Carriers will require companies to register 10-digit numbers used for text messages to avoid blocking, while increasing fees for unregistered numbers.
06/16/2023 1:10 P.M.
4 minute read
Several text message carriers will require companies using 10-digit telephone numbers (10 DLC) for SMS and MMS messages to U.S. consumers to register to an approved campaign under their brand effective July 5, 2023.
The announcement from Twilio states that “all 10 DLC phone numbers used to send SMS and MMS messages to U.S. phone numbers must be fully registered to an approved campaign under your brand. Messages sent using unregistered phone numbers will be subject to a gradual increase of message blocking by Twilio, beginning on July 5, 2023, ultimately leading to a full block of all unregistered U.S.-bound messages sent after Aug. 31, 2023.”
AT&T and T-Mobile are increasing the per-message rate for phone numbers that are not registered and if the numbers remain unregistered, companies may be subject to additional filtering or blocking. Some of the fees increased on June 1, and others will increase on Aug. 1, 2023.
Following this trend and to encourage 10 DLC registration, Verizon is also implementing an increase in its per-message fees July 1, 2023.
The announcement says the significant fee increase (by 223%) is updated in Verizon’s SMS/MMS Surcharge & Fee Structure to reflect this change.
According to Verizon, mobile carriers expected 80% of texts to be registered through the “The Campaign Registration (TCR)” by May 30 and all traffic to be registered by June 30, “with increasing pass-through fees for unregistered traffic as a mechanism to encourage registration.”
Twilio, which provides communication platforms for businesses sending and receiving text messages, also notes on its website with the announcement that 10 DLC campaigns must be approved by third parties that control their connections to carriers, which is resulting in delays for customers.
“These external processes are creating several week delays for our customers. We continue to escalate these issues and are working to reduce delays wherever possible,” according to Twilio’s announcement.
FAQs on the 10 DLC registration requirements are available here.
ACA’s Take
The wireless industry has long had its own rules regarding texting services and more recently has started commercial texting services using 10 DLC instead of short codes, according to Michael Pryor, shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.
The registering and vetting of 10 DLC are private efforts reflected in industry best practices or individual company codes of conduct.
“The Federal Communications Commission does not regulate these private efforts and has not indicated an interest in regulating,” Pryor said. “If you are sending or intend to send texts using regular 10-digit phone numbers, your texting platform provider should be able to assist in meeting these requirements.”
T-Mobile’s code of conduct also states it will block debt collection text messages, however it may grant exceptions on a company-by-company basis, ACA International previously reported.
The wireless industry’s trade association, CTIA, recently updated best practices for businesses sending texts using 10 DLC, available here (PDF).
These best practices also recommend (but do not require) that wireless providers that block texts adopt redress mechanisms and notify text senders if their texts are being blocked, Pryor said. The FCC does require wireless companies or other entities in the texting ecosystem that block texts to have a point of contact on their website.
In partnership with Brownstein, ACA will release best practices for members to discuss call authentication processes with their carriers, and strategies for prevention for call and text blocking. In addition, the guide will provide insights on how to remediate if it does happen.
Pryor is also leading a session to review FCC and other government agency efforts to mitigate illegal robocalls and texts, “Avoiding the Call Blocking Blues,” during ACA’s Annual Convention & Expo, July 26-28 in Chicago.
ACA and its joint trade association partners continue to advocate with the FCC on call and text blocking and most recently filed comments (PDF) with the FCC on proposed regulations to block text messages.
The associations outlined why legitimate texts should not be impacted. They stated, “Businesses often send informational text messages when circumstances require an immediate response … It is imperative that these kinds of messages are not blocked.”
They argued the FCC should require mobile wireless providers to notify the sender immediately when the provider has blocked the sender’s text message and to resolve disputes no longer than six hours after receiving the dispute. The group made a number of other technical arguments for changes that could ensure better redress options for callers, ACA previously reported.
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