In order to keep sending SMS messages to the US market, all Omnisend users must have their phone numbers verified.
We are introducing the productized solution of a Toll-free number verification, which can be found in Store settings → SMS.
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Before you begin
If you haven't submitted your phone number for verification, and thus your number has an unverified status following limits apply until April 1, 2023:
Daily Limit: 2,000 messages per day (resets at 12:00 am PT daily);
Weekly Limit: 12,000 messages per week (resets Sunday 12:00 am PT);
Monthly Limit: 25,000 messages per month (Month refers specifically to a calendar month).
Effective April 1, 2023, the industry's toll-free aggregator is implementing new limits to messaging traffic for restricted and pending toll-free numbers. Messaging that exceeds a limit will return Error Code. The new limits are as follows:
Restricted* numbers:
Daily Limit: 500 messages per day (resets at 12:00 am PT daily);
Weekly Limit: 1,000 messages per week (resets Sunday 12:00 am PT);
Monthly Limit: 2,000 messages per month (Month refers specifically to a calendar month).
*The restricted number is the number that has either 1) not submitted a verification request or 2) has had their application denied.
Pending* numbers:
Daily Limit: 2,000 messages per day (resets at 12:00 am PT daily);
Weekly Limit: 6,000 messages per week (resets Sunday 12:00 am PT);
Monthly Limit: 10,000 messages per month (Month refers specifically to a calendar month).
*The pending number is the number that has submitted a Toll-Free verification application and is awaiting a response from the Toll-Free Aggregator.
What is toll-free verification?
Verified toll-free messaging indicates that your company's operations have been evaluated before sending traffic toll-free and that you have obtained carrier approval for sending messages to the United States using a toll-free number.
As long as you follow TCPA and other SMS guidelines, verification reduces the risk of message filtering on Toll-Free traffic to all major networks in the US. Please be aware that, in Omnisend, your signup form must be TCPA-compliant when sending SMS to the US.
Other countries (non-US) do not treat Toll-Free SMS any differently than international SMS, so this process only applies to SMS sent to the US.
⚠️ Please note that SHAFT accounts will not be verified, so sending SMS to the US will not be allowed after the rejection.
Setup process
Step 1. First, if you want to send SMS to the US market but don't have the phone sender's number, you should go to Store settings → SMS → Generate phone number.
Once you get your phone number assigned, you'll see it needs to be verified. Please note that you need to take a screenshot of your signup form with a phone number input field before starting the verification.
Step 2. To get the phone verified, click Verify number button.
Step 3. You will be asked to upload a screenshot of the signup form that you use to collect SMS subscribers. A screenshot of your store's checkout page or information about how you maintain consent in your Privacy Policy will also work. Also, please add the contact information of your business. You need to add the following:
Business contact's first name;
Business contact last name;
Business contact email;
Business contact phone number
Click Select a file to upload the screenshot from your computer → Add all necessary contact data → Submit.
⚠️A single request for a toll-free number can take up to 4-5 weeks to be approved or denied.
Once you submit the form, you will see a message indicating the phone number is under verification.
It takes up to 48 hours for your application to reach a Toll-free aggregator. Once it reaches the aggregator, the sending limits are increased to 500k per month without daily and weekly limits.
Later, you will see if the phone number is verified. Please get in touch with our support team at [email protected] to learn more details if it's not verified.
