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TextForward enables a number, or numbers, on your account to forward any received text messaging to an email or webhook. This can not be applied to numbers that are already using VirtualText at this time. This feature can be enabled by admins inside of the dashboard by clicking your name in the upper right and navigating to Add-Ons. Click Enable to begin using Text Forward and note that standard fees apply. MMS is sent as an attachment on emails and is not available in your webhook’s payload.
SMS MESSAGES
SMS messages are passed through the specified destinations.
The messages may contain emojis that conform to the SMS standard.
Long messages that arrive in multiple segments are passed along as received from Bandwidth.
The Text Forward feature does not attempt to reassemble long messages.
MMS MESSAGES
MMS messages are handled similarly to SMS messages, except for media content.
Media content from MMS messages is delivered as attachments in emails.
Currently, MMS media is not supported for webhooks.
All businesses wanting to send text messages to contacts in the U.S. are required to register their business and the use case for sending those messages. This ensures that your messages are delivered to the intended recipients and increases trust and engagement with your company.
Carriers and authorities overseeing the registration process levee fees for registering companies based on use cases and message velocity. VirtualPBX has simplified these costs to a one-time $99 setup fee.
To register, you will submit a form available to administrators under “SMS Registration” in the upper-right dashboard menu. The form will ask for basic information about the business and the messages it intends to send across all text-enabled phone numbers. Be prepared to answer questions about:
Important Considerations
The values you enter for the legal company name and tax ID number (EIN) must match the values on your tax registration document.
Be prepared to provide the URL to the website that represents your business.
Depending on how and why you’ll be messaging your customers, you may fall under a special use case.
The registration process is a little faster for toll-free numbers.
You must understand SMS compliance before you begin texting. Jumping right in can quickly result in violations or bans.
Express Written Consent
Customers must give businesses “express written consent” before the business sends them automated promotional text messages. It can’t be buried in a pages-long form full of legalese. It must be clear and conspicuous, so the recipient knows what they’re signing up for. And you may not require a user to opt into your text program as a condition to purchase property, goods, or services. Failure to adhere to this guideline is one of many possible Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) violations.
Express written consent isn’t just for new contacts either—it’s for all contacts, even those from an existing contact list. Before you import a list, be sure that every contact has permitted you to send them messages.
Consent happens when the customer:
It’s also a best practice to let contacts know what they’re signing up for. Are they getting reminders? Coupons? Tips? Specify what you’re offering and how often they’ll receive messages so there aren’t surprises.
While unlimited texting has become more common, some users may have to pay fee to receive SMS and MMS (text and image) messages. The wireless carriers require you to inform your contacts that these charges may be incurred if they sign up for your program.
Terms, Conditions, & Privacy Policy
List the terms, conditions, and privacy policy in full beneath the call to action (CTA), or provide a link nearby that contains:
Confirmation Message
Regardless of how users signed up, your very first text must be a carrier compliance message confirming opt-in. It should reiterate some important information, including:
What you CAN’T Text (SHAFT)
The CTIA is an association of mobile carriers that set rules and best practices for the text marketing industry. One of these rules is known as SHAFT: Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco. Including content related to any of these is one of the highest violations, and may result in an immediate ban.
There are few exceptions. If, for example, you operate a bar you may still be able to send messages about happy hour specials. However, you must operate on a dedicated, verified toll-free number and have an age gate preventing those under the age of 21 from signing up for your texts.
The customer experience team at VirtualPBX can help you navigate all of this and determine if you have a special use case.
To enable VirtualText Pro features, please reach out to Customer Experience. If you have not already registered your business to send text messages, you may do so by clicking SMS Registration in the upper menu of your dashboard.
Drip Campaigns
Blasts
Reminders
VirtualPBX takes data security very seriously and has implemented several measures to ensure the protection of all user data. By storing all application data using the Google Cloud, VirtualPBX products comply with both the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
VirtualText is a digital communication platform that is hosted at Google Cloud, which helps ensure the security of user data. To further protect user data, VirtualText includes a number of security measures, including:
Overall, VirtualText has implemented strong data security measures to protect user data and ensure compliance with relevant regulations. So, users can trust that their data is safe and secure when using the VirtualText platform.
LONG CODE |
10-DIGIT LONG CODE |
TOLL-FREE |
SHORT CODE |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
APPROVED CONTENT |
All P2P |
All A2P (AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon) |
All A2P |
A2P promotional |
|
APPROVED OPT-IN |
Implied consent, express consent |
Implied consent, express consent (varies depending on the use case) |
Implied consent, express consent |
Express consent, keyword consent |
|
THROUGHPUT LIMITATIONS |
1 message per 4 seconds |
10DLC A2P throughput is not fixed; it varies by the vetting score* a brand is assigned. Throughput varies by operator between 4 and 75 messages per second. |
US: 40 messages per second |
100 messages per second |
|
PROCUREMENT TIME |
Immediate |
Varies by campaign type; may take 3-5 business days |
1 business day |
12-16 weeks |
|
NUMBER TYPE |
10-digit number |
10-digit number |
10-digit number |
5- to 6-digit number |
|
REACH |
US and Canada |
US only |
US and Canada |
US and Canada |
|
COST |
|
10DLC A2P campaigns incur carrier surcharge fees, as well as brand registration and ongoing campaign fees for both AT&T and T-Mobile. More details |
Messages terminating on toll-free numbers within the Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile networks incur surcharges. More details |
Details on short code fees |
|
USAGE EXAMPLES |
Number masking, conversational SMS |
Transactional, marketing, one-time passwords, notifications, customer care messaging |
One-time passwords, security alerts, order confirmations, reminders, surveys, customer care messaging |
One-time passwords, security alerts, order confirmations, reminders, surveys, customer care messaging |
If you need more than the technical specifications indicated here, answers to your questions are a click or call away.
Talk with a specialist, chat with us, or call 1-888-825-0800.
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