SchoolNow uses an upstream provider called Twilio, who along with The Campaign Registry (TCR) is in charge of vetting and approving schools to send text and voice messages.
A2P 10DLC refers to a system in the United States that allows businesses to send Application-to-Person (A2P) type messaging via standard 10-digit long code (10DLC) phone numbers. Carriers in the US consider all Twilio traffic to be A2P. Carriers’ A2P 10DLC offerings provide better delivery quality and lower filtering risk than long code SMS of the past, using the same phone numbers.
As of August 28, there are 4 days left until all unregistered messages to the U.S. are fully blocked on August 31st, 2023. In order to maintain SMS and MMS messaging to the U.S. using 10DLC phone numbers, all messages must be sent via an approved application-to-person (A2P) Campaign.
The diagram below shows the process used to initiate your messaging campaign and get it vetted with the proper authorities. SchoolNow collects your EIN and associated information and then submits it to our upstream messaging provider, Twilio who is in charge of verifying your school and EIN and school information. Twilio will then submit your information to The Campaign Registry (TCR) for them to establish your brand and campaign registrations. TCR is the entity charged with vetting all campaign's regardless of the messaging service providers you have chosen.
At the time of this writing, TCR is overwhelmed with A2P 10DLC registrations from everyone rushing to get approved by the August 31st deadline. They estimate that it currently takes at least 3 weeks due to "higher than normal volume of requests." Further, campaign submissions initiated at this time will most likely not be available before the August 31, 2023 A2P registration deadline. New details will be shared in the Campaign Vetting Changes article as they become available.
SchoolNow has been feverishly working to get new customer campaigns set up and approved. Unfortunately, we are still at the mercy The Campaign Registry (TCR)'s response time.
It is also prudent to mention that penalty fees can apply to messages being sent from unauthorized campaigns.
Effective July 5, 2023, all 10DLC phone numbers used to send SMS and MMS messages to U.S. phone numbers must be fully registered to an approved campaign under your brand. Messages sent using unregistered phone numbers will be subject to a gradual increase of message blocking by Twilio, beginning on July 5, 2023, ultimately leading to a full block of all unregistered U.S.-bound messages sent after August 31, 2023.
For more information, visit our Shutdown of Unregistered 10DLC Messaging FAQ
For more information on the specific fees and timing please see What Pricing and Fees are Associated with A2P 10DLC.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. We are actively working with Twilio to expedite the approval process for these campaigns. However, it's important to note that this is a situation beyond our control. The landscape is constantly evolving as measures are implemented to combat abuse, such as spam SMS and voice calls to phone numbers. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate these changes.