Frequently Asked Questions
Does the TCR requirement apply only to SignalWire?
No! This is an industry-wide program and all messaging service providers will need to abide by and be part of this new ecosystem to help ensure messaging compliance among the industry as a whole. SignalWire strictly adheres to all carrier guidelines and regulations when it comes to registrations. Any platform like SignalWire would be required to go through the 10DLC registration process that occurs through The Campaign Registry.
Once The Campaign Registry registration is complete, am I clear to send?
No, the campaign must be vetted by our DCA and connections must be accepted upstream before you're able to send messages, which DCA vetting times can vary typically around 24-48hrs. Once your Campaign is fully vetted and we (SignalWire) inform you that your Campaign is connected, you will need to assign any phone numbers and ensure their assignment status is “Complete” before sending (number assignments may take up to 24hrs to complete). See our next question on DCA Election. Phone numbers must also be assigned to a Campaign ID. Once you are informed by SignalWire via Email that your Campaign is connected and your phone number assignment status is “Complete”, you will be able to start sending.
What is a DCA Election?
Direct Connect Aggregator (DCAs) are the companies that provide direct connectivity to mobile carrier gateways for the purpose of delivering SMS messaging. In short, a DCA is that organization confirming that the campaign in question is registered with the Campaign Registry. DCA election occurs when our upstream DCA completes their campaign vetting process and the campaign connection request has been accepted.
What is Campaign Verify?
Campaign Verify is a third-party SMS campaign verification platform that 527 organizations must go through in order to gain access to the Political use case.
T-Mobile sets a daily SMS limit for each brand. When does that count reset each day?
T-Mobile resets their counting towards your daily SMS limit every day at Midnight, US Pacific Time.
What information is required to register?
There are essentially two components to become registered:
- Brands - First, we need to register your business as a Brand on The Campaign Registry. Once registered, a Brand is given a unique Brand ID that is associated with ALL its campaigns and numbers, and messages. To become a Brand, the registry requires you to provide details about your business such as official company name, website, Tax ID / EIN, company contact name, direct number, and email.
- Campaigns - We will then need to register each of your unique campaigns. Once registered, each campaign will also be given a unique ID which will be registered directly with the MNOs (carriers). Information required will be your campaign's use cases, opt-in/out process, help process, and message samples.
How long does the registration process take?
Approximately 3-5 business days (can take shorter or longer depending on the information submitted).
Can I use multiple Long Code numbers in one campaign?
Yes, as long as you have a valid use case for doing so. The maximum is 49 numbers currently; anything more than that will require additional registration for Number Pooling. If this applies to you, open a Support Ticket and we will discuss this in more detail with you!
What if I don't register?
If you do not register, you will not be able to send messages from a local US number to another local US number using our platform. Registration is required!
What if my traffic is P2P (Person to Person)?
SignalWire provides non-consumer messaging routes for businesses, and even if your traffic is "conversational" in nature, it will still need to be registered.
Does this apply to Toll-Free Numbers?
No! Toll-Free numbers have to go through a totally unrelated verification process.
What factors will affect my maximum approved throughput?
For Brands that are not part of the Russell 2000 list, your default throughput to T-Mobile is 2000 segments per day. External vetting may result in a higher daily throughput. For the other carriers, throughput is determined by use case!
What if my throughput is not high enough for my needs?
If the throughput for your campaign does not fit your needs, there are 3rd party vetting partners of the registry that allow for additional vetting. There are added costs (see our pricing guide) associated with that process and added vetting does not guarantee a better outcome.
What exactly is a campaign?
The simplest way to describe a campaign is a unique use case. For example, if you send marketing messages and also send alert messages, that would represent two different use cases. However, mixed use case campaigns are possible for lower traffic cases. See the use case table for more details.
How many campaigns will I need?
