Toll-Free Messaging

TOLL-FREE

Toll-Free messaging¹ lets entities, including political campaigns, send and receive text messages using a 10-digit toll-free phone number (800, 888, etc.). The use of Toll-Free numbers provides nationwide, high-volume messaging and allows users to pivot from text to voice with the same phone number. The channel can be used for a wide range of applications, including customer support, notifications, marketing, and political outreach to voters and supporters.

Support

The Campaign Registry (TCR) manages A2P 10DLC registration on behalf of major U.S. wireless carriers, providing visibility into the messaging source and content. Campaign Verify is an independent, nonprofit organization that serves as one of the vetting providers for TCR. Campaign Verify aims to prevent spoofing and disinformation in political messaging by acting as the verification layer for campaigns, committees, and PACs – ensuring campaigns are who they say they are.

VERIFICATION

After obtaining verification from Campaign Verify, entities should provide their Toll-Free Authorization Token to their Campaign Service Provider (CSP), the campaign’s text messaging provider. The CSP will share the token with its Direct Connect Aggregator (DCA), which will submit the token to a major U.S. wireless carrier for final approval.

Support

CTIA - The Wireless Association recommends that users follow CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices Guide. Additionally, CTIA launched a website tailored for political campaigns ahead of the 2024 election season: Keeping Political Text Messaging Spam Free.

¹ The legacy term “Toll-Free” refers to the historical voice telephony product that allowed landline voice customers to call these numbers without incurring long distance charges. While nearly all cellular/mobile telephone price plans now include unlimited text messaging, it is still possible in rare occasions that a cellular customer can be charged for both receiving and sending text messages from/to a Toll-Free telephone number.