Understanding Carrier Patterns for A2P SMS

If you’re sending A2P (Application-to-Person) messages in 2026, you’re operating in a landscape where carriers have two goals that constantly fight each other:

1. The Utility Mandate: They want every legitimate message to be delivered instantly

2. The Safety Mandate: They want zero scam or spam messages to reach their users

Because texting is a utility, carriers are now using sophisticated AI models to discern “good actors” from “bad actors.” If your traffic patterns even look like a scammer’s, your delivery rates will tank, or worse—you’ll face a sev-0 violation—and they’re $2,000 a pop 😡

In this guide, we’re breaking down the two types of patterns carriers look for so you can keep your traffic clean 🧼 and your delivery high 📈

Want to see the video that inspired this post? You can do so Here!

1️⃣ Pattern Type 1: The “Scam & Spam” Hallmarks 🕵️‍♂️

Carriers are hyper-focused on social engineering 🗣️. Even if you are a legitimate business, using certain “shorthand” tactics can flag you as a “Pig Butchering” or Phishing scammer.

🚫 The “Is this [Name]?” Trap

Many businesses send a first text saying: “Hi, is this Diane?” to verify a lead. Don’t do this. This is the exact pattern used in “Pig Butchering” scams (where scammers fatten up a lead’s trust before exploiting them).

✅ The Fix: Start with value and identity. Say: “Hi Diane, I’m Will from Signal House. I’m reaching out to provide that quote you requested.”

🚫 The Redirect Danger 🚩

If you use links with multiple redirects, T-Mobile and other carriers will shut you down immediately. Scammers use redirects to hide malicious sites.

✅ The Fix: Use a verified short link (like the Signal House registered short link) that has only one single redirect, or use a link that matches your registered brand’s domain.

2️⃣ Pattern Type 2: Messaging Hygiene & Sentiment 🧼

It’s not just what you say; it’s the mathematical pattern of your sending. Carriers look at three main metrics:

📉 Opt-Out Rates: The “Gold Standard”

• < 1%: Gold Standard (You are a hero in the eyes of carriers) 🏆

• 1% – 2%: Good

• 2% – 4%: Okay, but risky

• 5% – 7%: Bad

• > 7%: Shutdown territory 🛑

🚩 The Re-engagement Spike

The biggest mistake businesses make is “blasting” an old list. If you haven’t messaged a list in years and suddenly send 100,000 texts, your opt-out rate will spike (e.g., jumping from 1% to 10% in one day). To a carrier, this looks like you bought a list or your account was hacked.

✅ The Fix: Gradually mix re-engagement leads into your daily “warm” traffic to keep your average opt-out rate stable.

🛠️ The Signal House Checklist for 10DLC Success ✅

To ensure your messages “move the needle” without getting blocked, follow these pillars of compliance:

• Clean Brand Registration: Your legal company name must match your brand name, which must match your message content 🧩

• No False Urgency: Avoid “ACT NOW! TIME IS RUNNING OUT!” AI models flag this as a scam hallmark. Use factual urgency instead: “Your window to claim ends Jan 15th.” ⏰

• Identify Yourself: Always introduce the business you are sending on behalf of 🤝

• Check Your Links: Always run your links through a redirect checker before hitting send 🔗

📈 The Bottom Line

At Signal House, we aren’t just a tier 2 aggregator; we are your partners in deliverability. Whether you are leveraging 10DLC today or preparing for our Short Code, Toll-Free, and RCS launches later this year, understanding these patterns is the key to scaling your business messaging.

If your current provider is letting your messages fall into the “spam” trap, it’s time to switch to a platform that understands the logic of the carriers. Want to improve your delivery today? Connect with our team Here!