The Mobile Network Operators in the United States are implementing new requirements for business SMS on local phone numbers. Through the formation of The Campaign Registry, all businesses and nonprofits that send text messages are now required to follow certain registration requirements, or face suspension and penalties imposed by T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon.
Like regulations that apply to robocalls and bulk emails, these regulations are meant to protect consumers from spam and other unwanted messages, However, the requirements are not limited to marketing campaigns. Although it started with “campaigns”, the registration requirements have evolved from SMS marketing campaigns to all use-cases. This includes low-volume, conversational, and notification messages.
Telzio helps your business meet the new SMS requirements to ensure that your text messages are compliant and get delivered to your customers. Information and FAQs about how these regulations affect your business are outlined in this article.
What is The Campaign Registry?
The Campaign Registry was created to manage and enforce new SMS requirements on behalf of the Mobile Network Operators. It is the hub for service providers like Telzio to register your company for text messaging on local numbers (otherwise known as 10 Digit Long Codes, or 10DLC).
As your Communication Service Provider, Telzio facilitates and remits the registration requirements on your behalf.
Will these new requirements affect my business?
The Campaign Registry requirements impact all businesses that send text messages to and from local phone numbers in the US.
What are the registration requirements?
Like opening an account with a regulatory-monitored bank, The Campaign Registry requires specific information about your business to verify identity and validate the texting use-cases.
Information required for submission:
- Legal company name
- Brand name or DBA
- Entity type
- Vertical
- Employer identification number (EIN)
- Address
- Website
- Contact details
- Use-cases
- Sample text message
- Message attributes (opt-ins, links, etc.)
Once this information is gathered and submitted by Telzio on your behalf, the registration process goes to vetting and approval by each Mobile Network Operator.
Types of use cases
Use-cases represent the specific type of messaging, such as marketing or account notifications. You may need to register one use-case for your business, or multiple use-cases.
The following table contains the list of standard use cases that are available to select from on the registration.
Standard use cases
2FA
Any authentication, verification, or one-time passcode.
Account Notifications
Standard notifications for account holders, relating to and being about an account.
Customer Care
All customer care interaction, including but not limited to account management and customer support.
Delivery Notifications
Notification about the status of the delivery of a product or service.
Fraud Alert Messaging
Notifications regarding potentially fraudulent activity on a user’s account.
Higher Education
Messaging created on behalf of Colleges or Universities, including School Districts and education institutions. This use case is NOT for the “free to the consumer” messaging model.
Low Volume Mixed
For Brands that have multiple use cases and only need very low messaging throughput. Examples include test or demo accounts, small businesses (single doctor’s office, single pizza shop, etc). Marketing - Any communication that includes marketing and/or promotional content.
Mixed
Any messaging campaign containing 2 to 5 standard uses cases.
Polling and Voting
The sending of surveys and polling/voting campaigns for non-political arenas.
Public Service Announcement
Informational messaging to raise an audience’s awareness about important issues.
Security Alert
A notification that the security of a system, either software or hardware, has been compromised in some way and there is an action you need to take.
Special use cases
The following special use cases may have additional requirements and different fees.
Agents and Franchises
Brands that have multiple agents, franchises or offices in the same Brand vertical but require individual localized numbers per agent/location/office.
Carrier Exemptions
Exemption by Carrier.
Charity
Communications from a registered charity aimed at providing help and raising money for those in need. Includes: 501c3 Charities.
Conversational Messaging
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
Notification services designed to support public safety/health during natural disasters, armed conflicts, pandemics, and other national or regional emergencies.
Political (Election Campaigns)
Part of an organized effort to influence decision making of specific groups. Available only to registered 501(c) (4/5/6) and Orgs with a Campaign Verify token.
Social
Communication between public figures/influencers and their communities. Examples include YouTube Influencers’ alerts or Celebrity alerts.
Sole Proprietors
All small volume messaging for sole proprietor entities.Sweepstakes All gambling and sweepstakes messaging.
Platform Free Trial
Large CSP Trial Offers with strict controls and MNO audit rights (MO opt-in). Only MNO pre-approved CSPs are eligible for this use case.
Source: www.campaignregistry.com
Messaging attributes
The following are the text message attributes that require a Yes or No response.
- Subscriber opt-in
- Subscriber opt-out
- Subscriber help
- Number pooling
- Direct lending or loan arrangement
- Embedded link
- Embedded phone number
- Affiliate marketing
- Age-gated content
Vetting process
In order to get approved for texting, your business will first need to be verified. This is done as part of the registration process, and the Mobile Network Operators have contracted with third-parties Aegis Mobile and WMG Mobile to handle the vetting process.
To ensure that your business is verified successfully the first time, make sure the details of your company name and tax ID number (EIN) are accurate. For example, if your legal company name includes “Inc.” or “LLC, be sure to write it as such so we can include it in your submission.
Depending on your score, you’ll be assigned to a class by each of the Mobile Network Operators, which includes their per message surcharges and messaging limits.
Registration fees and per message pricing
There are two categories of fees associated – registration fees and per-message carrier fees. Both types of fees are charged by the Mobile Network Operators.
At this time, only the registration fees are being passed through by Telzio to our customers with no added cost.
Per message fees are also charged by the Mobile Network Operators for text messages sent to users on their networks.
At this time, Telzio is not passing these per message fees along to our customers.
What happens if I don’t register?
If you do not register in time, SMS capabilities will no longer be available on your local US numbers.
Although the Campaign Registry continues to issue new updates and extend the grace period for obtaining approval through the date of this article, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon have already implemented additional per message surcharges for texts being sent to their subscribers from unregistered businesses.
At this time, Telzio users can continue their regular SMS activity as we work with our customers to get their numbers registered successfully.
Register your business with The Campaign Registry
Telzio facilitates the registration process for your business. If you’re an existing customer, you’ll be contacted by your Account Manager to help complete the registration.
For new customers, contact our sales team to learn more about how Telzio can support your business SMS needs.