Since its introduction, 10DLC has become a staple of the messaging landscape. A wide variety of organizations have adopted this channel to take advantage of benefits such as the ability to send from local numbers. For many companies, 10DLC is a pillar in their overall SMS messaging strategy.
But as with many new technologies, A2P 10DLC has faced its share of challenges as adoption has spread. Bad actors jumped into the fray with spam messages and text scams, and as a result, which has definitely come to the attention of lawmakers and regulators. North American carriers also created The Campaign Registry (TCR), an independent third-party organization to manage 10DLC registration with the goal of boosting transparency.
While there was some informal “grace period” for companies using 10DLC at first, the first wave of deadlines hit in 2023. Now, in 2024, carriers are getting even more serious about cracking down on non-compliant 10DLC texts and campaigns—which means that intermediate carriers and communication platforms will start enforcing regulations more strictly in the coming months.
Organizations that use 10DLC may be concerned about stumbling into issues that cause messages to be blocked or incur fines or additional fees. No one wants to accidentally cost the company more money or risk losing brand trust!
If you rely on 10DLC messaging as part of your overall SMS marketing plan and you’re finding it tough to wade through potential delivery issues, don’t worry—Bandwidth has the answers to help you keep your messaging health in top condition.
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Why bother with 10DLC compliance?
We get it—you have a long “to do” list for marketing your products and services, and the last thing you want to do is spend time wading into the ins and outs of 10DLC compliance.
But staying in compliance with carrier requirements and government regulations for your 10DLC campaigns benefits both you and the entire messaging ecosystem. When your campaigns are in compliance, your messages are more likely to get through to customers, improving your brand recognition, brand trust, and local presence. In addition, the more legitimate campaigns that stay compliant, the easier it is to weed out fraudulent or nefarious campaigns—and that benefits everyone!
How can you stay in 10DLC compliance?
Staying compliant with 10DLC requirements isn’t as difficult as it may sound. Here are five tips to help you stay in good standing:
- Make sure your brand is registered with The Campaign Registry. If you are a brand that wants to use A2P 10DLC messaging, you will need to ask your campaign service providers to register for you since brands can’t register directly.
- Register every A2P 10DLC campaign with The Campaign Registry. Yes, every single one! To register a campaign, you’ll need to provide TCR with information about the content, purpose, and target audience of your campaign. Remember, you can register a dedicated or mixed-use campaign.
- Prevent campaign drift. Once you’ve registered your campaign with TCR, make sure that every message you send adheres to the original campaign description. If you need to send something outside of that original campaign, start a new one. Campaign drift is one of the most common problems text campaigns encounter—and it’s also one of the most preventable.
- Monitor your campaign’s health. Watch your campaign’s deliverability rates, opt-out requests, and other metrics to catch issues before they impact compliance. For example, if a campaign has a spike in opt-out requests, dig into those requests to find out why, and make any necessary adjustments to ensure that opt-ins are collected properly to prevent these spikes.
- Ask for help. Whether you work directly with a carrier or use a third-party to send 10DLC messages, don’t be afraid to ask for help in navigating the rapidly changing world of SMS messaging. Remember, carriers and communication service providers (CSPs) do this work every day; they should be able to help untangle any confusing issues you run into. And if they can’t or won’t, it may be time to look for a new partner.
Don’t let 10DLC compliance news or dates scare you away from using this powerful messaging channel—but also, don’t ignore requirements! The benefits of A2P 10DLC far outweigh the time it takes to make sure your campaigns are compliant.
If you’re struggling to make sense of all the details around 10DLC compliance, reach out to your Bandwidth representative. Our experts can demystify campaign registration to help ensure your message reaches your audience—and boosts your brand and your business!
