10DLC has arrived—here's what businesses need to know
Vonage experts can help you start registering your numbers’ brands and campaign use cases for 10DLC messaging to US phone numbers.
Businesses that have used traditional long code numbers to send large volumes of text messages in the U.S. must comply with a new SMS messaging standard: 10-Digit Long Code (10DLC). The good news? 10DLC provides higher-quality support for mass text messaging with lower overhead costs. The better news? Compliance and adoption can be easy with the right messaging provider.
Read this article to find out what exactly 10DLC is, why it’s important, and how your business can step up to this new generation of application-to-person (A2P) communications.
What is 10DLC and When Do Businesses Need to Use It?
All major wireless carriers in the U.S. have adopted the new 10DLC numbers standard for A2P long code messaging. As the sanctioned solution for A2P messaging, the 10DLC standard is designed to deliver a better customer experience along with business benefits such as brand accountability and more reliable deliverability.
With the commercial debut of 10DLC, U.S. carriers are enforcing new guidelines and requirements. Notably, messaging programs on U.S. long and short codes can no longer be shared across more than one brand. Businesses that had been sharing codes will need to choose a new number option to power their messaging programs.
Also, businesses that send traffic from a +1 Country Code 10DLC into U.S. networks will need to register their brands and campaigns in order to get approval for sending messages. In most cases, resellers of SMS services will need to register their customers' brands and campaigns for them.
If your business sends customers concise but vital messages such as appointment reminders, service updates, or alerts, 10DLC is a good method for delivery. 10DLC is also effective for engaging consumers with local marketing.
3 Reasons to Step Up to 10DLC Now
1. Higher SMS message volumes. 10DLC numbers are capable of supporting higher SMS volumes, whereas standard long virtual numbers are meant for person-to-person messaging and are subject to volume restrictions, which means they can potentially be blocked in A2P use cases.
2. Lower costs. 10DLC numbers are more cost-effective than short codes. So, businesses that can’t afford a short code number or don’t send enough messages to justify paying for a short code will have a cost-efficient alternative.
Additionally, businesses will be able to convert their existing landlines to 10DLC numbers. This means businesses can send more messages from their existing phone numbers, and won’t have to pay for an additional number to get 10DLC capabilities.
3. Better deliverability. Because 10DLC numbers are sanctioned by the carriers, messages sent on these numbers are more likely going to reach the recipient than with regular local long codes.
Read the full list of 10DLC benefits to see even more reasons to adopt it.
Get Started with Vonage
The introduction of 10DLC should not slow down your text messaging efforts. Getting started takes just 3 simple steps:
1. Submit your brand and campaign in the Vonage API 10DLC Dashboard
If you don’t have one already, create your account and login. Create your account2. Get a review
Your brand and campaign submission will be reviewed by The Campaign Registry. You'll be assigned a trust score from 1-100, which will determine the throughput allowance for your campaigns.3. Get ready to launch
Our Vonage 10DLC onboarding squad will reach out to you with a guide on how to launch your newly approved 10DLC campaigns.How Vonage Can Help
We've already helped numerous customers prepare for the move to 10DLC. In January 2020, we integrated Verizon’s implementation of the 10DLC sanction with SMS customers and we are preparing for the coming launches of A2P 10DLC with AT&T, T-Mobile/Sprint, and other carriers. We will make sure our clients are registered and transition as this process moves along.
Contact our API team
What’s Next?
10DLC represents a significant, but positive, change for business text messaging—one that should be embraced, not feared. We'll continue to update this article with new information as things develop. In the meantime, if you have any questions about 10DLC and how we can help with this transition, please contact our API team!

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