Welcome to Gridlex Help

What is A2P 10DLC? 

Application-to-Person (A2P) 10-Digit Long Code (10DLC) refers to a new standard set by telecom carriers in the United States for all business-to-customer text messaging. This system provides businesses with a designated 10-digit phone number for sending automated or bulk messages to their customers.

Here's a bit more detail on each component:

• A2P (Application-to-Person): This refers to the automated sending of messages from an application to individual phone numbers. This could be for purposes like marketing, notifications, reminders, or two-factor authentication. E.g., a bank using A2P 10DLC to send transaction alerts to customers.
  
  
• 10DLC (10-Digit Long Code): Traditional short codes used for mass texting are typically 5-6 digits long. A 10DLC is a regular 10-digit phone number that has been registered and approved for bulk messaging. 

Why was A2P 10DLC created?

A2P 10DLC was created to help regulate and improve the delivery of A2P SMS messages in the United States. It's an initiative within the telecommunications industry to create a more secure and transparent environment for business messaging.

Here are some of the key reasons why A2P 10DLC was introduced:

1. Improved Delivery: The A2P 10DLC system allows businesses to send messages through a more direct and controlled route, leading to better delivery rates and customer experiences.
   
   

2. Spam and Fraud Reduction: By registering 10DLC numbers, carriers have more information on the sender, which helps in identifying and preventing spam, phishing, and fraudulent messages. This creates a more secure environment for both the sender and receiver.
   
   

3. Compliance with Regulations: Implementing A2P 10DLC helps in adhering to various regulatory requirements, including the TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) in the United States. This allows businesses to send messages in a compliant manner.
   
   

4. Cost-Efficient: A2P 10DLC allows businesses to send messages at a lower cost compared to using short codes, making it an attractive option for small and medium-sized enterprises.
   
   

5. Branding: With a 10-digit number that can be associated with a business, it's easier for recipients to recognize and trust the sender. This can lead to better engagement and conversion rates for businesses.

Overall, A2P 10DLC was created to facilitate a more secure, efficient, and transparent messaging ecosystem for businesses, carriers, and consumers, helping to maintain the integrity of the A2P messaging channel. It enables businesses to communicate with their customers more effectively while complying with regulations and ensuring a higher quality of service.

Who needs to register for A2P 10DLC?

Any entity or individual that intends to send SMS/MMS messages over a 10DLC (10-digit long code) number from an application to recipients in the United States must complete the registration process for A2P 10DLC.

Carriers categorize all SMS traffic originating from Gridlex as being sent from an application. As a result, anyone utilizing a 10DLC number through Gridlex to transmit SMS messages to the US is obligated to go through the registration procedure. 

Note: It is essential to note that Toll-Free numbers and shortcode numbers operate outside the A2P 10DLC system and remain suitable for messaging end-users in the United States. 

Registering for A2P 10DLC offers several benefits, including reduced message filtering and increased messaging throughput. Conversely, customers who send messages from a Gridlex 10DLC number without completing the registration will incur additional carrier fees for sending unregistered traffic. 

How do I get registered?

The registration process for A2P 10DLC can be accomplished by filling out this form, here. 

What information will you require from me to be registered?

The information required for 10DLC registration includes your business details (such as legal name, address, and tax ID), your anticipated messaging volume, and the intended use case (e.g., marketing, alerts, 2FA, customer service). Additionally, you'll need to provide details about your messaging content.

A2P 10DLC Campaign Approval Requirements

Once you submit your information, Gridlex and its telephony and SMS partner will evaluate the application for approval by a third-party board called Campaign Registry. To ensure successful approval of your data, certain criteria must be met.

Note: Please be aware that occasionally campaigns may be rejected. In such cases, you will need to resubmit your information, and each resubmission will incur an additional fee.

How to ensure campaign approval? 

To ensure campaign approval in A2P 10DLC (Application-to-Person 10 Digit Long Code), you should follow the guidelines and best practices set forth by the carriers and the Campaign Registry. The process may vary slightly depending on the specific requirements of each carrier, but here are some general steps to increase your chances of getting your campaign approved:

1. Use a Legitimate Business Use Case: Ensure that your campaign serves a legitimate business use case and adheres to the carrier's guidelines. Avoid any deceptive or spammy practices that may lead to rejection. For example., XYZ.Inc uses SMS to send transactional messages related to important updates and reminders to its customers. These messages include order confirmations, delivery updates, and appointment reminders. XYZ.Inc ensures that each message is relevant to the recipient and improves their overall customer experience.
   
