FAQs

What is the most cost-effective way to send SMS to customers in the US using 10DLC numbers?

The most cost-effective solution for 10DLC Messaging is to register your brand and apply for a Low Volume Mixed use case. This use case has the lowest subscription fee among the standard use cases.

This is a suitable solution if you meet the following requirements:

• You do not send more than 10,000 SMS per month across all carriers.

• You do not require high throughput. Low Volume Mixed cases are limited to 75 messages per minute on the AT&T network and have a capped volume of 2,000 messages per day on T-Mobile.

• Your messages are NOT time-sensitive.

If your use case does not meet these criteria, there are other standard use cases available for you to choose from.

Can I use the same number for multiple use cases?

Yes, it is possible to use the same number for multiple use cases through a Mixed Use Case. When setting up a Mixed 10DLC use case, you can select up to 5 different standard sub-use cases. However, there are some important considerations to keep in mind:

• AT&T discourages Mixed Use Cases and after the grace period, the carrier pass-through fees will be more expensive.

• Filtering is increased, and throughput is lower when compared to single-use cases.

• Therefore, for medium to high volume traffic, MessageBird recommends separating the use cases by registering one 10DLC number per use case.

It's important to note that if a suspicious SMS message is flagged on Mixed Use Case traffic, it will be suspended or blocked for the entire 10DLC campaign, including all use cases for that number.

How many numbers, brands, and use cases can I associate with one another?

You can associate up to 49 numbers with the same Brand and use case. However, note that this won't increase deliverability as throughput is limited on the Brand/Use case level. If you require more than 49 numbers linked to the same use case, you'll need post-registration approval from carriers. T-Mobile charges US$5000/request for evaluation, although the cost is currently waived until TBD for some special use cases such as Agents & Franchises.

Each 10DLC number can only be associated with one Brand and use case, including Mixed Use Cases, which must be registered as such. If you register a single standard use case but send mixed messages, your traffic will be blocked. The only option for multiple use cases using the same 10DLC number is the Mixed Use Case or Low Volume Mixed (if you meet the criteria).

What are the available throughput limits on 10DLC?

Each carrier evaluates brands and use cases independently and sets throughput limits based on the use case class and the brand. After registration, AT&T provides throughput limits per minute for each use case, which is shared across all linked 10DLC numbers. However, selecting a Mixed Use Case on one 10DLC number may result in lower throughput and higher carrier fees with AT&T.

T-Mobile, on the other hand, provides throughput limits per day for each brand, which is shared across all use cases. Selecting a Mixed-use case does not impact your throughput or carrier fees with T-Mobile.

At present, other US operators have not communicated any plans to limit the throughput for 10DLC use cases.

Throughout limits on AT&T

At&T Message Class	Use case type	Use case	Vetting score requirements	AT&T TPM (Transactions per minute)
A	Standard	Standard Use Cases (except Mixed or Marketing)	75-100	2,400 TPM and 1,200 MMS TPM
B	Standard	Mixed Marketing	75-100	240 TPM and 150 MMS TPM
C	Standard	Standard Use Cases (except Mixed or Marketing)	50-74	240 TPM and 150 MMS TPM
D	Standard	Mixed Marketing	50-74	2,400 TPM and 1,200 MMS TPM
E	Standard	Standard Use Cases (except Mixed or Marketing)	1-49	240 TPM and 150 MMS TPM
F	Standard	Mixed Marketing	1-49	240 TPM and 150 MMS TPM
T	Basic	Low volume mixed		75 TPM and 50 MMS TPM
G	Special	Proxy [Number masking]	25	60 TPM per number
P	Special	Charity		2,400 TPM and 1,200 MMS TPM
S	Special	Social		60,000 TPM
K	Special	Political [Election campaigns]		4,500 SMS TPM and 2,400 MMS TPM
X	Special	Emergeny services [Public safetly]		4,500 SMS TPM and 2,400 MMS TPM
N	Special	Insurance agents, franchises, local branches	25	60 TPM per number
W	Special	Sole proprietor		15 TPM
Y	Special	K-12 Education	25	720 SMS TPM per number

Throughput limits on T-Mobile

T-Mobile Message Tier	Use case type	Use case	Vetting score requirements	T-Mobile daily message cap
Top	Standard	All standard use cases	75-100	200,000
High mid	Standard	All standard use cases	50-74	40,000
Low mid	Standard	All standard use cases	25-49	10,000
Low	Standard	All standard use cases	1-24	2,000
	Special	Proxy [Number Masking]		N/A
	Special	Charity		N/A
	Special	Social		N/A
	Special	Political [Election Campaigns]		N/A
	Special	Emergency services [Public safety]		N/A
	Special	Insurance agents, franchises, local branches		N/A
	Special	Sole proprietor		1,000
	Special	K-12 Education		N/A

What steps does MessageBird take to register the Brand and Campaign Brief in the Registry?

