Text messaging is one of the most effective and direct ways for businesses to reach customers. Whether you’re sending marketing promotions, appointment reminders, or transactional updates, SMS ensures fast delivery and high engagement.
But here’s the catch: If your business is sending A2P (Application-to-Person) messages using a 10-digit long code (10DLC) and you haven’t registered your number, your messages will not be delivered.
Without registration, your 10DLC number will be blocked, severely impacting your ability to communicate with customers. In this guide, we’ll explain why 10DLC registration is essential and how you can avoid disruptions to your messaging by ensuring your business is compliant.
What Is 10DLC and Why Does It Matter?
Before we dive into the risks, let’s quickly recap what 10DLC registration is and why it matters.
10DLC (10-Digit Long Code) is a carrier-approved phone number format that allows businesses to send A2P text messages in a compliant and reliable way.
Mobile carriers now require businesses to register their 10DLC numbers and SMS campaigns to prevent spam, fraud, and message abuse.
Without 10DLC registration, your A2P messages will be blocked, meaning your texts won’t be delivered to customers. This can severely disrupt your communication efforts and hurt customer engagement.
Now, let’s look at what happens if you ignore 10DLC registration and don’t get your messages delivered.
What Happens If You Don’t Register for 10DLC?
If you continue sending text messages to your clients from an unregistered 10DLC number, here’s what you could face:
1. Increased Message Filtering & Blocks
Carriers actively monitor and filter unregistered A2P messages. If your number isn’t registered, your texts may:
Get flagged as spam and never reach customers.
Have delayed delivery or be sent in lower-priority queues.
Be completely blocked by major carriers like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.
Imagine sending an important appointment reminder, order update, or promotional offer, only for it to never arrive in your customer’s inbox. That’s lost revenue, frustrated customers, and damaged brand trust.
2. Poor Customer Experience & Lower Engagement
Even if some of your unregistered messages get through, they may be flagged as unverified, which lowers trust and engagement.
Customers are more likely to ignore or block messages from unknown, unverified senders. They may even report your number as spam, which can further damage your sender reputation.
Real Impact: Lower open rates, fewer conversions, and lost customer relationships.
3. No Message Delivery
Without 10DLC registration, your A2P messages won’t be delivered. Carriers will simply block your messages from reaching your customers. This means your critical SMS campaigns like promotions, updates, reminders, all will be completely halted.
This could cause a serious disruption to your business operations and communication with clients.
4. Increased Risk of Non-Compliance & Legal Issues
SMS marketing is subject to strict regulations, including:
TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) – Requires businesses to get customer consent before sending SMS.
CTIA Guidelines – Carriers enforce rules to prevent spam and unauthorized messaging.
If your 10DLC number is unregistered, it raises red flags that could lead to non-compliance issues, especially if you’re not properly handling opt-ins, opt-outs, and content guidelines.
Real Impact: Legal consequences, fines, and potential lawsuits for non-compliant messaging practices.
How to Avoid These Risks
Now that you know the risks of skipping 10DLC registration, the solution is simple. Get your 10DLC number registered with Falkon SMS and ensure your messages are delivered!
Follow These Steps to Get 10DLC Compliant
Step 1: Fill Out the 10DLC Registration Form - We’ll send you the registration form and walk you through each part of the process to ensure everything is accurate.
Step 2: Compliance Check & Approval - Our team will review your information and recommend any necessary updates (such as changes to your website, privacy policy or terms of service) to ensure your campaign meets compliance.
Step 3: Campaign Submission & Onboarding - Once we’ve submitted your campaign for approval and it’s approved, we’ll onboard you and get you set up for messaging.
Step 4: Start Sending Texts - Once your 10DLC number is approved, you can begin sending messages to your customers without delay!
Falkon SMS makes the entire 10DLC registration process quick and easy. We handle the compliance details, so you don’t have to worry about your messages being blocked or missing important communication.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Risk Your SMS Deliverability
If your business relies on text messaging for marketing, customer service, or notifications, 10DLC registration is NOT optional. It’s required.
By getting 10DLC compliant, you ensure your texts reach customers without disruption, avoid message blocking, and increase customer engagement with verified messaging. Plus, you save money by avoiding unnecessary costs or service restrictions.
Don’t risk losing one of the most effective communication channels for your business. Register your 10DLC number today and keep your SMS marketing running smoothly!