You need one campaign per use case as defined above. Some businesses will require only one use case/campaign (ie….I only send marketing messages). Other businesses may require many use cases/campaigns (ie….I send marketing and alert messages). There are mixed use cases available for businesses that aren't worried about throughput.
Can I go directly to The Campaign Registry to register?
SignalWire has been at the forefront and has become a registered CSP (Campaign Service Provider) so that we can handle registration on your behalf and make it easier for you. That said, if you still prefer to directly go to the Campaign Registry on your own, please reach out to your sales representative for further details and read our guide on Campaign Service Providers.
How will I know when I am fully registered and ready to go?
Our dedicated Campaign Registration Specialists will be working closely with you from the time you have submitted your request until all steps have been completed.
Once I am registered, can I send anything I want?
No! As mentioned, registration is not a green-light ticket to send anything. In fact, the system is set up so that the MNOs have a way of knowing who and what they are sending allowing for proper enforcement. ALL messaging industry guidelines set forth by the CTIA as well as the MNOs must still be followed to ensure successful message delivery. Those details can be found in our best practices guide.
What if I change my messaging content?
If the content change is related to the same use case you used during the initial Campaign registration process, no changes will likely need to be made. However, if the new content you are looking to send is not related to the original use case, you would likely need to have that information changed within the registry. If you are not sure, please contact one of our Campaign Registration Specialists.
What if I want to add an additional number to my current campaign?
As mentioned above, as long as there is a valid reason you are needing to add an additional number to a current and active campaign, you are able to do so from the Messaging Campaigns Space on your Dashboard.
What if I want to add a new Campaign?
You can start the process by accessing the "Messaging Campaigns" tab within your SignalWire Space or by using our API!
Will there be daily messaging limits?
T-Mobile has a daily cap on the number of message segments you can send to their network, per brand.
What if I send messages to SignalWire at a higher throughput rate than I am approved for?
SignalWire has built a queuing system on our end that will queue up your messages and send them out in accordance with the approved throughput limits. This ensures all your messages will be delivered even if you send them at a higher than approved rate.
My company provides messaging services to multiple companies, how do I go about getting them registered?
The Campaign Registry provides for a Reseller persona. In addition, you have the option to register as your own CSP (Campaign Service Provider) directly with the registry. Please reach out to your sales representatives with a support ticket to discuss these options in further detail.
Do these changes affect my shortcodes?
No! SignalWire currently offers dedicated short code services. Dedicated short code services are not affected by TCR.
What about other mobile networks?
Some MNOs are not currently participating in the Campaign Registry. This whole ecosystem is still very new as well as a large industry change. The Campaign Registry is continuing to work with all the MNO’s and we expect them all to join in the near future. We will provide those updates accordingly. However, SignalWire will still be requiring registration for all 10DLC A2P traffic (regardless of MNO), in order to prevent future hiccups that will occur when other MNOs do eventually join the Campaign Registry.
Do these changes apply everywhere or just in the US?
If you are sending messaging exclusively outside of the US, you do not need to register with TCR.
What if I am already registered on The Campaign Registry with another provider, will I need to re-register again when migrating to SignalWire?
Yes! Each messaging provider is its own CSP (Campaign Service Provider) and therefore registered uniquely with The Campaign Registry. If you are migrating from another provider, you will need to go through this process again.
If I am migrating from another provider, will my messages be blocked before I am registered with SignalWire?
No! Your registration with your current provider will remain in place until you request campaign deactivation. Until your campaign with SignalWire is fully registered, we suggest using your current provider for messaging in the meantime.
What if I switch to another provider in the future, will I need to re-register?
Yes! As mentioned, each messaging provider is its own unique CSP (Campaign Service Provider). Therefore, you would need to go through the same process with the new provider when switching over.
Can I have numbers with multiple providers at the same time?
Yes! However, you would need to register with each provider accordingly for each set of numbers.
If you have a question that is not covered in our documentation, please reach out to our support specialists by creating a support ticket from your Dashboard's top navigation bar.