The messaging industry is constantly evolving, and with it comes an array of challenges and opportunities. I’ve been in the communications space for about 7 years at Plivo and Telnyx, and when I reflect on my journey to joining Telgorithm, it was these challenges—specifically the complexities of application-to-person (A2P) messaging compliance—that led me here.

How the Industry Has Changed

The messaging industry is no longer the “Wild West” it once was. There’s been a marked increase in regulation and scrutiny, primarily driven by the rise in unsolicited offers and spam that plagued the industry for years. As a result, carriers like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile have pushed for stricter vetting processes, ensuring that only approved, opted-in messages reach their networks.

This shift means that A2P messaging are now heavily regulated, with compliance being at the forefront of every Campaign.

The Compliance Gray Area

One of the major challenges I've observed in the messaging space over the years is the lack of clarity around compliance. Messaging, especially in the A2P sector, has often been caught in a gray area: what is compliant, what isn't, and why? Many API messaging providers in the industry have struggled with this, serving as intermediaries without truly understanding whether certain use cases are genuinely compliant or potentially contributing to spam.

This ambiguity has created confusion not only for messaging providers but also for the customers who rely on them. Understanding the regulations and ensuring compliance requires a deep, focused approach—something that has become increasingly critical as the landscape evolves.

Why Telgorithm Stood Out

Telgorithm's focus on A2P messaging, and more specifically on A2P 10-digit long codes (10DLC), made it stand out as a unique player in the field. Unlike some other providers that offer a broad range of services without specialization, Telgorithm has dedicated itself to mastering the complexities of 10DLC messaging. Changes are constant in this space, and staying connected with partners such as The Campaign Registry (TCR) and Direct Connect Aggregators (DCAs) ensures we can get ahead of compliance updates and deliver guidance to our customers when it comes to compliance updates.

Many incumbents in the industry, like Twilio and other CPaaS providers, have adopted a "jack of all trades, master of none" approach, attempting to cover multiple channels—voice, messaging, wireless SIMs, and more. While this broad strategy can offer convenience, it comes at the cost of true expertise. In the fast-changing world of A2P messaging, a lack of focus means being a step behind on key compliance and regulatory updates, which ultimately impacts the quality of service for end customers.

Working with a partner who is deeply embedded in the compliance ecosystem—like Telgorithm—has become more important than ever.

Transparency and Trust in Compliance

One of the critical differentiators for Telgorithm is its commitment to transparency and trust with customers and network operators. A key issue I’ve observed across the industry is that when providers attempt to push all types of customer traffic—including questionable use cases—through the same channels, it leads to increased scrutiny from downstream carriers, potentially affecting good and bad traffic alike.

Telgorithm takes a different approach. By not allowing open self-service sign-ups, Telgorithm  ensures there is clarity in who is sending what type of messages, fostering a higher level of trust with downstream carriers. It’s about ensuring that our partners—whether customers or network operators—understand how decisions are made, why they are made, and what steps can be taken to ensure smoother compliance and traffic approval.

A Shift from Reactive Support

Another significant challenge in the messaging space is the lack of in-depth knowledge of the 10DLC space. Too often, customers raise issues when Campaigns are flagged, only for the vendor to discover a regulatory change had occurred, which they weren’t aware of until it caused problems. This reactive approach leads to frustration, lost opportunities and even customer churn.

Telgorithm’s dedication to 10DLC messaging means that we’re not just supporting customers after issues arise. Instead, we’re ahead of the curve, closely monitoring regulatory changes and working directly with TCR, DCAs and other players in the industry to ensure Campaigns are compliant before they’re even submitted. This model allows our customers to focus on their core business while we handle the intricacies of messaging compliance.

Final Thoughts

My decision to join Telgorithm was based on a belief that specializing and focusing on a single, complex area of messaging is the best way to provide real value to customers. By concentrating exclusively on 10DLC messaging, we’re able to get deep into the issues, create solutions that genuinely work, and offer a level of transparency and trust that other providers can’t match.

In an industry where regulations are only going to increase, and the demand for clarity is ever-growing, being part of a team that prioritizes deep specialization over broad but shallow offerings is key. With Telgorithm, we’re transforming the way businesses approach messaging compliance—ensuring that customers don’t just get their messages approved, but that they do so with confidence and peace of mind.