You can expect the process to take about four weeks from the point you successfully submit an application, but it can take some time to get the application correct first.
Migrating a short code
If you are migrating a code from another supplier, the process is different from purchasing a new code.
Learn more in the section Migrate a short code.
What is a campaign?
In marketing, this generally refers to a particular message, or set of messages, for a specific purpose, for example, for Black Friday. In Dotdigital, we also refer to an individual email or SMS marketing message as a campaign.
With US short codes, the term campaign has a much more specific meaning: networks require that a campaign needs to be registered in order to use a short code or 10DLC. In this circumstance, a campaign refers to the overall purpose and general content of your SMS messaging.
We therefore advise that you make your application reasonably generic, so that it covers all of your marketing across different messages for your brand. Contacts can opt in to the campaign once and, unless they opt out, you can then send them ongoing SMS messages for different marketing purposes.
Stages to expect
1. Receive the application form
Your Customer Success representative sends you an application form soon after you sign the agreement.
If you’ve not had short codes before this may look a little daunting with lots of questions.
The most common delay in getting a new code is time taken to get the form right, so we give prompts, examples, and explanations throughout to help you.
2. Complete the form and begin website preparation
You must change your website Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, and create at least a mock-up of your opt-in page. The form contains guidance on this.
You also need to know the type of individual SMS campaigns you want to send.
If you're unsure about any part of the process, contact your Customer Success representative.
Once the form and mock-up are complete, return the form to us.
3. Review by Dotdigital
Our operations team check the form carefully and work with you, normally through your Customer Success rep, until we're confident everything is ready.
You can expect our team to respond within two business days, so the time this takes depends mostly on your response time and how many changes are needed.
4. Your short code
Before applying to the US Short code provider, a short code is purchased for you. This code is normally generated at random, and you're advised of the code once it's ready so that you can then incorporate it into your marketing.
It's possible to order a vanity or custom short code, which allows you to request a specific number from those available. This comes at a much higher monthly cost.
5. Add country rules and auto-responders
You need to have country-specific rules for web opt-in, keyword opt-in (if applicable), HELP and STOP.
Your Customer Success rep helps you to organise this with our operations team by setting up the country rules in your account.
Learn more in Auto-responders for SMS and Set country rules for your SMS opt-out messages.
6. Review by the US short code provider
The provider checks and reviews your application, and might ask for further adjustments until they are confident everything is ready.
You can expect our provider to respond within a week, normally less. So, the time this takes depends mostly on your response time and how many adjustments are needed.
7. Application to networks
The US short code provider makes an application direct to each of the US networks; T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, and so on.
8. Finalise website preparations
You should have already provided mock-ups of sign-up forms or opt-in pages on your site. You should now get your privacy policy, terms and conditions, and opt-in pages live.
Mock-ups or screenshots are acceptable for us at Dotdigital, but once our US short code provider applies to the networks, they expect to see these three parts of your site live on the URLs they have been provided.
You can make the site changes fully live on the final URLs straight away, but if you want to avoid the risk of someone trying to opt in before the code is live, you can make the opt in live on a temporary URL to provide to the networks for testing, then move it once approved.
9. Wait
Typically this part of the process takes about four weeks from the time that the US short code provider submits the application to the networks. It may be quicker than this, or in some circumstances take longer.
10. Further adjustments
Sometimes one of the networks, most commonly T-Mobile, might reject some part of the application, and changes need to be made with your input and approval.
11. Network Tests
The networks test your opt-in, STOP and HELP responses.
12. Approval
Once they're happy with the application, the networks provide their approval. We let you know as soon as this is confirmed.
After approval
Once your application is approved and your short code is ready you can:
Make your opt-in page live
If you haven't already done so, you can make your opt-in page publicly accessible.
Collect numbers
Start to collect opted-in mobile numbers to send to.
Any mobile numbers you have previously gathered are not automatically opted in for the new short code, but you can email their owners to encourage them to opt-in on your new page.
Send campaigns
You must be sure to keep within the details provided in your campaign summary, and to test all campaigns carefully before sending.
Learn more in Send SMS in the US 4: Sending campaigns.
Migrate a short code from your old supplier to Dotdigital
The process to migrate a code to us from a previous supplier differs to the above process for purchasing a new code.
When migrating a short code, you must:
Get permission
We need a signed letterhead paper document from your brand saying something like:
“As the owners of short code 12345, currently with ABC Company, we would like to migrate this code to Dotdigital. Please take this document as our permission to migrate 12345. Signed [Authorized person including job title].”
Complete the form
Even if there are no change to your campaign, you must still complete and return the application form to us.
You must communicate key marketing campaigns planned for this time to us so that we can coordinate with you during the migration period to try to ensure limited downtime for your planned campaigns.
Set up country rules and auto-responders
While you're waiting for further details from us on timings, you must set up country rules and auto-responders in Dotdigital.
Learn more in Auto-responders for SMS and Set country rules for your SMS opt-out messages.
Effect on opted in customers
When you transfer a short code, your customers don't need to be informed of this change and their previous opt-in remains valid.
Migrate your customers from a different code to a Dotdigital short code
To migrate your existing contacts from a previous short code to a new Dotdigital code, you must:
Complete the application form
Even if there are no changes to your campaign.
Set up country rules and auto-responders
While you're waiting for further details from us on timings, you must set up country rules and auto-responders in Dotdigital.
Learn more in Auto-responders for SMS and Set country rules for your SMS opt-out messages.
Effect on opted in customers
For already opted-in customers, there is a very specific accepted process to move them to a new code while keeping their opt in validity. This process is detailed in the CTIA handbook. It refers to short codes specifically, but can be applied to transfers between number types, like toll-free to short code, and so on.
