So you’re ready to launch your first SMS campaign on a virtual number. Before you do, you’ll have to go through The Campaign Registry (TCR) — one of the third parties chosen by major US cell carriers to review registration information so that any businesses using a virtual phone number adhere to emerging A2P 10DLC regulations.
If the mention of TCR leaves you with questions, good news: this guide covers everything you need to navigate the registration process pain-free.
You’ll learn:
- What TCR is and the role TCR plays in A2P 10DLC
- What you need to register your campaign
- The three must-haves for proper registration
Let’s start by defining our terms.
What exactly is The Campaign Registry?
The Campaign Registry is a third-party organization that reviews 10DLC applications for businesses using a virtual phone service (like OpenPhone). TCR was hand-picked by mobile network operators — think T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon — to filter out bad actors and prevent unwanted spam messages to customers.
When you register for 10DLC, you do so directly through your virtual phone number provider. Once you submit an application, your provider submits the information to TCR. TCR then reviews the information (more on this later) and provides an all-clear to text from your virtual phone number(s) .
Keep in mind there may be additional steps to register depending on your messaging service provider. OpenPhone’s process is intuitive and straightforward, as we’ll get into later.
And what do I need to know about A2P 10DLC?
A2P 10DLC stands for ‘application-to-person 10-digit long code.’ This is a complicated way of saying you’re sending business texts from a virtual phone application via a standard 10-digit number (think something like 832-456-7890).
All business-related texts sent via A2P 10DLC require registration with The Campaign Registry. As mentioned earlier, TCR and other third-party entities review A2P 10DLC applications to ensure your business is observing SMS compliance laws. If everything you’ve submitted is up to code, they’ll add your business to their database and ensure better message deliverability.
You’ll also be able to send a higher volume of messages than before regulations were in place..
Why is TCR registration required?
Mobile network operators (also known as MNOs) do their best to protect customers from unwanted spam. But with more than 19 spam texts per person per month in the US, spam filters alone aren’t enough to stem the tide.
Three of the largest US carriers — T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon — teamed up with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to find a long-term solution. In March 2023, the FCC issued an order to mobile carriers to block certain text messages that are “highly likely to be illegal.”
And thus, TCR registration was born.
What happens if you don’t register?
Without registration, most virtual phone providers won’t let you text US numbers at all. Don’t want to deal with TCR registration for any provider that allows this? Be prepared for hefty fines.
If you try anyway, you could face TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) fines ranging from $10 to $1,500 per message.
You’ll also have poor (and possibly nonexistent) deliverability rates. There’s a good chance your messages won’t reach your clients at all.
The bottom line is you can’t bypass registration if you’re texting US customers.
But it’s not as difficult as it looks. Here’s what you need for a successful registration.
3 must-haves for TCR registration
TCR’s registration process isn’t always the same between platforms. What you submit and where you submit it depends on your campaign service provider.
That said, a few fields stay the same (or at least look similar between application forms).
Let’s break down the most common fields so you can get a better feel for what to expect.
1. Brand information
Brand information translates to ‘company information,’ specifically what you used when you registered your business (like your EIN or other business identification, legal name, and address).
If you’re attempting to complete registration after signing up for an OpenPhone account, you can take one of two paths to validate business information.
The sole proprietor path is for you if:
- You don’t have a business EIN or other form of company tax identification
- You have a cell number with a country code of +1
- You have a valid US or Canadian address
If this applies to you, you can follow our step-by-step guide to registration for solopreneurs.
If you have an EIN or other form of business tax identification (if you live outside the US), you’ll need to take the second path: Low Volume Standard.
Here’s what you’ll need if you’re registering a business through OpenPhone.
Business registration ID
You’ll needyour EIN, CCN, Company Number, ACN, Corporate Identity Number, VAT Number, VAT Registration Number, or Other Registration Number.
Business details
You’ll also need to provide your legal business name and business address, exactly as it is in your official tax paperwork.
Additional business details
The TCR requires the following details about your business:
- Business type: Select from Sole Partnership, Partnership, Corporation, Co-operative, Limited Liability Corporation, or Non-profit Corporation.
- Company type: Select from Privately held, Public traded, Non-profit, or Government.
- Industry: Choose the category that best describes your organization.
- Website, business listing, or other online presence: Include the full URL of your website.
Make sure the website is fully functioning and the URL does not exceed the 100-character limit. If there’s no business website, you can include your business’s social media page. - Regions of operation: Select the primary region you do business in: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, or USA and Canada.
