10DLC is the new industry standard that AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, etc. created to help businesses safely and effectively communicate with customers through text messaging.
Any business that uses 10-digit numbers to send text messages should consider registering their numbers with mobile carriers. This is done through The Campaign Registry.
Read through these frequently asked questions to better understand 10DLC, why this program matters, and how these changes directly benefit you and your business. Free download included at the end.
Who should care about 10DLC?
Any business that uses 10-digit numbers to send text messages needs to be aware of 10DLC.
What are the carriers requiring with 10DLC?
Carriers want to know which businesses text people and what types of messages they send. Businesses share this information by registering with an organization called The Campaign Registry. Registration and sending with 10DLC does include additional “carrier fees.”
Why do carriers require registration?
The mobile carriers want to crack down on spam and fraudulent messaging. Registering allows a business to say, “We’re legit.” The carriers give those businesses special messaging privileges.
How does registering benefit a business?
10DLC and The Campaign Registry afford registered business a slew of benefits. These benefits are a huge reason the team at Skipio is so passionate about getting our customers registered. You’ll notice other platforms and services touting similar advantages.
- Higher message delivery rates
- Faster sending speeds
- Fewer (if any) messages filtered as spam
- Higher daily sending volume
- Increased trust with the people you’re messaging
- Lower costs without having to rely on short code
- No risk of noncompliance fines
What if a business doesn’t register?
Depending on your business text messaging platform, you may be charged noncompliance fees or not allowed to send messages at all. Failing to register or attempting to circumvent the regulations may result in significant fines from each of the mobile carriers. Your number(s) may also get blocked.
The benefits of registering far outweigh the associated carrier fees and potential negative consequences of not registering. After all, registering is the only way to ensure your contacts will receive your text messages.
Do all texting platforms participate in 10DLC?
In short, yes. The industry-wide adoption of 10DLC affects all business text messaging platforms and services. Platforms like Skipio highly encourage and often require their customers to register. Currently Skipio requires all users of our platform to register.
If businesses do not register, they may be subject to a platform’s noncompliance or non-registration fees — all dependent on the platform. Not all platforms charge such fees.
How much does it cost?
The fees charged by The Campaign Registry, generally referred to as “carrier fees,” vary based on the type of business and the sort of messages being sent. This includes one-time fees charged only at registration and monthly recurring fees for messaging.
Different platforms handle these fees in different ways. Platforms are making changes like the following to cover these costs:
- Increasing base pricing overall
- Requiring customers to pay for all inbound & outbound messages
- Increasing the cost for messages, credits, and/or overages
- Introducing a specific and separate set of fees
- Charging extra for 10DLC-compliant phone numbers
Skipio currently charges all general users a $15 per month fee to cover associated carrier fees.
