As of January 1, 2024, the FCC requires verification for all custom toll-free numbers before sending text messages. This industry-wide change ensures compliance and helps protect consumers. Unverified numbers can only be used for outbound caller ID; text messaging will be unavailable.
Key Benefits of Verification:
Legitimacy: Confirms your business as a real entity.
Deliverability: Reduces the chance of your messages being flagged as spam or filtered.
Engagement: Leads to higher member engagement due to increased trust and deliverability.
Verification Process: A Step-by-Step Guide
To ensure a smooth verification process, please carefully complete all required fields in the verification form. "N/A" is not an acceptable answer. Incomplete information will cause delays.
Complete the Form: Answer all questions on the verification form thoroughly and accurately. The form will request the following information (see details below):
Business Information:
Business Name
Physical Address
Website URL
Your Name, Email, and Phone Number
Messaging Use Case Information:
Estimated Monthly Message Volume
Opt-in Type
URLs of Opt-in Policy Images/Screenshots
Use Case Categories
Use Case Description
Production Message Sample
Submit the Form: Once you've completed all fields, submit the form.
Check Your Status: Monitor the verification status of your number. It can take between 12 and 72 hours for your status to change. Check the status under your custom phone number settings.
Activation: Your number must have an "Active" status before you can send text messages.
Detailed Information Required for Verification:
Here's a breakdown of the information you'll need to provide on the verification form:
A. Business Information:
Business Name: The end business that customers interact with. This should not be your company's name (ISV) unless you are the sole content creator, sending messages on behalf of your company, or the content is branded with your company's name. Example: "John's Coffee Shop" (Approved), "Your Company Name" (Rejected - unless you are the end business).
Physical Address: The physical address of the end business. Include the full street address, city, state, and zip code. Example: "123 Main St, Seattle, WA, 98119" (Approved), "N/A" (Rejected).
Website URL: The website of the end business. If the business doesn't have a traditional website, social media links (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) are acceptable, but they must be public. Examples:
www.johnscoffeeshop.com(Approved),facebook.com/johnscoffeeshop(Approved if public),yourcompany.com(Rejected unless you are the end business).Your Name, Email, and Phone Number: Contact information for the person submitting the verification request.
B. Messaging Use Case Information:
Estimated Monthly Message Volume: Your estimated monthly message volume. Choose the closest value from the following options: 10; 100; 1000; 10000; 100000; 250000; 500000; 750000; 1000000; 5000000; 10000000+. Provide an estimate for your current volume or, if you expect growth, your volume in 6 months.
Opt-in Type: The method you use to obtain consent to send text messages (e.g., Website Form, Keyword Opt-in, In-Store Sign-up).
URLs of Opt-in Policy Images/Screenshots: Provide URLs to images or screenshots that clearly show your opt-in process and policy. This could be a screenshot of your website form, a photo of a sign-up sheet, etc. The documentation must match the Opt-in Type you select.
Use Case Categories: Select the category that best describes how you will use the toll-free number (e.g., Marketing, Appointment Reminders, Customer Service).
Use Case Description: A detailed explanation of how the toll-free number will be used. Be specific! Example: "This number will be used to send promotional offers and coupons to John's Coffee Shop customers." (Approved), "Marketing" (Rejected - too vague).
Production Message Sample: A real example of a message you will send. It should match your use case. Example: "Thank you for being a loyal customer of John's Coffee Shop! Enjoy 10% off your next purchase. Reply STOP to opt out." 1 (Approved), "Your appointment is today at 10:00 AM." (Rejected - doesn't match a marketing use case).
Toll-Free Number Verification Categories
Pending: Submitting your completed verification form, will place your Toll-Free number(s) in a Pending Verification status if all data is valid and meets the standards.
Rejected: verification forms depending on reason have 6 days to be updated/ corrected and resubmitted for approval.
Verified: Upon a successful review of your verification submission and carrier approval, your number(s) will be moved to "Verified" status. Verified numbers have full access to begin sending Text/SMS Toll-Free traffic toward all major networks in the US and some in Canada.
Pro Tip: Prepay for 12 months to avoid potential payment failures that could interrupt your service and require you to repeat the verification process.