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What is 10DLC?
10DLC (10-digit long code) is a service offered by US carriers to explicitly allow application-to-person (A2P) SMS traffic over long code phone numbers. The term "10-digit long code" refers to standard US local phone numbers, which are 10 digits long, including the area code. Unlike short codes, long code numbers can be used to make and receive calls.
10DLC offers several benefits:
- High messaging throughput — up to 4,500 transactions per minute per operator
- Enhanced deliverability, because 10DLC use cases are approved by operators
- Cost savings compared to short codes
To create this sanctioned channel, US carriers require businesses to register their 10DLC numbers and the campaigns for which they use them. Registration lets carriers know who’s sending messages and what kinds of messages are being sent, so they can protect end-users from spam and unwanted messages.
Upon receipt of registration information, carriers’ verification and risk assessment evaluations are outsourced to an independent organization called The Campaign Registry. TCR evaluates each registration based on the information the registrant provides and assigns a “vetting score” to each registration. Vetting scores are calculated using an undisclosed algorithm that takes into account a brand’s past texting history, type of organization, and the type of messages the registrant plans to send. The vetting score determines the maximum throughput the carrier allows for a brand.
As part of ensuring compliance and optimizing message delivery, businesses must also adhere to specific carrier guidelines, such as T-Mobile's Code of Conduct for A2P messaging, which outlines critical compliance requirements and best practices.
Do I need to register for 10DLC?
If you’re sending A2P text messages to US recipients and not using toll-free or short code source numbers, you should register your brand and campaigns for 10DLC. Messages sent from numbers that are not associated with registered campaigns will not be delivered.
What are brands and campaigns?
The 10DLC ecosystem relies on two important declarations from the customer. A brand is the entity that a number represents. A campaign represents the type of messages the brand intends to send. The terms “campaign” and “use case” are often used interchangeably.
How can I register my brands and campaigns?
To register for 10DLC service, you must first register your brand, which involves providing information about the business that’s sending messages. Check our documentation on how to register, especially if you are a reseller that has to register your customers.
You can use the Plivo console to register your brands or campaigns or you can use our SDKs (now in public beta). The details you provide during registration are reviewed by TCR and carriers, so make sure you provide accurate information. Refer to our guidelines to avoid making mistakes when submitting information for 10DLC registration.
What are the associated costs?
Standard registration fees
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Fee |
Frequency |
Amount |
|
Brand registration |
One-time |
$4 |
|
Brand vetting (optional) |
One-time |
$40 |
|
Campaign vetting |
One-time |
$15 |
|
Each campaign |
Monthly |
$10, or $1.50 for low-volume campaigns, billed quarterly |
Plivo recommends brands pay for additional vetting if their messaging volume exceeds 6,000 per day.
Because of all the fees involved for registering brands and campaigns, Plivo recommends recharging your account in advance to avoid any disruption to your services. Registering a standard campaign requires a minimum of $45 in account credits: $30 for registration charges for a quarter at $10 per month and a $15 campaign vetting fee. Registering a brand requires a minimum of $4 in account credits, or $44 if you opt for vetting
In addition to registration charges, each operator also imposes a termination surcharge for every message sent from a long code number that terminates in their respective networks. Surcharges are added on top of the standard cost per message as reflected on Plivo pricing page. You can find the total surcharge amount on your Plivo invoice in the Carrier Surcharge Fee section.
How long does it take for a campaign to be approved?
Campaigns are vetted by carriers, which causes delays. Current processing time is 1-2 weeks.
Will the need to register for 10DLC affect my Plivo phone numbers?
No, 10DLC won’t cause any changes to your Plivo phone numbers. The change will only affect the cost and delivery quality for long code SMS messages.
How do I use my existing numbers for 10DLC?
Once your brand and campaign registration is successful, you can link your existing numbers to a campaign using the Plivo console or Plivo SDKs. You can map up to 49 numbers to a campaign for a Standard brand registration.
What throughput can I expect after registering with 10DLC?
When you register your brand, The Campaign Registry must first identify your brand; if it cannot, you will not be approved for messaging without further action on your part. If your brand is not among the Russell 3000 companies, you will be placed by default in a low throughput tier. In either of those cases, you can apply to have a vetting organization verify your brand so you can potentially be assigned to a higher throughput tier. Carriers leverage third-party vetting partners such as Aegis Mobile, Campaign Verify, and WMC Global to verify brands. Plivo lets you specify that you want to be vetted when you register your brand for a one-time fee of $40.
