Application-to-peer (A2P) messaging in the US is subject to throughput limits depending on the type of number and the type of service you use. In practice, that means you are only permitted to send a certain number of messages per minute and per day according to carrier regulations.
This guide breaks down everything Plivo customers need to know about A2P messaging throughput limits in the US. Use this resource to avoid going over your allocated number of messages and risking a disruption in your A2P communication.
A2P throughput limits by number type
Shortcode, toll-free, and long-code numbers each have different A2P messaging throughput limits. Short code and toll-free number messaging limits are set at a per-number level as outlined in the table below. Verify your toll-free numbers to avoid running into sending limits.
| Number Type | SMS | MMS |
| Toll-free | 25 per second | 2 per second |
| Short code | 100 per second | 100 per second |
Messaging limits for long code numbers depend on your 10DLC registration.
These limits are imposed by the carriers. If your use case requires higher throughput for toll-free or short code numbers, contact your customer success manager or our support team.
A2P throughput limits by message type
A2P messaging throughput limits are also impacted by the message type (either SMS or MMS). SMS throughput is defined by the carriers and depends on your vetting score, as shown in the table below.
The carriers define their throughput limits on a throughput per minute (TPM) metric. Your brand’s TPM is determined by its vetting score. For example, if your brand receives a vetting score of 80, then all campaigns collectively under that brand can send up to 4,500 messages per minute towards AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon numbers.
|
Use Case Type |
Vetting Score | AT&T TPM | T-Mobile* TPM | Verizon TPM |
| Dedicated, Mixed/Marketing | 75–100 | 4,500 | 4,500 | 4,500 |
| Dedicated, Mixed/Marketing | 50–74 | 2,400 | 2,400 | 2,400 |
| Dedicated, Mixed/Marketing | 1–49 | 240 | 240 | 240 |
| Low-Volume | 1–100 | 75 | 75 | 75 |
| Brands that skip secondary vetting | 0 | 240 | 240 | 240 |
*Including T-Mobile, Sprint, and Metro by T-Mobile
Smaller carriers (<5% of US messaging volume) have not explicitly declared their throughput assignment details but we expect them to be in similar ranges for a given vetting score.
Unlike SMS throughput, which depends on vetting score and campaign type, MMS throughput has been defined at a per-number level by the carriers. Each number linked to a campaign can send up to 50 messages per minute per carrier. For higher throughput, you can link multiple numbers to the same campaign.
T-Mobile TPD restrictions
T-Mobile (including Sprint) also applies a throughput per day (TPD) limit to SMS and MMS messages. Like TPM, this limit varies according to a brand’s vetting score.
Note that T-Mobile’s TPD limit takes into account both SMS and MMS messages; in other words, the daily limit is shared across SMS and MMS services. This means that even if you are vetted for a throughput of 4,500 TPM towards T-Mobile, any messages sent after the 200,000 limit will fail.
|
Use Case Type |
Vetting Score | T-Mobile TPD |
| All | 75–100 | 200,000 |
| All | 50–74 | 40,000 |
| All | 25–49 | 10,000 |
| All | 1–24 | 2,000 |
What if I reach the TPD limit set by T-Mobile for my brand?
Check your T-Mobile TPD cap on the Plivo console. Once you hit the TPD limit, any additional messages sent to T-Mobile by your brand will fail for the remainder of the day. T-Mobile operates on Pacific Time (PT), and your message limit resets at the beginning of each day.
Note that Your messages directed to AT&T, Verizon, and other carriers remain unaffected by the T-Mobile quota.
Can I increase my throughput?
Plivo recommends undergoing vetting during the brand registration process to unlock higher throughputs. If, even after your business has been vetted, the allocated throughput (TPM) remains insufficient, you can appeal your vetting score by collaborating with our support team. Should your appeal be rejected and your daily messaging volume toward T-Mobile exceeds the allocated TPD (throughput per day), you have the option to request a Special Business Review (SBR) from T-Mobile. The purpose of the SBR is to grant access to higher daily volumes.
Additionally, if your campaign necessitates linking more than 49 phone numbers, T-Mobile mandates that you submit a Number Pool Request (NPR).
T-Mobile imposes a fee for each SBR or NPR. Plivo transparently passes on carrier fees to its customers without any additional markup. Before submitting an SBR or NPR request, ensure that your brand and campaign are registered with TCR (T-Mobile Compliance Registry).
To initiate an SBR or NPR, please reach out to your customer success manager or our support team.
Messages per Second (MPS) Limits
Plivo imposes Messages per Second (MPS) limits on accounts to manage the rate at which messages are dispatched. These limits are essential to understand for maintaining efficient messaging operations without exceeding allocated capacities. Below, find key details about outbound MPS limits and procedures for adjustments if necessary.
| Account Type | SMS MPS Limit | MMS MPS Limit |
| Default at Sign-up | 5 | 0.25 |
MPS Management
Messages exceeding the MPS limit are queued, not dropped, ensuring all your messages are eventually dispatched according to the specified rate.
- Scenario 1: Sending 5 API messages in a second with a 5 MPS limit results in simultaneous dispatch.
- Scenario 2: Sending 10 API messages in a second with a 5 MPS limit leads to the first 5 being dispatched immediately, with the remaining 5 queued for the next interval.
MPS Details and Adjustments
Find your MPS allocation under the SMS Overview page in the Plivo console, within the Account section. Adjustments to MPS settings are facilitated through support, with the assurance that exceeding limits does not result in message loss but rather in queued dispatch.
Increasing MPS Limits
Should your operational requirements exceed the standard MPS allocations, our support team is ready to assist in evaluating and implementing suitable adjustments. Note that additional fees will be incurred for extra MPS.