10DLC FAQs
What information do I need to gather for 10DLC Registration?
Your Brand Registration details refer to the customer-facing brand that is related to the message content.
If you are an ISV Customer - you must register one Brand ID and Campaign ID for each of your customers.
Under certain circumstances, and given that you are the only one controlling message content templates and messaging triggers for your ISV's customers, you may be given an exceptional option to register a 10DLC under your own Brand. In this case, 10DLC may not be the best solution, depending on your traffic volumes. Talk to Sales for options.
Your Campaign Registration details covers the use case description, call-to-action and opt-in consent compliance checks, review of message attributes, mandatory keyword responses and sample messages, etc.
You must also comply with local applicable laws and carrier's requirements, which are subject to changes.
What is included in the Prohibited Messaging Content & Categories in NORAM?
In order to send SMS and MMS in the United States via 10DLC, you must follow local restrictions. View list of Prohibited Content in NORAM Messaging.
What is the most cost-effective way to send SMS to customers in the US using 10DLC numbers?
The most cost-effective solution for 10DLC Messaging is to register your brand and apply for a Low Volume Mixed use case. This use case has the lowest subscription fee among the standard use cases.
This is a suitable solution if you meet the following requirements:
You do not send more than 10,000 SMS per month across all carriers.
You do not require high throughput. Low Volume Mixed cases are limited to 75 messages per minute on the AT&T network and have a capped volume of 2,000 messages per day on T-Mobile.
Your messages are NOT time-sensitive.
If your use case does not meet these criteria, there are other standard use cases available for you to choose from.
Can I use the same number for multiple use cases?
Yes, it is possible to use the same number for multiple use cases through a Mixed Use Case. When setting up a Mixed 10DLC use case, you can select up to 5 different standard sub-use cases. However, there are some important considerations to keep in mind:
Filtering is increased, especially when mixed use-cases includes Marketing, due to spam risk.
If a suspicious SMS message is flagged as spam or as disallowed content or practice, the entire 10DLC traffic will be suspended or blocked, including all mixed use cases using that number.
Therefore, for medium to high volume traffic, Bird recommends separating the use cases by registering one 10DLC number per use case.
How many numbers, brands, and use cases can I associate with one another?
You can associate up to 49 numbers with the same Brand ID and Campaign ID. However, note that this won't increase deliverability as throughput is limited on the Brand or Campaign level. If, for business logic reasons, you require more than 49 numbers linked to the same Campaign ID, you'll need post-registration approval from carriers. T-Mobile charges US$500/request for an evaluation.
Each 10DLC number can only be associated with one Brand ID and Campaign ID, including Mixed Use Cases, which must be registered as such. If you register a single standard use case but send mixed messages, your traffic will be blocked. The only option for multiple use cases using the same 10DLC number is the Mixed Use Case or Low Volume Mixed (if you meet the criteria).
What are the available throughput limits on 10DLC?
Each carrier evaluates registered Brands and Use Cases independently and sets throughput limits based on the Brand's Trust Score or the Campaign ID/use case type. After registration,
AT&T provides throughput limits per minute for each Campaign ID, which is shared across all 10DLC numbers linked to that Campaign ID.
T-Mobile, on the other hand, provides throughput limits per day for each Brand, which is shared across all use cases. Daily cap is based on the Brand's Tax ID. Selecting a Mixed-use case does not impact your throughput or carrier fees with T-Mobile.
Verizon, US Cellular, Interop and ClearSky Groups don't share insights in their throughput limitations. Bird does enforce the same AT&T limitation for the above mentioned mobile networks. Review this detailed breakdown of AT&T and T-Mobile Throughput Limits on 10DLC.
What steps does MessageBird take to register the Brand and Campaign Brief in the Registry?
Bird takes the following steps to register the Brand and Campaign use case in the Campaign Registry:
Identification and Verification of Brands: This initial check confirms that the Brand is eligible for A2P 10DLC Messaging. It incurs the Brand Registration fee of US$4, regardless of the outcome. If the Brand fails to be Verified, the use of 10DLC Messaging is not allowed.
Further Brand Registration: Once the Brand is verified, a detailed registration of the Brand (public-facing brand or message content provider) within the TCR ecosystem is performed.
Brand Secondary Vetting: This step is optional and recommended to all Brands that are not in the Russell 3000 Index and wish to apply for higher throughput equivalent to the Message Class A, B, C, or D for AT&T and Message Tier “Top” or “High” for T-Mobile. Note that the higher throughput is not guaranteed. Your higher throughput will apply to any campaign registered AFTER the vetting.
Campaign Registration: This step involves a detailed registration of the Use Case associated with the Brand. It includes a description, messaging attributes, features, sample messages, etc. Only fully compliant submissions are granted access to a 10DLC channel.
How does the Identification and Verification of Brands work?
The Brand Identification process is used to confirm the existence of a company by checking several databases. The Brand Identity Status will either be "Verified" or "Unverified", depending on the accuracy of the submitted information.
In order to obtain a "Verified" status, the following information must be checked:
EIN / Tax ID
DUNS number (optional but recommended for non-US based companies)
Legal Company Name matching Tax ID registration
Legal Company Address matching Tax ID registration
Bird recommends paying attention to the following:
For US Brands, it's important that their EIN, Legal Name, and Address match their registered records at the State and/or Federal level, such as their CP-575 letter.
For Non-Profit Brands, it's important that the registered EIN is tax-exempt as confirmed by the IRS.
For Government Brands, it's important that their EIN matches a government entity.
For Non-US Brands, a Business Number, VAT Number, or DUNS, along with the correct registered address will help with the identification process.
It's worth noting that typos and outdated information can prevent a Brand from being Verified and consequently preventing that Brand from using A2P 10DLC Messaging. In this case, the Brand Identity Status will be returned as Unverified.
My Brand registration was not approved. How can I re-submit the correct information?
If your brand registration has returned as Unverified, you will need to review your brand details and re-submit again for re-verification. There will be a US$4 charge for each brand resubmission.
How does my Brand Verification Status affect my throughput and traffic volume?
"Unverified" status: if a brand fails to be verified, it will receive an "Unverified" status and all 10DLC Messaging process will be blocked until resolution.
"Verified" Status, but not part of the Russell 3000 Stock Index: if a brand is verified but not part of the Russell 3000 Stock Index, it will be limited to lower-tier throughput, such as Message Class 'E' or 'F' on AT&T and Brand Tier 'Low' on T-Mobile.
"Verified" status, with Secondary Brand Vetting: this category is recommended for brands that are not part of the Russell 3000 Stock Index but wish to have access to higher-tier throughputs. After secondary vetting, the available throughput and classification will depend on the resulting vetting score achieved.
"Verified" status and part of the Russell 3000 Stock Index: brands that are "Verified" and part of the Russell 3000 Stock Index will have access to higher-tier throughput limits, including Message Class 'A' or 'B' on AT&T and Brand Tier 'Top' or any classification below this on T-Mobile.
How can I apply for Secondary Brand Vetting? My company is not part of the Russell 3000 Index, but we need higher throughput
Vetted Brands can have access to all standard Use Cases. Note that the available throughput and classification will depend on the resulting Vetting Score achieved.
Vetting will be based on your current Brand information. Bird suggests double-checking that all details are correct before proceeding. Your higher throughput will apply to any new 10DLC Campaign registered AFTER the vetting.
How can I cancel my 10DLC subscription?
To cancel the subscription for your 10DLC campaign, you can delete the campaign. The subscription will renew each month until the campaign is deleted.
Keep in mind that you will need to delete 10DLC campaigns that are inactive for more than 60 days to avoid potential fines from carriers.
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