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10DLC is the telecommunications industry’s novel solution to the legislative and regulatory developments of the past few years. Short for “10-digit long code,” 10DLC uses regular local landlines instead of short codes or toll-free numbers for application-to-person (A2P) communications and other forms of business-to-Customer 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” 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.

Differences Between 10DLC, Short Codes, and Toll-Free Numbers

To gain a better understanding of what 10DLC is and what industry professionals mean when they use the phrase “10-digit long code,” let’s look at 10DLC in comparison to traditional short codes and toll-free numbers.

Short Codes

A short code is an abbreviated number commonly between four and six digits in length. As of September 2021, short codes are the most common A2P solution globally. However, 10DLC is set to upset that in the coming years for a variety of reasons that we’ll cover in the next few sections.

Whereas short codes remain the ideal A2P solution for large-scale, enterprise-level communications, 10DLC has become North America’s most efficient A2P solution when communicating with clients on the local, in-branch level.

Toll-Free Numbers

Toll-free numbers are often referred to as “eight hundred numbers” due to the fact that they all begin with an eight. Prior to the advent of 10DLC, text-enabled toll-free numbers were on the rise in popularity, particularly in customer service use cases.

Although both 10DLC and text-enabled toll-free numbers are capable of sending the same kinds of messages, the throughput and deliverability of 10DLC messages are significantly higher. That’s because 10DLC includes a form of pre-registration with mobile network operators (MNOs) known as The Campaign Registry (TCR), which we will cover more in depth later in this article.

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all forms of business-to-Customer messaging.

4 Benefits of 10DLC

MNOs in North America are switching to 10DLC for a variety of reasons. Among the most common reasons are those that follow:to meet regulatory standards.

Improved Message Deliverability

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Although toll-free numbers may be text-enabled in order to offer both text and voice compatibility, short codes remain text-compatible only. 10DLC numbers take this one step further, enabling greater flexibility for Customers to call or text the same number, which in turn makes it easier for Customers to engage with your business.

Lower Prices

Like short codes and toll-free numbers, 10DLC numbers are often offered via leasing agreements. The difference, however, is that short codes can cost upward of $1,000 per month, whereas 10DLC numbers typically run around $1 per month.

Note, of course, that this does not include individual carrier fees, registration fees, or other costs. Even so, adding together all of those additional prices can save you around 90% when compared to the cost of a single short code.

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.

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.

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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 (Campaign Service Providers, also known as Resellers) to follow.

10DLC and The Campaign Registry

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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 processan online form to streamline the registration process. Simply fill out the form and we’ll do the rest.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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