Home > How to enable SMS and campaign registration
How to enable SMS and campaign registration
Last updated on February 6, 2023
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Mobile carriers implemented a new registration requirement to help verify messaging traffic from business phone numbers. These requirements apply to all RingCentral customers sending SMS from long code numbers, regardless of country and use case.
- Why is this happening? As business SMS traffic increases, so do scammers sending fraudulent messages. Per the 10 Digital Long Code (10DLC) application to person (A2P) classification, legitimate businesses who register can send messages, and carriers can block spam texts from unregistered sources.
- What do I need to do? To ensure you are able to continue sending messages, you’ll need to register your business through RingCentral with The Campaign Registry (TCR), a third-party organization. This process verifies you’re a legitimate SMS/MMS messages source. To register, we require you to use the registration form we've provided on our website.
- Which carriers require SMS compliance? As of January 6, 2022, the following carriers require TCR registration:
- AT&T
- T-Mobile
- Verizon
- ClearSky
- Interop
- US Cellular
- What if I fail to register? All RingCentral customers are required to register by March 31, 2023. Failure to register will result in SMS being disabled for your account, or any non-registered numbers. To make registration easier, RingCentral will allow self-registration through the admin portal starting February 17, 2023. In the interim, customers may register using the registration form we have provided on our website.
Registering your business with the TCR
Note:
- Form entries must be typed in, not handwritten. View a sample completed form.
- EIN/Tax ID, legal business name, and vertical must exactly match how your business is registered.
- All fields, except for stock exchange (unless applicable), must be filled in.
- You should receive a confirmation message once RingCentral hears back from TCR. You should receive an additional email if there are any issues with the case.
- This process may take up to 10 business days.
- Download the TCR Registration form.
- Under the Business information section, enter the following:
Field
|
Required information
|
Legal business name
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This entry must match how your business is registered with the corresponding federal agency that issues your business registration number/ EIN/ Tax ID (e.g. IRS SS-4).
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Business type
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Select your business type.
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Country of registration
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Enter the country where your business is registered.
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Tax ID / Employer Identification Number (EIN)
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This must be the business registration number assigned to your business by a federal agency, for example in the US the EIN provided by the IRS. Failure to provide or any mismatch between your federal registration number and business name will result in automatic rejection by TCR.
|
Business address
|
Enter your legal business address.
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City, State, Zip Code
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Enter your legal business address.
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Business phone number
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Enter the primary phone number for your business, this does not have to be a RingCentral number.
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Stock symbol
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Enter your stock symbol only if you selected your business type as a publicly traded company.
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Vertical
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Check the box next to one category that most accurately fits your business type.
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Support email
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Enter your email address for customer support.
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Support phone
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Enter your number for customer support.
|
- Under the Campaign & Opt In/Out Information section, enter the following:
Field
|
Required information
|
Categorization
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Check the box(es) next to any categories that describe your SMS usage today and in the future.
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Call-to-Action/Message Flow
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Check the box(es) next to any of the methods listed.
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Opt-in keywords
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List words or phrases a user can click to subscribe to your messages. This is required by TCR, and opt-in keywords are typically: START or SUBSCRIBE.
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Opt-in message
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Type the message the recipient receives after opting in.
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Opt-out keywords
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List words or phrases a user can click to unsubscribe from your messages. This is required by TCR, and opt-out keywords are typically STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE. Please note you must honor all opt-out requests regardless of how you are using SMS.
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Opt-out message
|
Write the message the recipient receives after opting out.
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Help keywords
|
List words or phrases a user can send to get more information or help. This is required by TCR, and typical HELP keywords are HELP or INFO.
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Help message
|
Enter the message the recipient receives after sending a help keyword.
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- Enter three sample SMS messages.
Note: It’s important to use messages that best reflect what recipients will receive and include any links you plan to send via SMS. A minimum of 10 characters is required, and you cannot use the same sample three times. If including links in your messages, use links that best represent what your customers will be receiving. Do not utilize short links, and we recommend reading our blog on sending links with SMS. - Check the boxes to confirm that you have read, understand, and agree to the following policies.
- Enter your contact information including your name, title, and email address.
- Save the form as a PDF with the file name “RingCentral_TCR_{Your Company Name Here}”.
- Upload the filled-out document in the secure Box upload link embedded in the form.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What is a brand ID?
A brand ID is a collection of information to identify the business sending an SMS. A brand identifies the company or entity the end-user believes to be sending a message. For example, if an HVAC company, Acme HVAC, sends SMS maintenance reminders to its end customers using RingCentral, the brand would be identified as Acme HVAC.
What is a campaign ID?
A campaign denotes your phone numbers and how you’ll use them for SMS. A company will typically have only one brand ID but may have several campaign IDs, depending on its SMS usage. For example, if the medical facility Acme Healthcare wants to send appointment reminders to its end customers via SMS, the campaign ID for that usage would be “appointment reminders.”
Can I opt out of registration?
If you want to opt out of registering with TCR, you may do so, but you will be unable to use SMS messaging on RingCentral’s network.
RingCentral can’t allow unregistered message traffic across our network. You can, however, port SMS capabilities to another provider, allowing you to utilize RingCentral for message, video, and phone while using a third-party provider for your SMS messages.
To opt out, contact RingCentral support and ask for SMS capabilities to be disabled on your account.
How does CTIA relate to the FCC?
The FCC adopts what CTIA sets as regulations as valid policies. CTIA publishes Best Practices and Principles for Messaging every quarter.
Is opt in/out/help required for non-marketing messages?
Yes, US carriers require these options for any kind of message. This includes two-way conversational messages, marketing, informational-only messages, customer care, etc.
Can I get business SMS messaging without an EIN/Tax ID?
No, at this time US carriers only allow business messaging from companies registered with the applicable federal agency (e.g. IRS in the United States). For businesses outside of the US and Canada, additional proof of registration may be required.
Do I need to list all my phone numbers on the TCR form?
No, the form only requires your main business and support numbers. RingCentral will move all of your existing numbers under your new TCR brand ID and SMS campaign. Please note that when adding additional numbers, you may need to submit a support request to have these numbers registered under your TCR campaign. This will be a temporary step as beginning early next year, you will be able to manage campaign assignments through the Admin Portal.
How do I get updates about my TCR registration?
RingCentral’s TCR registration service level agreement (SLA) allots 10 business days for completion. You can contact Support for an update.
What is vetting?
Along with registration, some companies will be required to undergo additional vetting to determine business trustworthiness. This will apply to specific industries or use cases, as well as companies that need to send more than 2,000 SMS/mo. Once vetted, a trust score is assigned to your company that impacts deliverability - the higher your trust score the greater the deliverability of your messages will be. RingCentral uses a third-party TCR-approved vendor to manage the vetting process. You can request vetting by opening a case.
Do I need to register every time I add a new number?
No, we only require one registration per business. However, new numbers may not automatically be assigned to your existing campaign. We recommend contacting support to ensure new numbers are properly assigned until our self-service solution in the Admin Portal is released in early 2023.
How can I expedite my TCR registration?
RingCentral handles hundreds of submissions every day. We do our best to complete TCR registration as quickly as possible, typically within ten business days. To help us, please ensure you correctly fill out the form as outlined above. Rejections due to an incorrect submission start the process all over again.
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