Point of contact
Finally, in this section, you’ll need to provide the best business contact’s name, email, phone number, and job title for TCR’s record.
Note: This is not the billing contact for the TCR registration fee. OpenPhone will bill you directly based on the credit card address we have on file.
2. Messaging details
After providing details about your business, you’ll need to provide details about how you plan to message customers to the TCR.
Business messaging use
How will you use text messaging? Be sure to describe the type of messages you plan to send in specific, accurate detail. Vague or short responses can result in your registration being rejected by The Campaign Registry.
Message samples
The TCR requires you to share at least two examples of real messages you plan to send to your customers. These messages should accurately reflect the messaging topics you chose in Step 5.
To meet all requirements set by carriers, include samples that clearly show:
- Your business name “Hey! It’s Amy Smith from Zest”
- Clear unsubscribe instructions “Reply STOP to unsubscribe”
How you collect consent
Help the TCR understand how your contacts give you permission to text them. You can choose from the following options in OpenPhone:
- Online consent (e.g. website or Google form)
- Verbal consent (e.g. in-person or over the phone)
- Written consent (e.g. email or paper letter/form)
- In-app consent (e.g. mobile app or point-of-sale)
- Conversations are initiated by inbound text message
- Other
For example, if you select “Contact provides their consent through a form on our website,” make sure the form is working on your website. The form should also include an opt-in box where visitors can consent to receive messages. The checkbox can’t be preselected. The form also needs to what users are opting into, the number you’ll send messages from, and a link to your terms and conditions.
For more information on this and a sample opt-in form, check out our SMS compliance guide.
Forbidden message topics
Certain topics are not permitted over SMS or MMS in the United States or Canada. Activity related to these topics may result in your messages being blocked by carriers.
Here’s a list of forbidden topics you should be aware of as part of your registration process:
- High-risk financial services: includes payday loans, short-term high-interest loans etc)
- Third-party lead generation: leads for high-interest loans and similar services
- Debt collection or forgiveness: messages regarding debt collection or forgiveness
- Prescription drugs: advertising prescription-only medication
- Illegal substances or articles: promotion of illegal drugs or prohibited items
- Gambling: betting or gambling services
- Adult content: distribution of sexually explicit materials
- Alcohol, tobacco, or firearms: advertising or facilitating the sale of alcohol, tobacco, or firearms
- Hate or abuse: promoting hate speech, abuse, or harassment
As part of your registration process, you’ll need to select the checkbox confirming that you won’t send messages related to these topics.
Associated fees with A2P 10DLC registration
You should know A2P 10DLC registration involves a few fees to prepare for, including:
- Carrier review and setup fee: TCR collects a one-time $19 manual review fee to evaluate submitted text samples, campaign information, and other registration details you provide in your carrier registration application.
- Messaging fee: If you have Low Volume Standard status with major US carriers, TCR will charge you $1.50 per month. Sole Proprietors pay $2 per month, and non-profit organizations pay $3 per month.
- Resubmission fee: If your application gets rejected, a $15 fee goes to the carrier partner of your virtual number provider. Read our guide which explains common reasons for 10DLC registration rejections to learn how to avoid them.
Keep in mind 100% of these fees go to TCR and its related third-party entities. This enables them to fairly review your application so you can stay in good standing with major US cell carriers.
How OpenPhone can help
Registering SMS campaigns with TCR can seem overwhelming at best. The good news is OpenPhone makes it easy to know what to do with our in-app carrier registration process. Whether you’re a solopreneur or a growing small business, you can navigate the registration process as painlessly as possible if you have virtual numbers with OpenPhone.
But most of the benefits come after TCR registration — our features keep you compliant without even trying.
For example, you can:
- Save and send compliant messages (like opt-in, opt-out, and opt-in confirmation texts) with customizable snippets
- Add additional local numbers to your workspace after successfully registering with TCR (you won’t need to register again)
- Complete toll-free verification straight from the OpenPhone app if you have a toll-free number in your OpenPhone workspace
- Schedule texts during business hours (between 8 AM and 9 PM to comply with TCPA requirements) without needing to press send at a specific time
Interested to see how OpenPhone works? Check out our product demo.
Explore other helpful resources
- The small business guide to A2P 10DLC registration
- TCPA opt in and opt out requirements for SMS messaging
- SMS compliance guide for business texting in the US
