Toll-Free Number Verification and A2P 10DLC Registration Process

Phone numbers (10DLC and Toll-Free) that will be used for SMS must be registered (A2P 10DLC) or verified (Toll-Free) to avoid messages from being blocked by carriers.

A2P DLC Registration

Do not use unregistered numbers for SMS/MMS until registration is complete

10DLC and TFN numbers should not be used to communicate with Customers via SMS until the registration/verification is complete. You'll also need to ensure your website and IVR are aligned with SMS Compliance requirements to avoid regulatory issues and penalties.

Starting July 5, 2023, all SMS sent to US and CA numbers via A2P, using a 10DLC (10-digit long number), must originate from registered brands. Outbound SMS traffic from numbers associated with unregistered brands coming from Gladly will begin to be rejected by carriers. After August 31, 2023, all outbound messages from unregistered numbers will be blocked. To avoid SMS blocking, please complete the A2P 10DLC Registration process when setting up a 10DLC number. This registration process takes ~four weeks to complete as it is at the behest of telecom carriers.

• If you're planning to use a new 10DLC number for SMS, and you've already registered a previous local number for use with SMS via A2P 10DLC Registration with Gladly, please contact Gladly Support with a P4 priority to add this new number to your existing registration. There's no need to complete the registration form again.

• If you plan to use a new 10DLC number for phone calls only, please file a Gladly Support inquiry with a P4 priority to deactivate SMS capabilities for this number so you won't run into regulatory compliance issues. If you decide to use the SMS number, you must contact Gladly Support and request that the SMS be activated.

• Each A2P 10DLC registration has a small monthly maintenance cost. See Invoices and Billing for additional details.

Mass SMS

If you expect to send thousands of SMSes an hour (if you have a contact center that uses SMS heavily to support customers), you may want to purchase additional Messaging Per Second segments so they do not get rate limited when sending out messages. Typically, one MPS segment is $10. The charge will appear as part of your Gladly telephony charges but won't be broken into an individual line item. To purchase additional MPS, contact Gladly Support and provide which numbers you'd like to apply additional MPS. Gladly Support will then initiate a request with Twilio for MPS.

Toll-Free Number Verification

Verified Toll-Free Messaging is a service that Twilio offers to confirm that your business and use case(s) have been reviewed in advance of sending traffic via Toll-Free Numbers and that you have received carrier approval for messaging via Toll-Free numbers to the US/Canada. This verification process is free of cost.

Verification dramatically reduces the risk of message filtering on Toll-Free traffic toward all major networks in the US and some in Canada, as long as you adhere to your stated use case and all applicable rules, such as Twilio's Messaging Policy. This verification affects messaging to mobile users in the United States and Canada's Fido, Rogers, Telus, and Videotron networks.

It's best to complete the Toll-Free Number Verification process before using Toll-Free numbers to communicate with Customers via SMS/MMS.

• Note – If you plan to use a new TFN number for phone calls only, please contact Gladly Support with a P4 priority to deactivate SMS capabilities for this number so you won't run into regulatory compliance issues. If you decide to use the SMS number, you must contact Gladly Support and request that the SMS be activated.

• Note – If you plan to use a new TFN number for phone calls only, contact Gladly Support with a P4 priority to deactivate SMS capabilities for this number so you won't run into regulatory compliance issues. If you decide to use the SMS number, you must contact Gladly Support and request that the SMS be activated.

Messaging limit for unverified Toll-Free numbers

Effective October 1, 2022, Twilio will apply a daily limit of 2,000 message segments per day for traffic sent over restricted (previously “Unverified”) Toll-Free phone numbers in the US. Beginning April 1, 2023, these limits will drop to 500 daily / 1,000 weekly / 2,000 monthly. After November 8, 2023, all unverified SMS traffic from TFNs will be blocked.