Why Unregistered 10DLC Traffic is Going Extinct in 2024 and What To Do About It

Written by: Telgorithm Expert

The End of Unregistered 10DLC Traffic 

Software providers offering A2P 10DLC messaging services from their product are well aware that over the last couple of years, the 10DLC ecosystem has been aggressively pushing for an end to all unregistered traffic. 

Incentivization tactics have included continuous increases on Carrier pass-through fees as well as heavier filtering overall, leading to higher messaging costs and increased disruptions. Additionally, the majority of Direct Connect Aggregators (DCAs) and API providers have already completely cut off unregistered traffic. 

Syniverse Cut Off on Dec. 1, 2024 

The last major US DCA to support unregistered 10DLC traffic in 2024 is Syniverse. However, they have announced that they too will be cutting off and no longer supporting any unregistered traffic beginning December 1, 2024. 

What this means is that by the end of this year, no unregistered 10DLC traffic will be serviceable industry wide, and all software providers must get their customers registered with The Campaign Registry (TCR) ASAP. 

Who Does This Effect? 

Software providers who are currently supporting compliant 10DLC messaging use-cases and traffic but have not fully registered and are therefore sending on an unregistered path will be impacted by this cut off. 

If your API provider is still enabling unregistered traffic, it can be inferred that at least one of their DCAs is Syniverse. Here are API providers known to currently be partnered with Syniverse to further understand if you will be affected: 

• Telgorithm
• Plivo
• Bandwidth 
• Telnyx 

Additionally, any software providers that support disallowed A2P messaging content will be fully cut off by December 1. 

What TCR Registration Entails 

There are a few different layers to TCR registration: 

• Campaign Service Provider Registration
• Brand Registration
• Campaign Registration

Campaign Service Provider (CSP) Registration

This is the first step in getting registered with TCR. As a CSP, you, the software provider, is the primary user of TCR and the owner of all Brands and Campaigns that are registered under your business. This direct connection to TCR enables full management control of Brand and Campaign submission timeframes, complete visibility into their status and any feedback received from DCAs if a Campaign is rejected, and therefore the ability to advise your customers accurately and immediately. 

CSP registration is a simple process (see our step-by-step guide) but typically requires between 3-4 weeks to complete, and there is a one-time fee of $200. 

Brand Registration

Within TCR, a Brand represents the business or organization that is sending 10DLC messages to its customers. For software providers, Brands = your customers. Each of your customers will be registered as unique Brands. 

Brand registration is fairly simple but should be carefully completed as any inaccurate information or typos could result in a rejection. The purpose of this process is to demonstrate that the Brand is a legitimate and established business. TCR will review all Brand submissions for verification. Once verified, you can move onto the third and final step in TCR registration. 

Campaign Registration

Within TCR, Campaign represents the messaging use-case of a Brand. Each Brand will have at least one Campaign, but could have as many as 50. Additional Campaigns can be requested. There is a $15 fee for every Campaign registration, including re-submitting a Campaign after a rejection. 

Campaign registration can be a lot more nuanced than Brand registration because there are many different types of Campaigns and lots of information required, which leaves a lot of room for misinterpretation or confusion. It’s very important to provide your customers with thorough guidance ahead of Campaign registration to reduce the risk of receiving a rejection.

Once a Campaign is submitted, TCR will send it upstream to DCAs for review and approval. Using guidelines set by CTIA, the DCA will approve or reject the Campaign, which will be reflected in your CSP portal. 

The timeframe for Campaign processing often varies depending on the API provider, but for reference, Telgorithm customers see Campaigns being processed within 72 hours on average. 

How this Changes the Process for Onboarding Customers

Because there will be no way around fully registering each of your customers before they’re able to send a single text message on 10DLC, it will be important to set expectations upfront during onboarding. 

If a customer signs up for your CRM, application, platform, etc., informing them about the Brand and Campaign registration process, requirements, and timelines will mitigate frustration. The more guidance you’re able to provide upfront, the smoother registration will be, and the more likely they’ll receive approvals on their first go-around. 

Key Takeaway: 10DLC Registration is Becoming Mandatory Across the Industry 

Regardless of what any API provider may say today, all providers will be subject to the mandatory 10DLC registration requirements without exception by December 1, 2024. There will not be a workaround. 

If you are looking for an API provider that can support you in getting properly set up with 10DLC registration to avoid any disruptions or blockages later this year, contact our team of experts today. The sooner you get started on this sanctioned path, the better.