traded, nonprofit).
  • Your company’s tax number, ID, or EIN (Employer Identification Number).
  • Your business website.
  • Descriptions of each purpose for which you intend to send text messages.
  • Sample messages for each of these intended purposes.

Step 2: Submit Registration for Your “Brand”

In 10DLC, a “brand” represents the business that sends text messages. A single brand can manage multiple “campaigns” under its account.

Step 3: Submit Registration for Your Texting “Campaign(s)”

A 10DLC campaign defines a specific use case for sending text messages.

If you plan to send texts for various purposes, there is an option for a “mixed” use case that covers a range of scenarios.

Each campaign can be associated with up to 50 different 10DLC phone numbers.

Step 4: Await Approval or Rejection from The Campaign Registry

The good news is that you’ll receive a response almost immediately after submitting your registration. However, there’s one more step before you can start texting.

Step 5: Submit Your Registration for DCA Vetting

Every campaign registration must undergo a DCA (Direct Connect Administrator) verification process.

You must verify that the contacts you intend to message have legitimately agreed to receive messages from your company.

What is a Trust Score, and how does it affect me?

A Trust Score, or a Brand Score or Reputation Score, is a numerical rating given to a business during the brand registration with a third-party corporation that manages a system used by US cellular carriers.

This score serves to evaluate the brand’s credibility and messaging tactics. The Trust Score is generally between 0 and 100, with higher scores indicating greater trustworthiness.

This is how the trust code can affect your business:

Messaging throughput (MPS): The Trust Score is important in calculating messaging throughput or message-sending capacity for your brand’s A2P (Application-to-Person) 10DLC (10-digit long code) campaigns.

A higher Trust Score often supports more throughput, which means you can send more text messages per second and have higher daily messaging limits for your campaigns.

Campaign performance: A higher Trust Score might result in faster message distribution and lower costs for your campaigns, leading to better performance and more effective communication with your audience.

Campaign eligibility: Trust Scores may assist you in deciding whether your brand is acceptable for different ad kinds or messaging limitations set by carriers.

Lower-scoring brands may have fewer options or lower tiers on some carriers.

Vetting process: To get a Trust Score, businesses may be submitted to a verification procedure that evaluates certain brand factors such as reputation, business practices, and industry standards.

This procedure helps carriers identify trustworthy brands and prevent spam or unwanted messaging.

Appeals: If you feel your Trust Score is inaccurate or wish to improve it, you might be able to file an appeal or request help from the support staff of the third-party business in charge of assigning Trust Scores.

Score stability: Trust scores are often stagnant and do not change automatically over time, so they stay constant unless the business requests a review or appeal.

How do Trust Scores influence message throughput?

Trust Scores are crucial in determining message delivery speed when using A2P 10DLC for business text messaging software.

These scores categorize behavior, compliance, and sender reputation from Lowest to Highest.

Your Trust Score and your campaign type influence message delivery speed, measured in message segments per second (MPS)—a high Trust Score and successful campaign grant higher message throughput, enabling faster message sending.

Once approved for A2P 10DLC and registered, your Trust Score and campaign type decide on message delivery.

Trust Scores impact throughput for AT&T and Verizon users. Message throughput is no longer solely tied to MPS but also considers Trust Scores and campaign types.

When should I consider getting started with 10DLC?

If you’re a business and want to send text messages to customers in the United States for marketing, transactions, appointment reminders, or customer service, you should consider using 10DLC.

Since 10DLC is supported by US phone carriers, messages received by this method are less likely to be censored as long as they meet the conditions set upon registration.

How long is the registration process?

It is important to plan for a potentially longer approval process, which can take up to 30 business days.

Having the required documents and information ready can help speed up the process.

If you want a quicker solution, you may use a toll-free number and have your traffic verified within 7 working days. This option, however, may not be suitable for many companies.

What pricing and fees are associated with the A2P 10DLC service?

Brand registration fee

The fee is a one-time fee of $4. This fee applies when registering your U.S. A2P brand and is charged immediately when the brand is approved. This is a standard registration fee for the 10DLC service in the U.S.

Campaign registration fee

The campaign registration fee differs based on the campaign. These prices may vary depending on the number of messages you want to deliver and the length of your campaign.

Vetting Fee (Optional)

Vetting is an optional service, and it comes with a fee of $40. This fee applies if you undergo vetting for your A2P brand.

Per-Message Carrier Fees

Carriers charge fees for A2P 10DLC messages sent to network users. These fees are added to the standard U.S. Messaging rates and frequently apply for each outbound SMS segment or MMS message.

Is SMS/MMS messaging affected by A2P 10DLC?

A2P 10DLC can have an impact on SMS and MMS messaging.

MMS messaging using long codes could lead to carrier costs due to A2P 10DLC, and messaging speed may be reduced because of carrier capacity limits.

If you need to send many MMS messages in the United States, a short code is suggested for the most excellent performance.

10DLC use cases

  • 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) – Sending one-time passcodes (OTP) for account verification:Example: A banking app sends a verification code to a user’s mobile number for login.
  • Account notifications – Notifications about account status or account-related updates:Example: An online shopping platform notifying users about a successful payment transaction.
  • Customer care – Providing customer support, account management, and assistance:Example: An airline responding to passenger inquiries and providing flight updates via SMS.
  • Delivery notifications – Sharing information about the status of a delivery:Example: An e-commerce store notifies customers that their order has been shipped and provides a tracking link.
  • Fraud alert messaging – Sending alerts about potential fraudulent activity:Example: A credit card company sends a message to alert a customer of suspicious transactions on their account.
  • Marketing – Sending promotional content, such as sales and limited-time offers:Example: A retail store promoting a weekend sale with discounts on various products.