T-Mobile, along with other carriers, aims to create a safe and reliable mobile experience for their customers. This includes protecting them from unwanted and potentially harmful text messages. By enforcing existing regulations more diligently, they hope to minimize spam and ensure a positive texting environment for everyone.
They are actively monitoring A2P outbound SMS and MMS messaging to USA numbers.
T-Mobile has introduced A2P 10DLC non-compliance fines for messages including prohibited content. If T-Mobile detects any messages that violate the tiers listed below, they will issue a Sev-0 violation (the most severe consumer violation), a non-compliance fine.
Applies to all three messaging types: including 10DLC, toll-free numbers, and short code.
Our messaging provider, Twilio, also adheres to specific A2P compliance regulations. In the very unlikely event that Twilio incurs any fines from T-Mobile associated with your business account due to non-compliance, Referrizer will pass those fines on to you. These fines include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Tier 1: $2,000: phishing (including simulated phishing sent for security testing or similar purposes), smishing, and social engineering. Social Engineering is a technique used to manipulate someone into sharing private information, like passwords or credit card numbers.
- Tier 2: $1,000: illegal content (content must be legal federally and in all 50 states).
- Tier 3: $500: all other violations in commercial messaging including but not limited to, SHAFT (sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, and tobacco) that do not follow federal and state law and regulations.
Remember: By adhering to responsible A2P messaging practices, you not only avoid potential fines but also ensure a positive experience for your audience and contribute to a healthier mobile ecosystem.
For clarity: This update targets Application-to-Person (A2P) / commercial messaging used by businesses to reach their customers. Your personal text messages sent to friends and family are not affected.
T-Mobile’s Code of Conduct Section 5: Prohibited Campaign Content
Full version here.
5.1 Unlawful, Unapproved, or Illicit Content
No messaging programs can run on the T-Mobile that may promote unlawful, unapproved, or illicit content, including but not limited to:
• SPAM;
• Fraudulent or misleading messages;
• Depictions or endorsements of violence;
• Inappropriate content;
• Profanity or hate speech;
• Endorsement of illegal drugs
Programs must operate according to all applicable federal and state laws and regulations. In addition, the content must be legal across all 50 states. All content must be appropriate for the intended audience. Additional legal and ethical obligations apply when marketing to children under age 13, and such programs might be subject to additional review by T-Mobile.
Aggregators and Message Senders are expected to enforce restrictions on their networks to prevent onboarding these types of content. If determined to support any of the following restricted content T-Mobile reserves the rights to all, and not limited to, the following actions:
• Suspension of sending rights for provisioned application address or campaign;
• Restriction of onboarding new message campaigns;
• Suspension of provisioning rights for new application address; and/or
• Suspension of all network services on the T-Mobile network
5.2 Disallowed Content
The following content categories are considered deceitful and nuisance campaigns which may result in high volumes of SPAM complaints on the T-Mobile network. Due to these issues, we will no longer support any campaign under the following categories, regardless of any prior approval. Messaging use cases that support the disallowed content outlined below may request an official exception in writing by T-Mobile through an official T-Mobile exception approval process. Any exception that existed before September 1, 2020, should be considered invalid.
High-Risk Financial Services
• Payday Loans
• Non-Direct Lenders
• Debt Collection
Debt Forgiveness
• Debt Consolidation
• Debt Reduction
• Credit Repair Programs
Illegal Substances
• Cannabis
• Illegal Prescriptions
Work & Investment Opportunities
• Work from Home Programs
• Job Alerts from 3rd Party Recruiting Firms
• Risk Investment Opportunities
Other
• Gambling
• Any other illegal content
• Lead generation indicate the sharing of collected information with third parties
• Campaign types are not in compliance with the recommendations of or prohibited by the CTIA Short Code Monitoring Handbook, Version 1.7, or later.
• Campaign types not in compliance with the recommendations of or prohibited by the CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices – 2019 version
5.3 Phishing
Phishing is the practice of sending messages that appear to come from reputable companies but trick consumers into revealing personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.
5.4 Fraud or Scam
Any messages that constitute fraud or scam which involves wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain. These messages generally involve money and/or some sort of business transaction.
5.5 Deceptive Marketing
Marketing messages must be truthful, not misleading, and when appropriate, backed by scientific evidence to meet the standard held by the Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC”) “Truth in Advertising” rules. The FTC Act prohibits unfair or deceptive advertising in any medium, including text.
5.6 Compliance Audits and Notices
Consumers may choose to block unwanted messaging traffic on the T-Mobile network. To protect our consumers and keep non-consumer messaging healthy T-Mobile has launched an internal compliance and policy monitoring program. In conjunction with CTIA efforts T-Mobile's program will monitor messaging campaigns and audit notices may result in violations against Industry best practices and the T-Mobile Code of Conduct. Immediate action must take place shall external-monitoring efforts or T-Mobile-monitoring efforts to identify traffic as a potential for consumer harm. Severity-0 representing the most extreme violations. T-Mobile reserves the right to protect our consumers by turning down a messaging campaign on a case by case bases. For Severity-0s:
• Immediate suspension of messaging campaign
• Notification to DCA of severity incident
• T-Mobile will issue an RCA document and it must be complete in its entirety
• The Messaging provider will have 24-48 hours to complete the correct action and return the RCA
• The identified root cause must be corrected to request reinstatement of the messaging program
If there are several offenses on Content Provider and/or application address, this may result in the indefinite suspension of the messaging sender and campaign(s).
5.7 Age Gating
T-Mobile may, at its discretion and at any time, suspend, terminate, or not Approve any Messaging Program it feels does not promote a legal, age-appropriate, or positive customer experience. All content must adhere to all applicable laws and support a functioning age gate when associated with but not limited to Sex, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and/or any other age-restricted content that must comply with legal regulations. Non-acceptable age gating function includes but is not limited to Yes or No responses. The age-gate mechanism should include the date of birth verification during the consent opt-in of the consumer.