Your SMS Messages Are Getting Blocked Right Now

All major US carriers require complete 10DLC registration through The Campaign Registry. T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon began full enforcement on February 1, 2025.

Without proper registration, your messages don't get delivered. They get blocked completely.

Appointment reminders never arrive. Welcome messages disappear. Member care communications fail.

This is the reality for every Medicare agency sending SMS without 10DLC registration.

Here's what 10DLC registration involves and how to get it done.

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What 10DLC Registration Actually Means

10DLC stands for "10-Digit Long Code"—the standard phone number format for business SMS.

Registration has two parts:

Brand registration. Verifying your company identity and contact information.

Campaign registration. Describing how you obtain consent and what types of messages you send.

Both are mandatory. No exceptions.

Timeline: 2 to 4 weeks from submission to approval.

Cost: $71.90 one-time brand fee plus $1.50 to $30 per month per campaign.

This investment protects your ability to communicate with members. It proves to carriers you're running a legitimate messaging program.

For careCycle clients: We manage this registration end-to-end. We absorb costs without passthrough. We have vendor SLAs for 24-hour responses on pending registrations. Your SMS compliance is handled.

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The Five Rules for Compliant SMS Opt-In

Carriers require proof that customers consented to receive your messages. You provide this through voice recording and scripting (for verbal opt-in) or landing page URL with compliant opt-in language.

Every opt-in must meet five requirements:

1. Optional

Not a required condition to submit a form, continue a voice conversation, or complete a purchase.

2. Revocable

Customers can opt out at any time with clear instructions on how to do so.

3. Clear

It must be obvious to customers they're providing consent to receive SMS communications.

4. Complete and Self-Contained

SMS opt-in language cannot be coupled with TCPA opt-in language for voice communications.

While both can appear on the same landing page, SMS opt-in language must receive its own checkbox and paragraph.

Carriers have been increasingly vigilant about this requirement throughout 2024 and 2025. This is the number one reason registrations get rejected.

5. Specify Purpose

Tell customers what types of messages they'll receive. Carriers categorize campaigns as transactional, account notifications, or marketing.

Most Medicare agency use cases fall under "account notifications" or "customer care."

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Compliant Opt-In Language: Copy and Paste Templates

Use these exact templates. They meet all carrier requirements.

For Verbal Opt-In (Post-Enrollment Use Cases)

Agents capture verbal opt-in during enrollment calls. Document the consent on a discrete landing page at your domain.

Example: https://yourwebsite.com/sms-consent

Agent Script:

"You'll receive a text from one of our virtual assistants to welcome you to your plan, provide next steps, and provide a space to ask any questions you may have before your package comes from the carrier. Any questions you ask will go directly to me (your agent) to address with our team so we can help you faster. You can reply STOP to opt out or Help for Help. Terms and Privacy are located at https://yourwebsite.com/. Do You Agree?"

Customer: "Yes"

Agent: "Great, you will receive informational text messages from our agents to the phone number provided."

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For Landing Page Opt-In (Lead Generation Use Cases)

Each checkbox must be separate, unchecked by default. Customers must actively select each one.

SMS Opt-In Checkbox:

"By ticking this check box for SMS opt-in, I give my express consent to receive recurring automated texts from [Company Name] regarding insurance quotes, insurance information, customer care, and updates at the phone number I provided above. Message and data rates may apply. I understand I can opt-out by replying 'STOP' to any message, or get more info by replying 'HELP.' Consent is not required for purchasing products or services. My number will not be shared with third parties or affiliates. Text message frequency varies and may include up to 2 messages per week. Message and data rates may apply based on carrier."

Terms of Service Checkbox:

"I agree with the Terms of Services and Privacy Policy."

Marketing Communications Checkbox:

"I consent to receiving telemarketing calls, including with automated dialing systems and pre-recorded voice, emails, and/or postal mail from [Company Name] at the email address, postal address, or phone number that I provided above."

