Attention, team: all users of Fieldnotes AI who send business texts to US phone numbers are required to complete a US carrier registration form to meet the new A2P 10DLC requirements.
Have you of A2P 10DLC but still trying to grasp its implications?
In this article, we’ll cover what A2P 10DLC is all about, how the mobile carriers might affect your business texting, and your Fieldnotes team is doing about this.
What is A2P (Application-to-Person) text messaging?
A2P stands for application to person, referring to any business-related text message sent from a virtual phone service like Fieldnotes AI to an actual customer. Think of messages like feedback, appointment confirmations, or other forms of communication.
What is 10DLC (10-Digit Long Code Phone Number)?
10DLC, or 10-digit long code, signifies a phone number with a local area code. Historically, conventional carriers restricted texting to peer-to-peer messages for local numbers, allowing direct interactions between businesses and customers. However, new carrier guidelines have emerged to combat spam and establish clearer oversight when businesses send messages to multiple recipients.
What is A2P 10DLC?
A2P 10DLC is a dedicated system for business text messaging from local virtual numbers. Major US cellular carriers advocated for new guidelines concerning virtual phone services to reduce the amount of spam reaching their customers. This requirement enhances your text message deliverability rates and eliminates the risk of carriers filtering your outgoing messages within their network.
All prominent US carriers like AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint, are working towards supporting A2P 10DLC for local 10-digit numbers.
Businesses have two alternatives: A2P Low Volume Standard and A2P Standard. Companies sending fewer marketing messages per day (up to 6,000 messages per day) fall under A2P Low Volume Standard. A2P Standard applies to larger businesses with significantly higher daily message volumes.
Note that 10DLC does not currently impact toll-free numbers, as there are no regulations announced for them. However, if you’re an existing Fieldnotes AI customer, we strongly recommend using a local number to take advantage of all the benefits offered by A2P 10DLC.
If you send business SMS and MMS messages to US recipients from a local phone number using Fieldnotes AI, we advise you to register as soon as possible.
Does A2P 10DLC affect messaging to other countries like Canada?
Not at this moment. If your messaging doesn’t target US customers, the 10DLC requirement won’t affect your campaigns or messages.
We understand that absorbing all this information can be overwhelming. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you navigate A2P 10DLC registration.
How does A2P 10DLC impact current business texting practices?
A2P 10DLC mandates businesses using a virtual phone service like what we have included in our Fieldnotes platform to register their phone numbers, brand, and campaigns through a third-party entity, The Campaign Registry. Here’s the breakdown:
- Brand Registration: Businesses identify themselves to all carrier networks.
- Campaign Registration: Brands specify the type of messages they intend to send.
If you’re a Fieldnotes AI user with business phone numbers, we help you to register your brand and provide examples of typical texts you send.
Once brands update their details with major carriers, they receive a trust score (0 to 100) per campaign. This score determines the maximum number of messages your campaign can send based on usage, type, and scope.
Trust scores vary across categories, allowing more texts to be sent. For instance, a promotional campaign might have a lower trust score than an appointment confirmation. Carriers may lower a trust score if the information provided in the carrier registration form doesn’t match business tax identification details.
Carriers might also reduce a trust score upon discovering spam from a particular source, as A2P 10DLC aims to prevent malicious activities. Keep in mind that these message limits could change based on the carrier over time as this is new uncharted territory for the carriers.
Improved deliverability, higher trust scores, and enhanced functionality — a win-win scenario, especially for high-volume text senders.
Businesses sending SMS and MMS messages from local numbers must complete the registration process without delay. Rest assured, Fieldnotes AI streamlines the signup process.
Fieldnotes AI’s Implementation of A2P 10DLC for Customers
At Fieldnotes AI, we are committed to optimizing business communications for our customers. To comply with the latest A2P 10DLC requirements, our company has developed a clear strategy to support your business needs.
How to Register for A2P 10DLC
When you first start with Fieldnotes, you will be provided a form to complete. It takes a minute to complete and that’s it. With that information, our team will complete the rest of the registration on your behalf.
Registration for Businesses with an EIN or Equivalent Tax ID
To complete registration on behalf of a company, remember that an EIN or other valid business identification is required.
Upon completing this registration, your workspace will attain Low Volume Standard status, offering the ability to:
- Send up to 6,000 message segments daily, including up to 2,000 segments to T-Mobile numbers (in accordance with the Fair Use policy).
- Text from any phone number within your Fieldnotes AI workspace; additional numbers added post-registration will be automatically linked to your approved registration.
Registration for Businesses and Users without an EIN or Tax ID
Businesses or users without an EIN (or equivalent identification for non-US entities) seeking to text US numbers through Fieldnotes AI must follow the sole proprietor or personal use path:
- A US or Canadian address is necessary.
- A functional mobile number with the country code +1 is required.
Note that registering through the sole proprietor path restricts one of your Fieldnotes AI numbers to texting US numbers if you have multiple numbers. Obtaining an EIN is necessary for multiple numbers that can text if you are based in the US. For non-US residents, an alternative business ID is needed.
After successful registration, you can send up to 3,000 message segments daily, including up to 1,000 segments to T-Mobile numbers (in accordance with our Fair Use policy).
The fees outlined below are entirely allocated to The Campaign Registry and other third-party entities, facilitating registration and compliance with major US cellular carriers.
- Carrier Review and Setup Fees: The Campaign Registry, established by all the major US wireless providers, collects a one-time $20 fee for a two-phase application review. The initial review involves a screening by The Campaign Registry, followed by a manual review by a third-party entity.
- Messaging Fee: To maintain compliance and prevent message filtering by major US cellular carriers, The Campaign Registry imposes a $5 – $15 monthly fee.
*A $6 resubmission fee applies if your application is rejected and goes to our carrier partner. Refer to our guide for registering through the sole proprietor path.
