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10DLC and The Campaign Registry are not Mongotel’s products, nor does Mongotel have any control over the rules that require their use. The purpose of this article is to explain and provide context for changes coming to the telecommunications industry as a whole. Rest assured, Mongotel will be right there with you as the world of 10DLC and A2P continues to develop. |
10DLC is the telecommunications industry’s novel solution to the legislative and regulatory developments of the past few years. Short for 10“10-digit long code,” 10DLC uses regular local landlines instead of short codes or toll-free numbers for application-to-person (A2P) messaging all across North America.
Long codes have long been used for purposes such as customer service and use cases are rapidly expanding to better suit other business needs as well. Of course, “10DLC” isn’t doesn’t mean just any standard long code. That phrase comes laden with its own laundry list of laws and regulations that control the ways in which you can and should be using 10-digit long codes for A2P messaging.
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Between the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act of 2019 and the FCC’s Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) subsequent regulation rollouts, quite a bit has changed in the field of telecommunications. Add to that the ever-changing requirements for Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) compliance and you have a veritable minefield of potential fines, blocked messages, and legal action.
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The Problem of Robocalls and Other Spam
Robocallers placed more than 48 billion calls in 2020 and are on pace to place more than 52 billion this year (2021), often spoofing caller IDs for spam and scam campaigns. The sheer volume of these calls and the significant financial loss to which they open call recipients have led the FCC to declare combatting robocalls “a top priority.”
These robocalls, of course, are not a novel problem. In fact, they’ve been around just about as long as cellphones and telephones. That is, for decades, robocalls have been a thorn in the side of consumers and government personnel alike. And, each year, they devastate the finances of unprepared or unprotected consumers.
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In 2020, consumers lost nearly $30 billion to robocall scams. |
Although not always criminal, these calls have long skirted the line between legal and illegal, playing with gray areas in the Communications Act of 1934. The primary problem being that it takes time to write new laws, with the speed of technological innovation often outpacing the speed at which new legislation can hit the books.
To correct this, the government has enacted laws and regulations aimed specifically at combatting robocalls and other spam communications.
Laws and Regulations
The two areas of law most relevant to the telecommunications industry in the past few years are without a doubt the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act of 2019 and the FCC’s campaign to “stop unwanted robocalls and texts.” The new rules, guidelines, and—of course—penalties outlined in these policies have already begun to alter the landscape of A2P messaging throughout all of North America.
The Stopping Bad Robocalls Act of 2019
This bill enacted a list of additional requirements relevant to A2P communications, such as consent-based messaging and other consumer protections. However, perhaps the most relevant part of this bill to the telecommunications industry as a whole is section seven, which created a series of regulations requiring MNO’s to implement improved call authentication technology.
The FCC’s Campaign to “Stop Unwanted Robocalls and Texts”
In 2021 and in accordance with the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, the FCC announced several anti-robocall actions. The Commission’s response to the robocall problem included the creation of the Robocall Response Team and formal requests for renewed partnerships at the state level, as well the proliferation of additional federal rules for MNOs and CSPs to follow.
10DLC and The Campaign Registry
In response to the demands imposed upon the telecommunications industry by this new legislation, MNO’s across North America have come together to create what is known as The Campaign Registry. The Campaign Registry is the result of a partnership between North American MNOs aimed at creating a simple means of maintaining regulatory compliance.
TCR enables MNOs to more easily verify the validity of corporate messaging campaigns, satisfying the government’s requirement for the implementation of improved call authentication technology. This is done through the use of a registration system that requires companies planning to use 10DLC A2P communication solutions to register their campaigns with contact information, use cases, and other details.
Registration
The registration process for TCR may appear complicated and difficult to navigate. In accordance with our commitment to enabling seamless VOIP solutions for our Partners, Resellers, Customers, and Users, Mongotel has put together a detailed guide to walk you through the TCR brand registration process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs
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Still not quite sure what 10DLC is or what these changes mean for your business? Check out this list of FAQs to see if your question has already been answered: 10DLC FAQs.