TCR 101: Complete Guide to The Campaign Registry

Master the fundamentals of TCR registration, 10DLC compliance, and carrier approval processes.

Understand TCR Framework

Learn Registration Process

Optimize Trust Score

Launch Compliant Campaigns

What is TCR?
Understanding 10DLC
Registration Process
Trust Scores
Campaign Use Cases
Carrier Requirements
Common Mistakes
Next Steps

What is The Campaign Registry (TCR)?

The Campaign Registry (TCR) is the industry-authorized entity that manages 10DLC (10-Digit Long Code) brand verification and campaign approval for Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging in the United States. Established under CTIA guidelines and operated through carrier agreements, TCR validates sender identity and assigns trust scores that determine message throughput and approval likelihood.

Why TCR Exists

TCR was created to reduce spam and fraud in business messaging while enabling legitimate organizations to reach customers effectively. By requiring brand verification and campaign approval, TCR helps carriers distinguish between legitimate business communications and unwanted spam.

Key Terms

Term	Definition	Business Impact
10DLC	10-Digit Long Code messaging framework for business communications	Enables higher throughput than shared short codes
Brand Registration	Process of verifying business identity with TCR	Required before campaign creation; affects trust score
Campaign	Specific messaging use case registered with TCR	Determines message content rules and throughput limits
Trust Score	TCR-assigned rating (0-100) based on brand verification	Higher scores enable faster approval and increased throughput

Understanding the 10DLC Framework

10DLC messaging requires all commercial senders to register their brand and campaigns with TCR before sending messages. This framework applies to all Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging in the United States, including marketing, notifications, alerts, and customer service communications.

CTIA-Mandated

The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association established 10DLC requirements as the industry standard.

Carrier-Enforced

T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon enforce 10DLC through strict message filtering and throughput controls.

Industry-Wide

All messaging service providers (Twilio, Sinch, Vonage, etc.) must comply with these 10DLC requirements.

Business Impact of Non-Compliance

Messages sent without proper 10DLC registration face significant delivery issues:

Complete message blocking or heavy filtering
Severe throughput throttling (1 message/minute or less)
Sender reputation damage affecting future approvals
Potential service suspension and $10,000 carrier fines

TCR Registration Process

TCR registration involves two distinct phases: Brand Registration (verifying business identity) and Campaign Registration (defining specific messaging use cases). Both are required before sending commercial messages.

Phase 1: Brand Registration

1

Business Verification: Provide legal business name, EIN/Tax ID, business type, and registration details.
2

Contact Information: Submit business address, phone number, and authorized representative contact.
3

External Verification: TCR validates information against DUNS database and public business records.
4

Trust Score Assignment: TCR assigns a score (0-100) based on verification results.

Phase 2: Campaign Registration

1

Use Case Selection: Choose appropriate category (marketing, mixed, customer care, etc.).
2

Sample Messages: Provide representative examples of actual message content containing opt-outs.
3

Opt-In Process: Describe in detail how customers provide consent to receive your messages.
4

Carrier Review: T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon review and approve the campaign details manually.

Timeline Expectations

Brand Registration: 1-3 business days (automated); 5-10 days if manual review is triggered.

Campaign Registration: 1-10 business days depending on trust score and use case complexity.

Understanding Trust Scores

Trust scores are TCR's primary mechanism for determining brand credibility and campaign approval likelihood. Scores range from 0-100, with higher scores enabling faster approvals and significantly increased daily message throughput.

Score Range	Approval Likelihood	Throughput Limit	Review Process
75-100	High (>95%)	Up to 4,500 msg/min	Automated approval
50-74	Medium (70-90%)	Up to 600 msg/min	Automated + spot checks
25-49	Low (40-60%)	Up to 60 msg/min	Manual review required
0-24	Very Low (<30%)	Blocked pending review	Manual + carrier escalation

Trust Score Improvement Strategies

Obtain DUNS Number: Adds 10-15 points through enhanced business verification.
Age Business Domain: Older domains (6+ months) demonstrate business stability.
Build Online Reviews: 4+ star average across review platforms verifies authenticity.
Start Conservative: Begin with low-risk use cases (2FA, notifications) before marketing.

Campaign Use Cases

TCR defines specific use case categories that determine campaign approval requirements, throughput limits, and content restrictions. Selecting the appropriate use case is critical for approval success.

📢

Marketing

Promotional content, sales offers, product announcements (highest scrutiny)

🔔

Customer Care

Support communications, account notifications, service updates

🔐

2FA

Authentication codes, login verification (fastest approval)

📋

Mixed

Combination of multiple message types (requires detailed justification)

🚨

Emergency

Critical safety notifications (requires special approval process)

Need Help Selecting?

Use our interactive tool to find the optimal TCR use case.

Selector Tool

Carrier-Specific Requirements

While TCR provides the foundation for 10DLC registration, each major carrier (T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon) has additional requirements and enforcement policies that affect message delivery and approval success.

T-Mobile Requirements

Mandatory DUNS-verified brand registration for max throughput.
Strict SHAFT content enforcement with $10,000 penalties.
Real-time filtering with immediate throttling for violations.

AT&T Requirements

ML-based spam detection with behavioral pattern analysis.
Enhanced scrutiny for financial services and crypto content.
100% active blocking of unregistered legacy long codes.

Verizon Requirements

EIN/Tax ID verification required for all commercial registrations.
Heightened scrutiny for debt collection and legal services.
Volume spike monitoring (>300%) with automatic suspensions.

Common Registration Mistakes

Critical Mistakes to Avoid

These errors cause 80% of TCR rejections and can delay approval by weeks, costing $15 per resubmission attempt:

Inconsistent Business Information: Name, address, or EIN mismatches between TCR and public records (IRS/DUNS).
Vague Sample Messages: Providing generic or placeholder content (e.g., "Hi customer") instead of actual, structured message examples with STOP language.
Inadequate Opt-In Description: Unclear or incomplete descriptions of exactly how and where consent is captured.
Missing Privacy Clause: Failing to explicitly state in your privacy policy that SMS consent is NOT shared with 3rd parties.

Your Next Steps

Now that you understand TCR fundamentals, follow this sequence to begin your registration process and ensure compliance success without wasting time or resubmission fees.

Complete Onboarding: Follow our step-by-step onboarding process to set up your account and compliance infrastructure.

Prepare Documentation: Gather official business verification documents (CP-575), privacy policy links, and sample messages.

Use Pre-Flight Tools: Leverage our trust score simulator and message validator to guarantee first-pass approval.

Register and Monitor: Submit your flawless registration data to your CSP and track approval status.