US operators have defined messaging throughput tiers in terms of transactions per minute (TPM) and transactions per day (TPD). Throughput is allocated to campaigns depending on their vetting score. See our guide on A2P messaging throughput in the US for complete information.
What is T-Mobile non-use fee and what are Plivo’s recommendations?
T-Mobile encourages customers to send all A2P messages over 10DLC numbers. To reduce misuse of this process, T-Mobile has introduced a $250 fee for any active campaign that has not been used to send traffic to T-Mobile users over a 60-day rolling period. The first rolling period started on December 1, 2022, and the first assessment was done on February 1, 2023. If any of your campaigns have not sent traffic to at least one T-Mobile user in the preceding 60 days, you will be charged this fee. Read about how to identify campaigns that might incur these fees and Plivo’s recommendations to avoid them.
What’s Plivo’s recommendation for resellers?
Resellers are businesses or platforms that provide services to other businesses. If you facilitate messaging for a brand or business that’s not your own, you can be classified as a reseller. If you only send messages related to your own brand, you’re not a reseller.
Resellers should register all their customers for 10DLC. Plivo does not support bulk registration on the console or through our API, so you should register each customer individually.
How to avoid 10DLC violations
Be sure that the information you provide during registration is complete and accurate, and includes a detailed description of your use case and sample messages. Operators use content-based filtering to check campaigns, so if the messages you send violate SHAFT guidelines or don’t adhere to the use case you provided during registration, your campaign may be suspended. In extreme cases, operators might decide to block an entire brand, leading to the suspension of all campaigns.
T-Mobile imposes additional fees on some violations:
|
Description |
Associated Fee |
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10DLC Long Code Messaging Program Evasion: This fee is applied when businesses use evasion techniques like snowshoeing, unauthorized number replacement, and dynamic routing. |
$1,000 per incident |
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Text Enablement: This fee is applied when a 10-digit NANP telephone number is provisioned for SMS and sends out messages before verification of message sender ownership is completed. |
$10,000 |
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Content Violation: T-Mobile may charge this pass-through fee for each unique instance of the third or any subsequent notification of a content violation involving the same content provider. Content violation is defined as sending messages in violation of the rules in the Code of Conduct, and are usually SHAFT violations (sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, tobacco) but also include spam or phishing, or messaging that meets the threshold of a Severity 0 violation per the CTIA Short Code Monitoring Handbook. |
$10,000 |
Can I migrate 10DLC brands, campaigns, and phone numbers from another provider to Plivo?
TCR and mobile network operators (MNO) don't allow you to reuse a campaign you created with one CPaaS with any other one, so you'll have to register your brand and your campaigns anew on the Plivo console or by using our APIs and SDKs. If, on the other hand, you created a campaign directly with TCR and haven’t used it elsewhere, you can share it with Plivo via a support ticket and we can import it for you.
When it comes to associating numbers with your campaigns, the easiest thing to do is rent new numbers through the console and associate them with campaigns. If you want to keep the numbers you’ve already been using with your other vendor, you can port them to Plivo. When a number is ported in by a different vendor, it automatically becomes unregistered from any 10DLC campaigns it was previously associated with. Once the port-in is complete, you can associate the newly ported numbers with your campaigns.
Prohibited Use Cases for Virtual Numbers
To maintain compliance with carrier regulations and ensure optimal deliverability, the following use cases are not supported when using virtual numbers:
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Signing up for consumer services: Virtual numbers must not be used to register for consumer-facing platforms or applications.
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Testing message deliverability or inbound capabilities: Utilizing virtual numbers for testing purposes, including inbound message reception or deliverability assessments, is prohibited.
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Simulating phishing traffic for security training: Engaging in activities that mimic phishing attacks, even for internal security awareness or training, is not permitted.
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Receiving inbound One-Time Passwords (OTPs): Virtual numbers are not authorized to receive OTPs or similar authentication messages.
Engaging in any of the above activities may lead to message filtering, delivery failures, or suspension of messaging services.
What if I have additional questions about 10DLC?
Please contact your customer success manager or our support team.