What is A2P 10DLC, Short Codes, and Toll-Free Messaging

What is A2P messaging: A brief history

A2P (Application-to-Person) messaging refers to trusted, carrier-sanctioned routes built for high-volume, one-to-many communication from businesses to individuals. This contrasts with P2P (Person-to-Person) messaging, which is designed for one-to-one conversations between individuals. Community is a platform built to power A2P messaging at scale, and the remainder of this article will focus exclusively on A2P messaging channels and finding the right solution for you.

What are the A2P messaging options? 

There are three options for A2P messaging. Let’s take a look at what those are and understand a bit about them. 

• Short codes have been around since the early 2000s, designed for high-volume broadcast messaging (alerts, One-Time Passcodes, etc.). They're familiar, but expensive to register (~$500 to $1,000/month plus setup fees), require long setup provisioning (4 to 12 weeks), and do not support voice calls. They support US traffic, but need to be registered separately in Canada. Short codes only support MMS in the US. They do not support MMS in Canada.
• Toll‑free messaging evolved from legacy voice toll‑free lines and was later adapted for moderate-scale A2P messaging use. They support voice, SMS, MMS, and offer easier provisioning than short codes. They are primarily used for voice calls and support scenarios, but are not typically chosen when messaging is the primary use case due to low messaging throughput.
• A2P 10DLC (10-Digit Long Code) is the most recent advancement in business messaging, introduced in 2021 to legitimize high-volume SMS over 10-Digit phone numbers through registration with an independent 3rd party named The Campaign Registry (TCR). It provides a compliant and trusted messaging path, and when properly registered, enables scalable throughput and deliverability (comparable to that of a short code) based on a Trust Score your business receives from TCR. Community was among the earliest adopters, integrating TCR registration from the start to deliver reliable, high-volume messaging at a significantly lower registration cost than short code alternatives. We have found that for most businesses A2P 10DLC provides the best cost-to-performance ratio. As experts in TCR registration, we will help you achieve your maximum Trust Score, and throughput limits to meet the needs of your use case.
  
  

How do the costs of A2P messaging compare?

A2P messaging requires various fees to get started. These fees are separate from Community’s platform and messaging fees, and will apply regardless of which messaging provider you use.

• A2P 10DLC: Low monthly registration fee per line (~$10 per month goes to TCR), lightweight minor Brand and Campaign registration via TCR. One-time setup fee is less than $100. Affordable add-ons available for higher throughput (known as SBR, Special Business Review).
  
  
• Short code: High monthly lease ($500 - $1,000/month goes to Short Code Registry), more significant setup cost, similar to slightly higher per message fees.
  
  
• Toll‑free: Moderate monthly costs and message fees, severely limited throughput.

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How does the functionality differ in US & CA

The below table outlines the functionality of each channel across the US and Canada. Yes, the user must be aware that certain capabilities are only available in the US depending on the channel used. 

A2P 10DLC supports all messaging and voice features across the US and Canada, offering high throughput when properly registered through The Campaign Registry (TCR). It's ideal for businesses seeking a scalable, cost-efficient solution.

Short codes offer the highest throughput and are well-suited for large-scale broadcast messaging, but they do not support voice and require separate provisioning in Canada.

Toll-free numbers support SMS, MMS, and voice across both countries, but are limited by significantly lower throughput. 

What A2P messaging does Community support?

• Community supports 10DLC A2P
• Community supports short code
• Community does not support toll-free due to its limited throughput
  
  

How Community can port numbers & migrate traffic

• We can port in an existing long code or short code that you may have with your current provider
• We can migrate your audience given you have gathered proper consent
• If you are moving to a new number or short code it is a best practice to re-confirm consent

TCR vetting vs. individual-carrier registration

• TCR vetting for 10DLC provides a unified reputation profile, generating one Trust Score used by all major US carriers. Community handles TCR registration end-to-end, streamlining throughput setup and avoiding multiple registration paths.
• Short codes require separate registration with each carrier, which makes the process slower (typically taking 4 to 12 weeks) and involves manual review by each carrier. Community is experienced in this process and can support you through your submission, but be aware that it is more demanding than the TCR registration. For example, you’ll need to host your own SMS terms and conditions on your website, which must be submitted for approval as part of the carrier review.

What is Messages Per Second (MPS) and how does that vary across channels? 

The MPS (Messages per Second) vary depending on channel. The MPS examined below are SMS benchmarks for comparison.  

10DLC via TCR

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With a 225 MPS you can reach an audience of 13,500 in just one minute.

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Short codes

Guaranteed 100+ MPS due to more intensive and expensive registration process.   

Toll‑free

3 - 5 MPS due to the less intensive registration process.

T‑Mobile daily segment limits (for 10DLC)

Only T‑Mobile imposes daily limits on the number of message segments sent by Trust Score. 

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Summary table

In short, there are several options to deliver SMS messages from one to many. One must take into account fees, throughput, and other various capabilities when deciding on what option to use. Below is a brief summary to help determine what’s best for your use case. 

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