   

2. Comply with Regulations: Make sure your campaign is compliant with all relevant regulations, such as TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) and CTIA guidelines. Respect opt-in and opt-out requests and only message users who have consented to receive your messages.
   
   

3. Use a Recognizable Sender ID: Choose a recognizable and consistent sender ID that clearly represents your brand or business. Avoid using shortcodes or random numeric sender IDs.
   
   

4. Provide Clear Opt-Out Instructions: Include clear opt-out instructions in all your messages, and ensure that recipients can easily unsubscribe from your campaigns.
   
   

5. Content Review: Review your message content to ensure it is appropriate, non-misleading, and relevant to the recipient's expectations. Avoid using excessive capitalization, symbols, or misleading language.
   
   

6. Volume and Throughput Management: Gradually increase your message volume and throughput as you build a positive reputation with the carriers. Sudden spikes in messaging can trigger suspicion.

What is OPT-IN and OPT-OUT process? 

OPT-IN and OPT-OUT processes refer to the procedures through which end-users can choose to either consent to receiving messages from a specific brand or application (OPT-IN) or request to stop receiving messages (OPT-OUT). These processes are crucial for maintaining compliance with messaging regulations and ensuring that users have control over the messages they receive.

OPT-IN:

The OPT-IN process involves obtaining explicit consent from the recipient before sending them A2P messages. This consent can be in the form of the user voluntarily subscribing to a service, texting a specific keyword to a shortcode, or any other method that clearly indicates their willingness to receive messages from your business.

Example: Let's say you run a retail store and want to send promotional offers to your customers. To collect OPT-INs, you might run a marketing campaign like this:

"Text 'JOIN' to 12345 to receive exclusive deals and discounts from XYZ Store.
Msg&Data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt-out."

When a customer texts 'JOIN' to the shortcode 12345, they have provided explicit consent (OPT-IN) to receive promotional messages from XYZ Store.

OPT-OUT:

The OPT-OUT process allows recipients to stop receiving A2P messages whenever they want. This process should be effortless and immediate for the user. When a recipient texts a specific keyword, such as 'STOP,' 'UNSUBSCRIBE,' or 'QUIT,' the system should immediately stop sending them any further messages.

Example: Following the earlier example, if a customer wants to stop receiving promotional messages, they can text 'STOP' to the same shortcode 12345. 

Once the system receives the 'STOP' message, it should immediately remove the customer from the messaging list and acknowledge their OPT-OUT request.

What happens after registration?

Post A2P 10DLC registration, once your campaign use case is approved, you will be assigned a trust score based on your company's credibility as perceived by carriers. This score will determine the maximum number of SMSs you can send per day per carrier. If you exceed this threshold, your messages may fail to deliver. To maintain a high trust score and ensure smooth SMS delivery, it's essential to adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Opt-in Compliance: Ensure that you only send SMS to customers who have explicitly opted in to receive messages from your company. By doing so, you can keep your opt-out rate low, which is crucial. A high opt-out rate suggests to carriers that you are sending unsolicited, or cold SMS, which is against regulations. If you plan to use SMS for cold outreach, make sure to obtain consent from the recipients through email or phone calls before sending any messages. If your account is flagged for having a high opt-out rate, it could be suspended unless you provide proof of opt-in for a random selection of leads that the affected carrier picks.
   
   

2. Minimize High Failure Rate: Prior to importing your contact list to Gridlex and initiating SMS campaigns, use third-party sites to validate the contacts. This step helps you avoid sending SMS to landline numbers, which is considered a signal of spam messages without proper consent. Having a high error rate due to sending messages to invalid numbers or landlines will significantly lower your trust score and may affect SMS delivery success.
   
   

Conclusion

A2P 10DLC is a vital component for businesses that engage in mass messaging. The process of registration, adherence to carrier guidelines, and maintaining an ethical opt-in and opt-out system are essential. By following the prescribed methods, businesses can effectively use A2P 10DLC for a variety of communication needs.