The Campaign Registry
If you're using an application platform (e.g. SignalWire) to send customers messages from a local phone number, you need to register with the Campaign Registry regardless of your use case. In this guide, we will walk you through what the Campaign Registry is and why is it important to register.
The Campaign Registry only applies to 10DLC/local numbers sending messages to local US phone numbers. If you are sending messaging exclusively outside of the US or only from toll-free/shortcode numbers, this guide is not for you!
These pages containing an overview of TCR rules and regulations and FAQs illustrate SignalWire's most current understanding of carrier plans. Many of these details are still being finalized and could be subject to change, however SignalWire will continue to update this information as TCR evolves.
What is the Campaign Registry?
The usage of extended codes for messaging campaigns has increased due to their simplicity and ability to meet the needs of Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging between businesses and customers. As text message volume has increased, some businesses have used the same technology for sending spam text messages. This proliferation of spam is bad for customers, businesses, and the mobile industry overall.
With the above in mind, the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) have partnered up with a company called Kaleyra to create The Campaign Registry. This platform is a single source of information about 10DLC messaging campaigns throughout the U.S., enabling the MNOs to serve as a record of who sent any given 10DLC message and what they claim to be sending, which can be checked and validated against actual messaging behavior.
The Campaign Registry is about creating a centralized, trusted access point to key information enabling messaging service providers such as SignalWire, to exchange transparency (directly with the MNO’s) in who they are and what they are doing for more predictable and reliable service delivery to end-users.
MNO's can now have visibility into the “who” and “what” of each messaging campaign which allows them to provide a better quality of service for 10DLC messaging, while service providers like SignalWire can have confidence knowing that they are using an officially sanctioned messaging channel. Businesses can finally benefit from a better quality of service as well as better predictability of success for your messaging campaigns.
How is SignalWire involved?
SignalWire is proud to be at the forefront of these changes by working with all of our partners within this new communications ecosystem since its inception. Our priority is ensuring that your business is thriving and there is no disruption. We are fully committed to providing you with these updates as they are received and assisting you with adapting whatever changes are needed.
We will help you register and get your numbers and messaging verified with the registry, and navigate you through all the changes.
Who needs to register?
If you're using an application platform to send messages to the customers, regardless of the conversational nature of the use case, then it is considered A2P (Application-to-Person) and you need to register. In other words, if you are using SignalWire to send messages to customers, you need to register your brand, campaigns, and phone numbers.
Registering with the Campaign Registry is mandatory for all 10DLC traffic to US numbers.
Brands registering with The Campaign Registry will have their legal company name, legal company address, and EIN/Tax ID checked against multiple databases, resulting in either a Verified or Unverified status. Any brand marked Unverified can update their details and resubmit to The Campaign Registry. Each submission incurs a $4 charge.
Given the way that each brand is viewed, every brand that is registered must have a unique EIN. This means that no two brands may share the same EIN or you will risk damaging your companies trust score.
Terms to know
There are four categories of players involved in this ecosystem -
- MNO - These are the Mobile Network Operators aka wireless carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, etc.). These are the companies that deliver your messages to the End Users.
- DCA (Direct Connect Aggregators) - These companies directly connect to the MNO’s gateways and transmit messages on behalf of its customers, such as SignalWire.
- CSP - This Is SignalWire - A Campaign Service Provider provides messaging services to its customers. A CSP works with its customers (aka Brands) to create and launch new and successful messaging campaigns. SignalWire is a fully registered CSP!
- Brands - This is the company or entity that will be sending the messages to its End Users.
Registration best practices
Be transparent and honest
You do not want to be in a situation where you are flagged for an error in your brand information or other information requested. More information on this is below.
Provide clarity and detail
We advise you to be clear and detailed, especially for special use cases. Your use case is what you are using that campaign for. This lets the MNOs know what type of messaging to expect. Here’s a list of the use cases that you can select from. When reviewing a campaign, carriers will look at the campaign description and see if it matches the content of the messages being sent.
| Standard Use Case | Description |
|---|---|
| 2FA | Any authentication, verification or one-time passcodes. |
| Account Notifications | Standard notifications for account holders, relating to and being about a user's account. |
| Customer Care | All customer care interactions including, but not limited to, account management and customer support. |
| Delivery Notifications | Notification about the status of the delivery of a product or service. |
| Fraud Alert Messaging | Notifications regarding potential fraudulent activity on a user's account. |
| Higher Education | Messaging created on behalf of colleges or universities, including school districts and education institutions. This use case is NOT for "free to the consumer" messaging models. |
| Low Volume Mixed | For brands that have multiple use cases and require a very low messaging throughput. Examples include: test or demo accounts, small businesses (a single doctor's office, a single pizza shop, etc.) |
| Marketing | Any communication that includes marketing and/or promotional content. |
| Mixed | Any messaging campaign containing 2 to 5 standard use cases. |
| Polling and voting | The sending of surveys and polling/voting campaigns for non-political arenas. |
| Public Service Announcement | Informational messaging to raise an audience's awareness about important issues. |
| Security Alert | A notification that the security of a system, either software or hardware, has been compromised in some way and there is an action you need to take. |
Post-registration review by MNOs is required for all Special Use Cases detailed below.
| Special Use Case | Description |
|---|---|
| Charity | Communications from a registered charity aimed at providing help and raising money for those in need. 501c3 Tax-Exempt Organizations only. |
| Proxy | Peer-to-peer app-based group messaging with proxy/pooled numbers. Supporting personalized services and non-exposure of personal numbers for enterprise or A2P communications. |
| Emergency | Notification services designed to support public safety / health during natural disasters, armed conflicts, pandemics and other national or regional emergencies. |
| Sweepstakes | All sweepstakes messaging. |
| Political | Part of organized effort to influence decision making of specific group. Only federal. All campaigns to be pre-vetted. |
| Social | Communication with or between closed communities. Examples include: YouTube influencer or celebrity alerts. |
| Platform Free Trial | CSP "Free Trial" Offers for non-paying customers. |
| Agents and Franchises | Brands that have multiple agents, franchises or offices in the same brand vertical, but require individual localized numbers per agent/location/office. |
| K-12 Education | Campaigns created for messaging platforms that support schools from grades K-12, and distance learning centers. This is not for post-secondary schools. |
| UCaaS High Volume | UCaaS companies provide cloud delivered communication services for businesses. Each number assigned to a UCaaS campaign is typically assigned to a different employee of that business and the use cases are varied. This use case is not for any API/automated driven communication. This is for UCaaS campaigns that require higher volume. This use case is only available to approved UCaaS businesses. |
| UCaaS Low Volume | UCaaS companies provide cloud delivered communication services for businesses. Each number assigned to a UCaaS campaign is typically assigned to a different employee of that business and the use cases are varied. This use case is not for any API/automated driven communication. This use case is only available to approved UCaaS businesses. |
Provide message templates
To verify that your use case is what you say it is, the registry also asks for messages or message templates that you would be sending. Even if you do not expect to have standard messages, try coming up with a few of your most common scenarios, especially if you are going to use the campaign for some common use cases, to help the registry judge your validity. Opt-out language is a must!
When you create a phone number assignment for a brand new campaign, SignalWire has to send information up to our carriers in order to get it connected on their end. For a brand new campaign, this process can take up to 24 hours in normal circumstances. You may see failed or pending for the number assignment order during this time. Rest assured that as soon as it's completed on the carrier end, you will see it reflected in your portal!