Copy these exactly. Change only your company name and website URL.

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What Happens Without Registration

Your messages get blocked. Period.

Carriers don't deliver unregistered 10DLC messages. They filter them out before they reach recipients.

Here's the cascade effect:

Appointment reminders never arrive. No-show rates spike 40 to 60 percent.

Welcome messages don't deliver. Members feel abandoned in the critical post-enrollment window.

Member care communications fail. Satisfaction drops. Complaints increase.

Members think you're ignoring them. Trust erodes immediately.

Effectuation rates drop. Carrier relationships suffer.

You lose advances on policies that don't go effective. Revenue takes a direct hit.

The math is simple: A 10 percent drop in effectuation rate on 1,000 policies per month costs $100,000 or more in lost advances and chargebacks.

Full enforcement began February 1, 2025. If you're sending SMS without 10DLC registration, this is happening to you right now.

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How careCycle Enforces SMS Compliance Automatically

Beyond registration, our platform enforces compliance in every message:

HIPAA Compliance

No SMS can contain sensitive personal health information (PHI). The system blocks prohibited content before sending. Your team cannot send non-compliant messages even by accident.

Sender Identification

We prepend your business name or consumer-facing DBA to each message automatically.

Opt-Out Instructions

Each message includes "Reply STOP to opt-out" suffix automatically.

Deliverability Monitoring

For large-scale campaigns, our system monitors SMS deliverability statistics proactively. When deliverability drops, our team communicates with carriers to restore rates before you notice a problem.

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What careCycle Manages for You

When you work with careCycle, we handle every aspect of 10DLC compliance:

• Complete brand registration with The Campaign Registry
• All campaign registrations for your use cases
• Cost absorption with no passthrough of carrier fees
• 24-hour response SLA on pending registrations
• Automatic message formatting for HIPAA, sender ID, and opt-out compliance
• Proactive deliverability monitoring with carrier communication

Your SMS campaigns work. Your messages reach members. Your compliance is handled.

This guide serves as reference documentation for your compliance team.

Questions about your specific setup? Contact your account manager.

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For Agencies Handling Registration Independently

If you're managing 10DLC registration yourself, here's what it takes:

Budget 5 to 10 hours for initial documentation and submission.

Pay carrier fees directly: $71.90 one-time plus $1.50 to $30 per month per campaign.

Configure technical message formatting for HIPAA and opt-out compliance.

Monitor deliverability statistics ongoing.

Update processes as carrier requirements evolve. They change frequently.

Use the opt-in language templates above. They meet all carrier requirements as of October 2025.

Or work with careCycle. We handle registration end-to-end with zero cost passthrough and 24-hour response SLAs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When should registration start?

2 to 4 weeks before you need to send your first message. Registration cannot be expedited. Messages cannot be sent while registration is pending.

What's the most common rejection reason?

Coupled SMS and TCPA opt-in language. SMS consent must be separate with its own checkbox.

Do different message types need separate registrations?

Usually no. Most Medicare agency use cases (welcome calls, appointment reminders, member care) fall under a single campaign category.

Can messages be sent while registration is pending?

No. Carriers block all messages from unregistered numbers. Registration must complete first.

What if members stop receiving messages?

This indicates a deliverability issue. For careCycle clients, our monitoring detects this automatically. Our team communicates with carriers to restore delivery. You won't troubleshoot this yourself.

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The Bottom Line

Without proper 10DLC registration, your SMS campaigns stop working.

The registration process takes 2 to 4 weeks. It requires specific documentation showing compliant opt-in processes.

For careCycle clients: Your registration is handled. Use this guide as reference for your compliance team.

For agencies evaluating options: We manage registration end-to-end. Zero cost passthrough. 24-hour response SLAs.

Schedule a Consultation

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Last Updated: October 20, 2025

This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult with specialized compliance counsel for guidance specific to your situation.

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