In the last 3-6 months of 2023 and now extending into 2024 the major US phone carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) have ramped up how strictly they filter messages as SPAM. This comes on the heels of the completion of the 10DLC rollout. The following article is a list of responses to FAQs that our Sales and Support teams get from current and potential customers about 10DLC, SMS SPAM and the evolving SMS landscape.
What is 10DLC?
10DLC stands for ten digit long code, and it is the terminology used to refer to the newest form of SMS regulation that pertains to businesses sending messages using local phone numbers. If you send SMS from a local phone number, you must be registered for 10DLC. When you sign up to Whippy, we handle all the 10DLC compliance for you. 10DLC was first announced in 2021, but it was only fully enforced in December 2023. Carriers introduced 10DLC to provide a sanctioned platform for businesses to send SMS and MMS messages using long codes. Their objective is to protect consumers from unwanted spam while still allowing businesses to better connect with their customers. However, like all new regulation there can be many side effects, for example your messages may be incorrectly marked as SPAM.
Sometimes my message get blocked, and this didn’t happen when I used a different service?
Yes, that is highly likely. These are new regulations and changes that the phone carriers have only started to enforce more strictly in the last 3-6 months, and we expect them to get considerably stricter going forward. Now all SMS senders are subject to these regulations regardless of what service they use.
Previously, there was little to no carrier spam filtering, and filtering is now quite prevalent. Also, previously, there were no 10DLC brand scores that dictate the number of messages you can send. This is now strictly enforced for any business sending SMS.
Whippy makes managing compliance and deliverability as seamless as possible. Firstly, we bare the cost and operational overhead of registering you for 10DLC, secondly we have products and features that reduce the risk of failed messages like list cleaning invalid numbers, batch and scheduled sending, SPAM word detection and much more. Finally, our customer success teams work directly with your users to tailor your content to your business needs.
Lastly, here are some links to the updated regulations and guidelines from T-Mobile, CTIA & AT&T, should you wish to review them.
Ok, but what can we do to reduce the likelihood of our messages getting flagged as SPAM or Blocked?
Here are the 7 most important things you can do to prevent your messages from being flagged as SPAM:
Message only those who have explicitly opted in to receive messages. Make sure you are not messaging individuals who will report your messages as SPAM. Collect double opt-in whenever possible.
Provide recipients with an option to opt out. Include an opt-out signature in your campaign messages to inform carriers that you are giving recipients a way to unsubscribe.
Include your name and the recipient's name in your campaign messages to demonstrate that you are aware of whom you are communicating with.
Avoid mentioning drugs, alcohol, gambling, or any content that promotes hate. References to these subjects will be blocked, even if you believe your message is legitimate. For example, refrain from discussing drug screening results, contests, prizes, raffles, etc.
Keep your messages concise and avoid using emojis and special characters.
If your message gets blocked, avoid repeatedly resending it. This practice, known as "Velocity SPAM," will trigger another block.
Ensure that your website and contact form have a valid terms of service, privacy policy, and opt-in settings. If you explicitly state that you purchase third-party data or if you do not link to a valid Terms of Service or Privacy Policy on your homepage, phone carriers have the authority to suspend your messaging service until these issues are addressed.
What happens if I’ve implemented all of these best practices and my messages are still getting blocked for SPAM?
At this point, we will engage with the aggregator and phone carrier of the recipient you are sending to. They will assess the block and most likely remove it, unless you are indeed sending SPAM content. On average, this process can take at least 3-5 business days, which is the industry standard. Please note that a member of the Whippy support team cannot expedite this process.
If I’m fully blocked, I can’t wait 3-5 days to get unblocked, so what can I do? I need solutions.
Yes, we do have some solutions for you. The first option is to issue you a temporary phone number. When you get blocked, it is usually a specific phone number that gets blocked and not your entire 10dlc brand. Adding a new number or using another number that you already have in your account can help. If you only have one number, a member of our support team will set this up for you and give access to your users in Whippy to use it. We will configure call forwarding for you, so when your main number is unblocked, the messages to your temporary number can be redirected to your main number.
In the rare cases where even after the phone carriers have said that your number is unblocked, and your messages are still not delivering, we will take the following steps:
Move your phone number to a different aggregator. We have had success with this in the past, although most messaging services cannot do this.
Issue you an 800 number. 800 numbers are designed for much higher volumes of SMS. If your blocks are related to volume violations, using an 800 number is usually your best option.
Will I still be charged for messages that are blocked as SPAM?
Yes, messages are still billed when they are filtered by a downstream carrier. In such cases, Whippy also incurs the full cost of sending the message to the carrier before it gets filtered.
By proactively detecting and preventing messages that violate our policies, as well as those of carriers and aggregators, they can ensure trusted communications and prevent disruptions to service due to carrier concerns. This ultimately allows them to offer better quality to their customers.
While you might not agree with how they bill, when you believe your messages are not SPAM, Whippy’s Compliance team works with you to address and eliminate the causes of unwanted messaging, and we bear the full operational cost of this and do not pass it onto you.