Who are the DCAs (Direct Connect Aggregators)? 🧐

Ever wondered who the DCAs are and what they actually even do?! We recently did a tell-all webinar discussing who the DCAs are, the role they play in the messaging ecosystem, and even which DCA a certain messaging company (think a big red T) uses 👀. If you want to check out the webinar to learn juicy details like this and much, much more—check out the full video Here.

Who are Direct Connect Aggregators (DCAs)?

• Syniverse
• Sinch
• InfoBip
• Vibes

What are DCAs?

In the world of business texting, DCAs act as gatekeepers between messaging providers (like Twilio or Signal House) and the major mobile carriers (Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T). They play a crucial role in ensuring that businesses comply with regulations and that consumers are protected from spam and unwanted messages.

Why are DCAs Important?

With the rise of 10DLC messaging, businesses need to register their messaging campaigns (i.e., messaging ‘use case‘). It’s a bit of a yin-yang, the DCAs enable near-endless connectivity to hundreds of millions of consumers, but also must safeguard the channel with compliance oversight. DCAs are responsible for reviewing 10DLC campaigns, verifying they meet the carriers’ requirements.

Key Takeaways

• The DCA Review Process: Each DCA has its own process for reviewing campaigns, and there can be inconsistencies between different reviewers. It’s essential to understand the specific requirements of each DCA and ensure your campaigns meet those standards.
• The Role of DCAs in 10DLC: DCAs help to ensure that businesses are following the rules and regulations set forth by the carriers and industry organizations like the CTIA. They also enable large-scale business messaging. Without the DCAs, providers would have no connection to the carriers.
• Choosing the Right Messaging Provider: The DCA is an important part of which provider you send your traffic through. Each has its preferences and restrictions; your best fit will depend upon a matrix of your messaging type (use case), industry, volume, and budget. Describe your use case to your provider and make them sell you on why their upstream DCA is great for your business. Don’t like the answer or don’t know if it’s honest? Email me: will@signalhouse.io—I’m happy to take a look!

Actionable Insights:

• Ask your messaging provider which DCA they use. This will help you understand the potential challenges and benefits of using that provider.
• Ensure your website and messaging campaigns comply with the DCA’s requirements. This will help to ensure that your campaigns are approved and that your messages are delivered.
• Be prepared for potential inconsistencies in the review process. If your campaign is rejected, don’t be afraid to appeal the decision or seek clarification from your messaging provider. Bottom line, if you know it’s approvable, it’s approvable; repeal the rejection. If it’s borderline, your odds of approval will depend on how borderline it is. In any event—talk to your aggregator. Make sure they know you and understand your business.

Q&A Highlights:

• Q: Is the DCA a company uses a secret?
  • A: No, it’s not a secret, and your messaging provider should be transparent about which DCA they use. You need this information to make informed decisions about your messaging strategy.

• Q: How do I know if the DCA rejected my campaign or if it was the provider before sending it to the DCA?

  • A: Your messaging provider should have a system in place to show you the status of your campaign and who rejected it. If they don’t, reach out to their support team.

• Q: What is the most common thing you see in rejected campaigns? Are there any tips for approval?

  • A: The most common issue is forgetting to put the phone number and disclaimer on every page of the website where someone can enter their phone number. Also, ensure your disclaimer includes the who, what, when, where, how, and cost of your messaging program.

• Q: What DCA does Twilio use? I can’t get campaigns approved and I want to avoid them.

  • A: Twilio uses Syniverse as one of their DCAs. If you’re having trouble getting campaigns approved with Twilio, consider exploring other messaging providers that may be a better fit for your needs.

• Q: Can my company just build our own direct connections?

  • A: Theoretically yes, but it’s incredibly difficult. It’s much more practical to work with an established messaging provider who already has those connections.

• Q: I had a campaign approved two weeks ago and submitted the exact same information and it was rejected this morning. I’m being told the rules were always like that. So how was the first campaign approved?

  • A: DCAs review campaigns manually, and different reviewers may interpret the rules differently. It’s crucial to get clarification on any discrepancies and adapt your campaigns accordingly.

• Q: Where do the DCAs get the rules they use when reviewing campaigns? Are they making the rules themselves?

  • A: The rules come from industry organizations like the CTIA and from the carriers themselves.

• Q: I heard T-Mobile is the carrier who sets all the rules. Is that correct?

  • A: T-Mobile plays a significant role in setting the rules, but it’s not the only one. All carriers and industry organizations contribute to the rule-making process.

Wrap Up:

Understanding the role of DCAs is crucial for any business using 10DLC messaging. By choosing the right DCA and ensuring your campaigns comply with their requirements, you can improve your deliverability rates and protect your business from spam fines and penalties.