FAQs:

Why did my sole prop registration fail?

Here are the most common reasons:

1. Using custom variables (fields/values) instead of actual names & company name 

2. Not including opt-out language in message templates 

3. Using same phone number for OTP (code verification) A2p verification in more than 3 cases 

4. Invalid email - Please note that private emails domains are typically not eligible for Sole prop Brand registration. You have to be sure you are using a public domain for your email (e.g., Gmail (NOT Gsuite), Hotmail, Yahoo, etc) 

5. Using a phone number that is a Google Voice or other VOIP number as TOP line - 
Please use a Direct line (Hard number) 

Please note: your submission will continue to fail if your Brand does not qualify for Sole Proprietor (e.g. you have a registered Tax ID or are not located in the U.S. / Canada). If your Brand does not qualify please register as a Standard Brand instead.

Do I need to change the way I send outbound messages?
 If you don’t currently use Messaging Services in your application to send outbound messages, that’s OK – you won’t need to make changes within your application. Modifying your application to include the Messaging Service SID in your API requests is unnecessary. Adding the phone numbers to a Messaging Service is only necessary to associate them with a Campaign.

 What pricing and fees are associated with the A2P 10DLC service?
 For an overview of registration costs and per-message carrier fees associated with A2P 10DLC, please see the pricing and fees associated with the A2P 10DLC service.

 How long does it take to get registered?
 A2P 10DLC registration is a multiple-step process that includes registering a Business Profile, a US A2P Brand, and a Campaign use case.
 Brand registration can typically be completed in a few minutes if you've collected all the required information. For example, when registering a US-based business, you should ensure your Employer Identification Number (EIN) is ready when you begin registration. However, in the event that there is a discrepancy with the information you provide, a manual review may be required for Secondary Vetting, which can take up to 7 days. To avoid this, please see  A2P 10 DLC Brand Approval Best Practices
Effective January 26, 2023, all new A2P Campaign registrations are subject to a manual vetting process. We are currently experiencing several weeks of delays in vetting A2P 10DLC Campaigns. We are working with our 3rd Party provider to improve the vetting times. In the meantime, please account for these delays when registering, and for more information, visit our FAQ on  A2P 10DLC Campaign Vetting Changes - January 2023.

 Is MMS messaging affected by A2P 10DLC?
 Yes, MMS messaging via long code is subject to carrier fees as part of A2P 10DLC. We also expect registered MMS traffic to ultimately benefit from reduced carrier filtering. However, long code MMS messaging remains subject to throughput limits due to limited carrier capacity. A shortcode is still the best option for high-volume MMS use cases in the United States.

 What message-sending throughput (MPS) do I get?
 Message throughput (MPS) will be allocated per registered Campaign Use Case. For many customers, A2P 10DLC will offer much higher throughput than the traditional 1 MPS for long code messaging without requiring additional numbers to get higher throughput.
For details, see Message throughput (MPS) and Trust Scores for A2P 10DLC in the US.

 How do these rule changes affect shortcodes and Toll-Free numbers? Should I switch to 10DLC?
 These changes do not directly affect shortcodes and Toll-Free numbers, except for officially prohibiting shared short codes for all use cases except authentication codes. Details below.

 Shared short codes will be banned, date TBD
 Dedicated short codes are still a great way to send high-volume A2P messaging in the United States. However, the transition to A2P 10DLC will ban sharing short code numbers. The only exception to this policy is shared short codes used to send 2-factor to auth (2FA) or OTP codes only.

 “Shared short codes” refers to short code numbers that are shared among multiple brands; for example, Shoe Company A and Beverage Company B send messages via the same short code number. If you have purchased a short code number from LC Phone and are using it only for your business and brand, this change will not affect you.
Under the new policy, a short code may be shared across multiple companies only for the purposes of sending authentication code messages, for example, "Your login code is 12345." Any other category of messaging is not allowed on a shared shortcode.
Customers sharing a short code among multiple clients or brands for purposes other than sending 2-factor codes (OTPs) should completely migrate away from shared short codes.
Previously, the end date for shared short codes was identified as June 1, 2021. As of early 2022, the end date for shared short codes is on hold until the successful implementation of A2P 10DLC. A specific date will be shared here when we have information to share.

 Toll-Free SMS – no changes
US Toll-Free phone numbers are not affected by these changes. Toll-Free SMS is still a great way to send A2P SMS in the United States and Canada. See Information and best practices for using Toll-Free SMS in the US and Canada for more information.

 Is there an API for registering Business Profiles, US A2P Brands, and Campaign Use Cases?
Yes, for ISV-type customers invited to onboard their clients, LC Phone provides APIs for registering yourselves and your clients. You can view the documentation here: ISV A2P 10DLC Registration: API Step-by-Step walkthrough.
Regardless of how you plan to register, we encourage you to go ahead and collect all the required information. See How do I register to use A2P 10DLC messaging? for a list.

 Is Verizon making any changes to its existing A2P 10DLC service?
Verizon launched its A2P 10DLC service in January 2019. At this time, Verizon has not announced any plans to adopt these new Brand and Campaign registration requirements. If this ever occurs, LC Phone will notify our customers in advance.
For now, Verizon’s A2P 10DLC service continues operating without changes. See the Verizon A2P 10DLC FAQ for details.

 What about other mobile networks in the US?
Please note that the T-Mobile network includes Sprint and MetroPCS, as those networks were acquired by T-Mobile previously. All information related to T-Mobile also applies to these networks.
US Cellular (the 4th largest mobile carrier in the US) has not announced specific A2P 10DLC plans as of January 2022.
Read on for details about other types of mobile networks.
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)
Many smaller branded mobile providers in the US are actually Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), who utilize one or more of the major mobile networks for their service. A list of US MVNOs is available on Wikipedia. These changes will also affect MVNO numbers primarily utilizing AT&T's network.
 If you perform an  LC Phone Lookup on a mobile number operated by an MVNO, it will display the name of the primary host network (for example, AT&T or Verizon).
Other independent mobile networks
 Small independent mobile networks in the US are a small percentage of the mobile market and are unaffected by upcoming A2P 10DLC changes. A  list of mobile networks in the US that own and operate their network infrastructure is available on Wikipedia for reference.

 Are these changes also affecting messaging to Canada, Puerto Rico, or other countries?
No, Canada mobile carriers are not impacted at this time. Canadian mobile carriers may introduce registered A2P 10DLC solutions in the future, but at this time, carriers have not announced any plans to do so.
Yes, Puerto Rico carriers are impacted as well. Many recipients in Puerto Rico have telephone services from US-based carriers. Messages to those recipients are treated the same as messages to US-based recipients of those networks.
For information about message sending in countries other than the US, we recommend checking out our country-specific SMS Guidelines pages to learn about any unique rules or restrictions in that country.

 Is WhatsApp messaging affected by A2P 10DLC?
No. WhatsApp messaging is unaffected by any of these changes. WhatsApp messages are transmitted over the Internet rather than through carrier networks like SMS and MMS.