A2P / SMS Compliance

1. What is A2P 10DLC?

A2P (Application-to-Person) 10DLC is the USA carrier framework for sending business SMS via long-code numbers. Since 2021, all US carriers require brand and campaign registration to send SMS from local numbers. Without it, your messages will be blocked or filtered.

2. What TheBigBot Handles

We handle the A2P 10DLC registration process for you:

• Brand registration with The Campaign Registry (TCR)
• Campaign use case registration (marketing, mixed, customer care, 2FA, etc.)
• Trust score submission
• Carrier approval and queue management

You provide business details (EIN, business name, website, use case). We submit to TCR and monitor approval.

3. Registration Fees

A2P 10DLC has two fees charged by carriers (which we pass through at 2× markup):

• Brand registration: $4-44 one-time, depending on brand tier
• Campaign registration: $1.50-10/month, per use case

Full pricing on our Usage Fees page.

4. Consent & Opt-In Requirements

To send SMS legally under TCPA, you must have explicit opt-in consent from every recipient. Opt-in must:

• Include disclosure of the type of messages
• Note "Msg & data rates may apply"
• Provide opt-out instructions (e.g., "Reply STOP to unsubscribe")
• Be documented (we recommend keeping records)

5. What Gets You Blocked

Carriers filter or block:

• Messages with prohibited content (SHAFT: Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco without proper tier)
• Shortened URLs (use your own domain)
• Messages to non-opted-in recipients
• Excessive volume without approved campaign
• Messages that look like spam (ALL CAPS, emoji abuse, etc.)

6. International SMS

Each country has its own SMS regulations. We support 180+ countries at different rates. High-risk corridors (UK, France, Germany) may require additional registration. See your dashboard for per-country rates.

7. TCPA Compliance

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) governs business-to-consumer calls and texts in the USA. Violations can cost $500-$1,500 per message. You are responsible for TCPA compliance. We provide the tools (opt-in handling, STOP keyword, consent tracking) — you must use them correctly.

8. Our Responsibility

We maintain infrastructure that supports compliant messaging: proper STOP keyword handling, opt-out logs, A2P registration, throughput management, and spam filtering. If you follow our guidelines, your deliverability will be excellent.

9. Your Responsibility

You are responsible for: maintaining valid opt-in consent, respecting opt-outs, using proper content, following TCPA, and not using TheBigBot for prohibited SMS campaigns.

10. Contact

Compliance questions? Email support@thebigbot.com.