Message Content Provider Responsibilities

All Convey customers are responsible for following the guidelines listed below to maintain A2P messaging compliance in addition to adhering to our Acceptable Use Policy.

All Convey customers using A2P messaging routes are responsible for:

1. Obtaining express consent prior to sending messages to any recipients. See Consent Per Content Type for the required level and type of consent applicable to your messaging content.
2. Providing an opt-out method, permitting end-users to decline to receive any further messages.
3. Supplying useful customer care information in response to the “HELP” keyword.
4. Ensuring messages do not violate CTIA or carrier rules or regulations for acceptable A2P messaging.*
5. Understanding carriers’ right to re-evaluate messaging use-cases at any time and shut down existing messaging programs at their discretion.
6. Maintaining of compliant rules and regulations equal to or greater than those imposed by the CTIA, carriers and Convey for their own traffic or any A2P traffic resold to customers.
7. Obtaining use-case information for their own messaging programs or any/all client programs, and maintaining the right and ability to audit said programs upon request by Convey.
8. Avoiding the inclusion of any Protected Health Information content within any part of any messages, including MMS content.
9. Providing appropriate security and privacy controls to protect subscribers and maintain opt-in and opt-out integrity and full confidentiality of end-user information.
10. Providing terms of service and privacy policy accessible at point of opt in and on any/all associated landing websites.
11. Completing 10DLC registration before attempting to send A2P traffic on long codes.
12. Ensuring all websites whose URL is accessed through message content unambiguously identify the website owner and include a postal mailing address and other contact information.
13. Complying with all anti-spam filtering and regulation without attempt to avoid detection.

* Note that these rules and regulations are subject to change. Those changes will be reflected in our Acceptable Use Policy.
 

Compliant Best-Practices

The following recommendations, while not explicitly mandated, help to ensure compliance with CTIA and carrier guidelines, as well as maintain best deliverability with lowest risk of incurring carrier blocks.

1. Use as few numbers for your campaign as possible. While there are some use-cases which require the use of multiple numbers (e.g. your company has different departments and you want a different TFN for each), limit the use of one number per clear use-case (e.g. one number per department rather than two). This helps to allay carrier concerns of snowshoeing.
2. Keep branding, URL domains and messaging consistent. Multiple names, differing or changing URLs and mis-matched content cause confusion and concern.
3. Keep phrasing conversational. Messages that sound like the transcribed words of a carnival barker will always appear spammy, even if they are legitimate.
4. Obtain consent directly. Consent should be obtained directly from the end-user to receive the text messages you intend to send.
5. Maintain expected frequency. If your advertising told end-users they would receive messages once a month, hold to that. If your advertising doesn’t indicate frequency at all, it might be time to add it.
6. Keep messages short - messages exceeding the supported character length will be sent in multiple installments and may cause the end-user to feel like they’re being spammed.
7. Offer STOP/HELP instructions in-message.
8. In the event you change your sender number for a recurring message program, message subscribed end-users from the old number informing them of the number they can expect to see in the future, then send no further messages from the old number.
9. Ensure all published campaign details are kept accurate and up-to-date.

Canadian A2P Responsibilities

In order to be permitted to send A2P messaging in Canada, content providers must ensure their messaging programs:

• maintain an opt-out rate below 1%
• include “STOP” language in the first message and in every fifth message or one message monthly. Including “STOP” language in every message is recommended.
• use secured URLs only. Full URL domains recommended.
• do not jump from number to number upon being blocked
• identify their brand in every message
• send no more than ten (10) messages per month
• make clear the number of messages a subscriber may receive at point of opt-in
• support INFO, HELP and STOP as well as all French translations with a response in the keyword’s corresponding language
• include “data rates may apply” or “std msg & data rates may apply” verbiage in messages containing links to mobile-accessible websites.

Remember that all programs are subject to audits by Convey and/or by carrier hubs and wireless providers. Failure to comply with a requested consent audit may result in suspension or cancellation of a messaging program.