If you want to avoid the hassle of 10DLC registration and the consequences that come with it, using toll-free numbers is a viable alternative. Toll-free numbers offer generous message volume limits and can be obtained quickly.
Most of us are familiar with toll-free numbers - the 1-8xx numbers we dial when we need to connect with a business representative. These numbers have become synonymous with business communication, making them an ideal choice for conveying professional messaging.
In the United States and Canada, toll-free numbers use specific area codes that are reserved exclusively for this purpose. The currently available toll-free area codes in the US and Canada are as follows:
If you're looking to enhance your customer outreach efforts, you can easily acquire SMS and MMS-enabled toll-free numbers through Shape's customer support. Start reaching out to your customers via text messaging today and take advantage of the powerful communication capabilities of toll-free numbers.
Effective April 1, 2023, any toll-free numbers that exceed the messaging volume limits when sending messages to US subscribers must undergo verification. Messages in excess of these limits will be marked as undelivered**
Starting November 8th, 2023, all toll-free numbers will require verification and unverified toll free traffic will be blocked on the carrier end. This is an industry-wide change as part of continuing efforts to combat messaging spam.
**Please be aware that toll-free numbers which have not been verified, or are pending verification, may be subject to stricter content filtering by carriers. This means that messages sent from unverified numbers are more likely to trigger content filters, and when these thresholds are exceeded, carriers will send the 960 error code. It's important to note that carriers do not distinguish between messages caught in content filters and those that exceed usage thresholds.
To verify your toll-free number, you can fill out the Shape Toll-Free Verification form by pressing the button below. If you have multiple numbers to verify or cannot access the form, you can download a spreadsheet to input the necessary information and create a ticket with the support team for further assistance.
The verification process can take up to 6 weeks; the process is outlined in our documentation below.
Once you submit a request, Shape passes it on to our carrier for review and moves the number to a “pending verification” status. Numbers that are pending verification don’t have daily or weekly limits but do have a monthly limit of 500,000 messages per month, to allow customers to increase volume gradually. Messages sent from a number that’s pending verification are still subject to carrier scrutiny and filtering, so Shape recommends that you switch your production traffic to a particular number only after it has been verified.
When the carrier notifies us of the successful completion of the verification request, we change the status to “verified,” at which point it’s subject to the minimum amount of filtering. Verified numbers have no daily, weekly, or monthly limits.
If the verification request is rejected by the carrier, the number is again marked “unverified” and is again subject to daily, weekly, and monthly limits. We’ll send you an email that explains the reason for the rejection. Review the reason, consult with our support team, make changes, and resubmit your request.
Once verified, a number does not need to be re-verified for the same use case in the future. If you want to use the toll-free number for a different or an additional use case, you should submit a new verification request. Failure to do so can be considered noncompliance by the carriers and may result in your messaging services being suspended.