To prevent spam and other widespread SMS abuse, phone carriers in the United States now require businesses to register their phone numbers before sending SMS messages to customers. (A2P 10DLC)
For US-based businesses to continue to use Customer Voice SMS Review requesting, every account is now required to register.
Some businesses are seeing undelivered messages already, and on August 31, 2023, telecom carriers in the US will be completely blocking all messages from unregistered businesses.
It’s important that local businesses register their number immediately to reduce the downtime.
What is A2P 10DLC?
A2P 10DLC refers to a system in the United States that allows businesses to send Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging via standard 10-digit long code (10DLC) phone numbers.
In an effort to create a more trusted and regulated ecosystem, A2P 10DLC requires businesses to register their business information and campaign information with the carriers. For clients, registration is required for those using Inbox (through Business App) or Customer Voice to send notifications, marketing/promotional messages, and review requests.
At the moment, this registration only affects US businesses and is only required for businesses that use Customer Voice or Inbox to send SMS to customers.
Why A2P 10DLC?
Registering under A2P 10DLC will ensure authentic businesses can run their SMS campaigns uninterrupted, with maximum deliverability rates, and higher throughput. It will also let carriers monitor bad actors abusing the SMS channel, creating a better experience for US consumers.
Registering under A2P 10DLC boosts the delivery rates of SMS.
- Businesses that are fully registered will receive a positive reputation score, which means that the SMS they send out will be prioritized for delivery over SMS from unregistered businesses.
- SMS from a fully registered business will not be filtered as spam, so they are appropriately delivered to the intended recipient.
All of the changes required to implement A2P 10DLC help businesses leverage personalized and conversational ways of engaging with their customers.
What do partners and clients need to do?
US-based SMBs must register their business to continue to send SMS messages after Aug 31, 2023.
- In Customer Voice, users can go to Settings > SMS Configuration to submit their business for SMS registration to be able to send SMS Review Requests.
- For Inbox SMS, Read this article to learn how to register for Inbox SMS.
Please note that registration can take up to 28 days.