How to Get Your 10DLC A2P Campaigns Approved FAST! 💨

Tired of your 10DLC, A2P Campaigns being rejected? Is your messaging provider gatekeeping the process, leaving you in the dark? We’re here to help! This post summarizes a recent webinar where Signal House Co-Founder Will Craig uncovers the secrets of precisely what the DCAs are reviewing when they’re vetting your campaigns so you can see seamless, quick approvals. Want to check out the full webinar? You can do so Here.

What is 10DLC and A2P?

10DLC stands for 10-digit long code, which is a standard phone number with a local area code. A2P (application-to-person) messaging refers to sending messages from a business application to an individual’s mobile device.

The 10DLC Approval Process

The 10DLC approval process involves two main steps:

1. Brand Approval: Registering your company as a brand allows you to send A2P messages. You’ll need to provide basic business information like your legal company name, tax ID (EIN – this can be found on your SS-4, W-9, W-2, or by contacting IRS), address, and type of organization. This step is usually instant, as your information is verified against a government database.
2. Campaign Approval: Once your brand is approved, you can create campaigns for specific messaging use cases. These campaigns are reviewed by a Direct Connect Aggregator (DCA), which ensures your messaging practices comply with industry standards.

Key Components of a Successful Campaign

To get your 10DLC campaign approved, you need to pay close attention to the following:

• Use Case: Choose the appropriate use case for your campaign, such as customer care, marketing, or account notifications. For businesses sending less than 6,000 messages per day, the “Low Volume Mixed” use case is recommended, as it offers flexibility and cost savings.
• Call to Action (CTA) and Message Flow: Your campaign messages must include clear and concise information about your company, the type of messages you’ll send, message frequency, opt-out instructions, and any associated costs.
• Website Compliance: Your website must have a clear CTA with the required disclaimers and a comprehensive privacy policy that addresses data sharing and SMS opt-in data.
• Sample Messages: Provide sample messages for each use case in your campaign.

Actionable Insights from the Webinar

• Create a Use Case: Work closely with your messaging provider to ensure they understand your business and messaging needs. This will help them provide better support and guidance throughout the approval process.
• Templating: If you’re a reseller or have multiple campaigns with similar use cases, consider templating your website and campaign submissions. This can save time and streamline the approval process.
• Appealing Rejections: If your brand or campaign is rejected, don’t give up. Use the appeal process and provide any necessary documentation to support your application.

Q&A Highlights

• Question: My company sends a few 1,000 messages per month. We have a standard campaign now. I saw something about low volumes. Would you recommend a low volume campaign?
  • Answer: Yes, if you’re sending a few thousand messages per month and the difference in throughput between standard and low volume isn’t crucial, a low-volume mixed campaign is recommended. It’s cheaper and helps avoid drift content issues.

• Question: My company is a reseller of SMS, and our customers have issues getting registered. How can we make this process easier?
  • Answer: Templating is key. Work with your aggregator; explain your customer base and their messaging use cases. Collect privacy policy links and CTA links upfront. Consider templating websites and campaign submissions, ensuring they meet all requirements.

• Question: We’re unable to update our website. Is there a way that we can get registered?
  • Answer: Yes, seek out a messaging provider that offers templating or website solutions. They can help you create a compliant website or landing page for 10DLC registration.

• Question: My Twilio campaigns got rejected from DCA. How many DCAs could there be in this chain of DCAs?
  • Answer: While theoretically there could be more, typically you’ll encounter one or two DCAs. Twilio, for example, uses Syniverse, who themselves uses an upstream provider. Contact your Twilio rep to discuss your campaigns and explore ways to improve approvals.

• Question: Can you break down the charges for me?
  • Answer: There’s a one-time $4 brand registration fee (per attempt). Campaigns have a one-time $15 vetting fee (standard use case). Recurring monthly fees vary: $10 for standard campaigns, $1.50 for low volume mixed campaigns.

• Question: Are there tiers of campaigns that can send more messages? Is this an additional review? How much does that cost?
  • Answer: Yes, there’s additional vetting, with a “standard” and “enhanced” option; the standard is most-common and is a $40 charge. Depending on your ‘score,’ your T-Mobile throughput can increase to 200,000 messages/day, while ATT can send up to 4,500 messages per minute. It’s a separate process from the standard campaign approval.

• Question: What is number pooling? I always put no, but I’m not really sure what it is.
  • Answer: Number pooling is for when you need more than 49 numbers on a single campaign. It’s a complex and expensive process. For most cases, it’s simpler to register a new campaign.

• Question: We have 4 salespeople on our team. Do you recommend we do one campaign for all 4 people, or do one campaign per person?
  • Answer: It depends on volume. If each salesperson sends very high volumes (over 6,000 messages/day), separate campaigns might be beneficial. For normal sales volumes, 10-15 numbers per campaign (standard or low volume mixed) are usually sufficient.

• Question: I’m a reseller. Do you recommend letting our customers configure their own branding campaign or submitting one on their behalf?
  • Answer: For brands, have customers provide the necessary business information (legal name, EIN, etc.). For campaigns, especially if you’re a vertical solution, it’s generally better to template campaigns and submit them on behalf of your customers, ensuring compliance and streamlining the process. For horizontal solutions, create use-case specific campaigns for common verticals.