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What is Toll-Free Verification?

Learn all about the carriers toll-free verification guidelines for US and Canada.

Updated over 10 months ago

Hey there! We just wanted to let you know that carriers are now taking extra steps to promote customer trust and protect consumers. This means they require verification of all numbers sending messages from merchants to consumers.

Before October 1st, 2022, they only required verification for designated short codes, but now they also require toll-free numbers (TFNs) to be verified before sending messages. But don't worry, going through the verification process has some great perks!

Verified numbers have better throughput and deliverability of messages because they have gone through a formal review. At Call Loop, we handle the heavy lifting to submit your verification request, so your brand can focus on getting your SMS program set up compliantly.


Benefits of Toll-Free Verification

1. Protects Consumers, Promotes Trust, and Keeps SMS a Trusted Channel

are taking important steps to protect consumers and promote trust in SMS as a reliable marketing channel. By enforcing stricter verification processes and filtering out potential spam, carriers are making sure that only authorized traffic enters your inbox - messages from your favorite brands, friends, and family!

2. Reduced Chance of Being Filtered With iOS16

consumers now have an easier way to report spam and junk. To reduce the chances of being flagged as spam and filtered out by carriers, it's a good idea to verify your number before sending messages.

3. Call Loop Takes Care of the Heavy Lifting

We understand that setting up an SMS program can be a lot of work. That's why at Call Loop, we take care of the heavy lifting for you, including the verification process. Our goal is to make sure that you can focus on running your business and setting up your SMS program in a compliant way.

4. Help When You Need It

In the unlikely event that your verification is denied, our team is here to help. We'll work closely with you and our carrier partners to help you through the escalation process quickly and easily.


Verification Status

Call Loop's Support team will communicate with you the status of your number verification(s) as they change during processing. Please see below for a full overview of each status.

Restricted

Pending

Rejected

Verified

Restricted

Restricted (previously “Unverified”) status means that your Toll-Free number has not been submitted for verification or was not approved.

Restricted traffic that exceeds the daily limit or is filtered for spam will see a 30032 error code returned for both scenarios. To avoid this, we recommend submitting your number(s) for verification as soon as possible.

Pending Verification

Once we receive your verification submission, Call Loop automatically moves your phone number(s) in a Pending Verification status, which is awaiting carrier review.

If you start to see 30032 errors, but have not reached the posted limitations, you can assume that the messages are being filtered.

Verified

Upon a successful review of your verification submission and carrier approval, your number(s) will be moved to "Verified" status. Verified numbers have full access to A2P sending, and a greatly reduced risk for message filtering on Toll-Free traffic toward all major networks in the US and some in Canada, as long as you adhere to your stated use case and all applicable rules, such as Call Loop's Messaging Policy.

Rejected

A rejected verification request can occur for a number of reasons and can affect your ability to send messaging traffic. For full details, see Why was my Toll-Free Verification Rejected.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What happens if I don't complete Verification?

We understand that you may have some questions regarding the verification process for your Toll-Free numbers. If you choose not to complete the verification process, there are a few things you should know.

Firstly, as of October 1st, 2022, restricted (previously known as "unverified") traffic was fully blocked in Canada, while increased filtering and lower daily limits were applied in the US. Starting from April 1st, 2023, new limits will be applied to Toll-Free numbers in both Restricted and Pending states (details of which can be found below). Additionally, traffic to Canada will continue to be fully blocked until the numbers are verified.

Please note that all restricted traffic that's filtered for the above reasons will be blocked with error code 30032. We would like to remind you that using additional Toll-Free numbers to exceed these limits or circumvent filtering is not allowed and will result in the same block and error code. Verification is highly recommended for all customers, regardless of their volume.

If you have any further queries or concerns regarding verification or the aforementioned changes, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're always happy to help!

Attention: Effective October 1st, 2022, the carriers have enforced a daily limit of 2,000 message segments per day for traffic sent over restricted (previously known as “Unverified”) Toll-Free phone numbers in the US. Starting April 1st, 2023, these limits will decrease to 500 daily / 1,000 weekly / 2,000 monthly.

Submitting your completed verification form to the carrier will place your Toll-Free number(s) in a Pending Verification status. This means you'll be allowed higher volume limits (2,000 daily / 6,000 weekly / 10,000 monthly) and experience less filtering while waiting for final carrier approval. Both restricted and pending traffic exceeding the daily limit or being filtered for spam will receive an Error 30032 response.

Therefore, we highly recommend completing your number(s) verification as soon as possible to avoid running into these issues. Please keep in mind that while these Toll-Free caps are maximum limits, they are not a guaranteed daily minimum. Traffic could still be filtered even when well below the daily limits if the numbers are not verified.

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