MessageBird takes the following steps to register the Brand and Campaign Brief in the Registry:

1. Identification and Verification of Brands: This initial check confirms that the Brand is eligible for A2P 10DLC Messaging. It incurs the Brand Registration fee of US$4, regardless of the outcome. If the Brand fails to be Verified, the use of 10DLC Messaging is not allowed.

2. Further Brand Registration: Once the Brand is verified, a detailed registration of the Brand (public-facing brand or message content provider) within the TCR ecosystem is performed.

3. Brand Secondary Vetting: This step is applicable to all Brands that are not in the Russell 3000 Index and wish to apply for higher throughput equivalent to the Message Class A, B, C, or D for AT&T and Message Tier “Top” or “High” for T-Mobile. Note that the higher throughput is not guaranteed.

4. Use Case Registration: This step involves a detailed registration of the Use Case associated with the Brand. It includes a description, messaging attributes, features, sample messages, etc.

How does the Identification and Verification of Brands work?

The Brand Identification process is used to confirm the existence of a company by checking several databases. The Brand Identity Status will either be Verified or Unverified, depending on the accuracy of the submitted information.

In order to obtain a "Verified" status, the following information must be verified:

• EIN / Tax ID

• DUNS number (optional but recommended for non-US based companies)

• Legal Company Name matching Tax ID registration

• Legal Company Address matching Tax ID registration

MessageBird recommends paying attention to the following:

• For US Brands, it's important that their EIN, Legal Name, and Address match their registered records at the State and/or Federal level.

• For Non-Profit Brands, it's important that the registered EIN is tax-exempt as confirmed by the IRS.

• For Government Brands, it's important that their EIN matches a government entity.

• For Non-US Brands, a Business Number, VAT Number, or DUNS, along with the correct registered address will help with the identification process.

It's worth noting that typos and outdated information can prevent a Brand from being Verified and consequently block any A2P 10DLC Messaging for that Brand. In this case, the Brand Identity Status will be returned as Unverified.

My Brand registration was not approved. How can I re-submit the correct information?

If your brand registration was not approved, you will need to reach out to our MessageBird support team and they will be able to help you review your brand submission and re-submit this for re-verification. There will be a US$4 charge for each brand resubmission.

How does my Brand Verification Status affect my throughput and traffic volume?

• Unverified Status: If a brand fails to be verified, it will receive an unverified status and all 10DLC Messaging traffic will be blocked.

• Verified Status, but not part of the Russell 3000 Stock Index: If a brand is verified but not part of the Russell 3000 Stock Index, it will be limited to lower-tier throughput, such as Message Class 'E' or 'F' on AT&T and Brand Tier 'Low' on T-Mobile.

• Verified Status, with Secondary Brand Vetting: This category is recommended for brands that are not part of the Russell 3000 Stock Index but wish to have access to higher-tier throughputs. After secondary vetting, the available throughput and classification will depend on the resulting vetting score achieved.

• Verified Status and part of the Russell 3000 Stock Index: Brands that are verified and part of the Russell 3000 Stock Index will have access to higher-tier throughput limits, including Message Class 'A' or 'B' on AT&T and Brand Tier 'Top' and any classification below these on T-Mobile.

How can I apply for Secondary Brand Vetting? My company is not part of the Russell 3000 Index, but we need higher throughput

If your company is not part of the Russell 3000 index and you need higher throughput you can request secondary brand vetting by contacting our support team. The cost for secondary brand vetting is US$40.

Vetted Brands can have access to all standard Use Cases. Note that the available throughput and classification will depend on the resulting Vetting Score achieved.

Vetting will be based on your current Brand information. MessageBird suggests double-checking that all details are correct before proceeding

Better throughput is not guaranteed. In the rare event of a lower Vetting Score, the Brand Secondary Vetting can also impose a reduction in a Brand & Use Case throughput. Check the table for reference.

How can I cancel my 10DLC subscription?

To cancel the subscription for your 10DLC campaign, you can delete the campaign. The subscription will renew each month until the campaign is deleted.