What do I need to know about 10DLC changes?

If you're already familiar with new industry-wide 10DLC requirements imposed by all major mobile carriers, here's the short story: 

As of March 31st, 2023 all users of A2P texting platforms, like String, need to register their brands and campaigns in order to send texts. This includes existing String users and new String customers. The approval process can take 5+ days, so it’s good to submit your application information as soon as possible to avoid potential disruptions to your current messaging traffic.

To register your brand with The Campaign Registry (see below for more), String will need your:

• Legal business name.
• DBA, if any.
• Type of business such as a Publicly Traded Company, Private Company, Non-Profit Organization, or Government Organization. 
• Sole Proprietors will need to provide an active mobile number and PIN provided by String.
• EIN; If you are a Non-profit / 501(c)3 or special-use campaign, please reach out to Support for assistance.
• Company website (or social media page if no functional website).
• Company & admin contact info (should match the company's contact info / domain email address listed on company website or social media.)
• An example of the type of message you plan to send.
  • This is also called a campaign. Most String users qualify for “Low-Volume, Mixed Use" campaigns. If you need to switch campaigns for higher volumes or a different type of campaign, please reapply for that campaign.
• If you are collecting phone numbers via a website, please ensure the website includes clearly indicated Opt-In / Opt-Out info and Terms and Conditions that delineate how the phone number will be used. 
• String will charge a monthly $2.00 10DLC fee to your invoice for most String customers. For higher-volume "Standard-use" cases,  $4.00 per brand registration and $15 per campaign registration application may apply. (These are pass-through fees directly from The Campaign Registry and are subject to change at their discretion.) 
• Prohibited SHAFT-C (Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Cannabis/CBD) related content is not allowed on 10dlc. If any of the above are featured on your company website or social media, 10DLC vetting will reject your brand. 
• To register your brand and campaigns in your String account:
  • Simply click on the Yellow Banner link “Manage 10DLC.” 
  • Or, click on your username and then go to “10DLC Management.” 
  • From there, first submit the required brand information. Once you receive an approval notification, please proceed to submit your campaign information.
  • Approval can take 5 days or longer. If you are a newer company, please anticipate a longer approval time-period.

The Long Story:

Mobile carriers now require any user of an A2P (application-to-person) platform to register their brand and text campaigns with The Campaign Registry (TCR). Every A2P platform, such as String, must comply with these new regulations. 

If you send less than 1000 messages a day, you will likely register under a “Low Volume, Mixed Use Campaign.” For more high-volume text campaigns, like marketing, advertising, 2FA, and promotions, the TCR asks for a few more details.

Why?

Great question! With text message marketing receiving a 98% open rate, business messaging provides the customer engagement opportunities you don’t want to miss. Mobile carriers are phasing out pricey short codes starting at $1000 a month. Mobile networks have instead introduced a new system using traditional 10 digit long codes. Also known as 10DLC’s, this approach hopes to make reaching your customers more affordable than short codes and a safer, spam-free, communication channel between verified businesses and their customers.

Avoid spam filters and mobile carriers rejecting your messages. 

As a verified business, your clients' can be confident in your credibility. The new 10DLC system creates more stringent mechanisms to prevent fraudulent messages from reaching customers.

Unregistered business messages risk automatic rejection and throttling from mobile networks, in addition to hefty fines for not complying. Verified businesses get sanctioned priority through mobile carriers, allowing them to more quickly reach and interact with their contacts. 

The Process

After you submit your business information, brand and campaign fees, the TCR will then verify (or vet) your brand(s) part of their spam and fraud prevention mechanisms.

This takes an average of 1-5 business days, although if there are any inaccurate details it can take longer for brand approval. If an application is rejected, users can correct the information or error and re-apply, however the TCR will charge the $4 fee each time a brand applies or re-applies. 

10DLC brand and campaign fees are non-refundable and go directly to the TCR (pass-through fees).

They will then approve or reject your campaign application, which can take 5 or more business days. 

For More:

We’ve done our best to streamline this process for you so you can start sending business messages as soon as possible.

Learn more about ways to Avoid Campaign Registration Rejections. 

If you plan to use String for much higher-volume or special use campaigns, our stellar support team is here to help.