In 2021, all major US carriers — T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon came together to introduce a new set of regulations called A2P 10DLC.  These 10 digit long codes were developed and sanctioned specifically for businesses that rely on bulk text messaging to communicate with their audiences. 

The goal is to provide businesses with a reliable, stable and more secure solution by which they can easily reach their customers and at the same time protect consumers from unsolicited messages. The unsanctioned 10DLC of the past lacked these desirable security standards and as a result, were constantly vulnerable to blocking and throttling. With the new rigorous regulations set in place by carriers, A2P 10DLC are almost immune to the above drawbacks, are more trusted by consumers and have higher throughput rates 

While A2P 10DLC might seem daunting, rest assured that if you have an SMS provider like Connectify Services, you wouldn’t have to worry about any of the technicalities or documentation. We handle the entire setup process as well as the bureaucratic processes involved.

Back to the brass tacks, here’s everything you need to know about A2P 10DLC!

What is A2P 10DLC?

10DLC, also known as 10-digit long code, is a business text messaging service that allows organizations to send business-to-consumer SMS from local phone numbers. Initially, long code messaging was conducted through person-to-person (P2P) carriers designed for family and friends. But through the Application-to-person (A2P) 10DLC solution, businesses can now send high message volume to customers from a designated 10-digit phone number.  

Who Needs A2P 10DLC?

A2P 10DLCs were designed for businesses that need to send messages to customers either 1-to-1 or in bulk through local long codes (phone numbers). While it is ideal for localized or in-store businesses, you can also use it for:

• Events, security, and account notifications
• Customer service interactions
• Marketing communications 
• Authentication messages 

How Does A2P 10 DLC Work?

Before you can use A2P messaging, there are two steps that you need to complete:

1. Brand Registration

As an organization, you must identify who you are. You’ll need to submit general information (brand name and address) and business information such as business type and identity. You’ll give detailed information to the carrier networks you use. 

2. Campaign Registration

After registering your brand, The Campaign Registry (TCR) gives you a trust score. The score and your campaign type determine your messaging throughput. Also, each campaign must have a messaging use case that represents the kind of text messages you intend to send to customers. Examples of use cases are two-factor authentication code delivery, promotional texts, and fraud alerts. 

However, with an SMS provider like Connectify Services you wouldn’t have to worry about all this, we handle all the processes for our clients’ A2P 10DLC campaigns from start to finish.

Benefits of A2P 10DLC

•  Higher Throughput

Before 10DLC A2P SMS messaging, many businesses used unregistered long codes. To reduce spam-like text messages, carriers placed strict filtering on these phone numbers and limited their messaging volume to one SMS per second. 

But with A2P 10DLC, this limitation doesn’t exist. Organizations can send more messages faster. While it doesn’t have the send rates of dedicated short codes, its texting throughput (1 to 60 SMS per second) exceeds that of unregistered traffic and toll-free long codes. 

•  A Dedicated Line

A2P 10DLC is designed to allow businesses to own a designated line. As such, the negative actions of one brand don’t affect another company unlike in shared short codes. Each company can send all marketing, alerts, and two-factor authentication notices from their registered numbers. What’s more? They can convert their existing numbers to send and receive text messages for 10DLC A2P messaging.

•  Voice-Enablement

Do you need more than A2P messaging functionality? 10DLC numbers support voice calls as well. There’s no need to use multiple phone numbers for various forms of communication with customers. You can easily message or talk with them from the same number.

Why Use 10DLC In Business Texting?

•  Text Messaging Volume

As we mentioned earlier, unregistered long codes were meant for person-to-person communication rather than commercial use. But unlike the former options, the 10DLC A2P messaging is strictly for business texting. Organizations can go beyond sending a few hundred messages daily to deliver higher bulk texts. At a rate of 1 to 60 messages per second, you can reach thousands of customers daily. 

•  Better Accountability

To scale application-to-person messaging, many companies turn to shared short codes. But it has several limitations. For one, when a brand violates the mobile carrier’s guidelines, there’s no clear process to identify the culprit. The likeliest action would be to terminate the shared short codes services and brands (innocent and otherwise) within. 

With 10DLC designated numbers, carriers know exactly which company and what messages violate its terms. That means your business will always be on the safe side if you follow the regulations. 

•  More Business Opportunities

Currently, companies can handle large A2P messaging traffic quickly and at reasonable costs. This opens up new opportunities to engage customers and close deals. Also, as more businesses adopt it, carriers will make more money. This success may mean more service improvements that would benefit companies.