Toll-Free Verification

What is toll-free verification? 

• It's the process of reducing, filtering, and preventing unwanted messages or messaging traffic.
• With the verified toll-free tagged, you will experience less false-positive filtering, leading to overall better messaging deliverability. 

As a result of industry-wide changes, on November 8, 2023, all unverified (also known as ‘restricted’) toll-free numbers will require verification registration. These verification efforts, along with increased message filtering, help combat spam and create a trusted messaging ecosystem.

If your numbers have already been verified, no further action is needed.  If one or more of your toll-free numbers have not been verified, read on to learn how to verify your unverified toll-free numbers.

The new industry-wide U.S. messaging limits per unverified Toll-Free numbers are listed below: 

•          Daily Limit: 2,000 messages per day 

•          Weekly Limit: 6,000 messages per week 

•          Monthly Limit:10,000 messages per month

The unverified TF number will be subject to high filtering and message blocking from the carriers. It's highly recommended to submit a request to verify a Toll-free number even if your daily messaging column is less than 2000 messages a day. The Toll-Free verification process can take up to 4-6 weeks. Alternatively, you can move your traffic to 10DLC (10-digit local code). The 10DLC verification can be completed within 24 hours, as long as all required information is provided. Visit, https://wire2air.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4831869786644-What-is-10DLC- to learn more about 10DLC

To continue sending messages in the toll-free space without these thresholds applied to your numbers:

Toll-Free Verification Process:

• To be verified, a toll-free number must submit an application to be approved by mobile carriers. 

• Once the application form was submitted, it will be processed within 2-3 business days.

• Upon submission, it can take up to 4-6 weeks for toll-free number verification.

• Verification is not whitelisting, so being approved doesn’t mean that the users won’t experience any blocking. 

Just a note toll-free verification requests are reviewed manually. A turnaround time may vary if it's batch/bulk submission. Unlike the 10DLC application, most campaigns receive immediate results

Factors that your approval might be delayed: 

• A high volume of incoming requests

• Incomplete or unclear fields on the form submitted

• Multiple submissions 

• Multiple toll-free numbers on a request

How to submit the Toll-free verification form? 

• Click here to submit a Toll-free verification form. 

• Please make sure to submit complete, and upload high-quality forms to help make the process faster and easier.
  

• To ensure a compliant program meets the minimum CTIA requirements, it’s best to ensure your program includes the following Guiding Principles and Short Code Program Components.

Submitting Toll-free verification: 

• Opt-in

  • Make sure the opt-in process is explained detailed. 

  • Provide a screenshot and/or link to the opt-in process. This is required for marketing use cases.

  • Consent should be collected by the direct sender of the messages. Please be advised that consent cannot be acquired from a third party. Third-party opt-in is not supported and is ineligible for verification.

• Use one primary number

  • Each sender (business/organization) should utilize only one primary sending number. This is to have a better user experience overall for the consumer.

  • If in case the business/organization has multiple locations or franchises, each should have its own number; a 1:1 process (one number per sender). Shared numbers (numbers used by multiple businesses) are disallowed and ineligible for verification. 

  • If there are cases that require more than one sending number. You'll be asked to upload an excel file with the business name associated with each number. For bulk submissions, turnaround times will vary.

• Call-to-Action (CTA)

  The purpose of a Call-to-Action (CTA) is to ensure the Consumer consents to receive text messages and understands the nature of the program. The CTA language must encourage or invite a Consumer to opt into a Messaging program and must be clearly and unambiguously displayed with the following disclosures:

  • Program (Brand) Name/Product Description
  • Message Frequency Disclosure
  • Message and Data Rates may apply
  • STOP keyword (Opt-out information may appear in the terms and conditions.)
  • Complete terms and conditions OR link to complete terms and conditions (Popups are not a method for displaying terms and conditions)
  • Privacy policy OR link to a privacy policy

Examples of Ineligible use cases:

What are the minimum requirements to get verified?

• Toll-free number(s)
• Verification brief with the required fields completed
• The use case is not listed on our Ineligible Use Case list
• The opt-in process is explained in detailed
  • Screenshots and/or URLs are required for marketing use cases
• Carrier Best Practices (CTIA guidelines) are being followed
  • CTIA Handbook