Why A2P SMS API approval can be difficult (+ how to get approved!)

A2P SMS API approval (or SMS approval in general) can feel like a rigamarole as you sometimes deal with rejection, reapplication, and rejection again. But it doesn’t have to be that way!

(Side note: “rigamarole” is a fun word to say!)

Here’s why SMS approval is important, and what you can do to help avoid rejection - based on:

• a qualitative AI analysis of 376 SMS registration submissions (regardless of outcome) over the past year,
• a thematic AI analysis of 234 registration-related support conversations over the past 30 days, and
• a human analysis of 10 recent registration issues manually done by yours truly (c’est moi!).

These risk signals help us see the kinds of registration clarity issues people struggle with, so that you can know how to overcome them.

(Of course, we should take all AI conclusions with a grain of salt, but its analysis here is consistent with our experience at Mobile Text Alerts and can help bring clarity as we think through the SMS registration process.)

And note that many of these reviewed submissions were likely not legitimate business senders. Which helps give you insight into why the registration process is necessary in the first place!

TL;DR: Key takeaways for A2P SMS API approval

• An AI analysis of 376 SMS registration submissions (whether approved or rejected) and 234 registration-related support tickets revealed that when submitting their SMS registration forms, registrants sometimes struggle with showing clarity, credibility, and compliance
• Some red flags in registrations are sample messages that don’t match the use case, mismatched business domain to email domain, and incomplete or unverifiable business info.
• The registration process can sometimes feel mysterious and difficult because the carriers are trying to protect the SMS atmosphere from abuse by bad actors.
• To increase your chances of successful registration: fill out your form completely and accurately, include clear sample messages, make sure sample messages actually match your declared use case, and use your business email address in the form
• Clean submissions are typically approved in 2–5 business days

Why was my A2P SMS API registration rejected?

If your SMS registration was rejected, it’s because the carriers flagged something that seemed suspicious to them.

For example, in an AI analysis of 376 SMS registration submissions (whether actually rejected or not), several potential issues in these submissions were detected that could be likely to lead to carrier rejection. Some of these include:

• The sample messages are generic or not business-related
• The use case or sample messages seem like cold outreach
• The use case doesn’t match the actual content
• The carriers may not be able to determine enough brand credibility
• The use case is not allowed or highly regulated
• The use case is mixed or unclear

AI also analyzed 234 support conversations over the past 30 days, and it was found that registration-related inquiries typically fell under the following categories (some of these overlap with the above list):

• There is invalid, unverifiable, or incomplete brand information
• The carriers are not able to determine enough brand credibility
• The use case is mixed or unclear
• There is a mismatch between the provided business information and the contact email address
• The use case is not allowed or highly regulated

I personally dug through and evaluated 10 failed registrations and found the following issues:

• There is suspicious-looking content in the sample messages
• There is a mismatch between the provided business information and the contact email address
• There is invalid, unverifiable, or incomplete brand information

Takeaway:

These analyses show us that people sometimes struggle with providing the 3 C’s that mobile carriers are looking for: clarity, credibility, and compliance!

If you make sure your registration submissions check all those boxes, it should be smooth sailing.

Why is A2P SMS API registration sometimes difficult?

The overall SMS registration process can feel difficult and strict because carriers are trying to keep the SMS atmosphere “clean.” They’re especially trying to protect it from bad actors.

It can also seem mysterious (not to mention frustrating) because there’s not always a lot of clarity on why the rejection happened.

We get it, y’all!

But the mobile carriers (and we as an SMS provider) need to be careful about how many details they/we share. Sharing too much information could help allow potential bad actors to game the system.

Andrae Solomon, a Mobile Text Alerts representative who interacts with prospective SMS senders regularly, gives us an important reminder that “the registration process is designed to protect both businesses and consumers.”

Takeaway:

A2P SMS registration can feel difficult and mysterious, but it helps protect the industry from abuse.

What can you do about A2P SMS API registration rejection?

In order to avoid rejection for your registration, just make sure to fill out all the company form information clearly and accurately.

Andrae Solomon from Mobile Text Alerts says to make sure you have a “strong KYC upfront.”

Here are some specifics on what you can do:

1. Fill out the form completely, with clear and correct information. Vague, missing, and inaccurate answers could be a red flag. (For example, if you’re a registered business, check that you’re including the correct EIN.)
2. Include clear sample messages. Carriers may frown upon sample messages that lack appropriate context.
3. Make sure your sample messages actually match your declared use case. If you claim your use case is for account notifications but your sample messages look promotional, this will look suspicious.
4. Use your business email address in the form. A personal email address such as @gmail or a business email not matching the business you’re submitting on behalf of won’t be considered credible.

Again, we can’t be too specific, because we don’t want to give the bad actors fuel to help them work around the system.

But by and large, the mobile carriers are looking for:

• Clear answers to their inquiries
• Credible evidence showing the legitimacy of your business
• Compliant processes that follow SMS guidelines

And the registration form as a whole is not terribly burdensome. Most of it is basic information about your business, with just a few brief questions about how you will be using SMS.

Once you fill that out with accurate and clear information, you should be fully approved in just 2–5 business days.

So don’t get overwhelmed!

Carry on, faithful SMS-er, and your patience will pay off.

(Did that sentence sound like a cheesy AI joke? It wasn’t AI, I promise. 100% human dad humor.)

If you want help with your A2P SMS API registration, our team’s happy to help. Get a free API trial here and if you have any questions or concerns about the registration step, just shoot us over a quick chat!

Methodology

• This was a broad analysis of registrations and support interactions users have had with us.
• AI analyzed 376 registration submissions (regardless of outcome) from the last year in a broad qualitative review of submission fields, which looked for likely rejection-risk patterns. I spot-checked some of these to confirm.
• AI analyzed 234 registration-related support conversations in a thematic synthesis, which looked for rejection themes mentioned in those conversations. I spot-checked some of these to confirm.
• I personally checked several recent registration submissions and found 10 that had clear rejection information.

Author Bio

Sam Pelton is the content director for Mobile Text Alerts, an SMS service that gives businesses an easier way to reach customers and audiences. He has 12 years of experience working with the texting platform in the areas of customer support, quality assurance testing, content creation, copywriting, and marketing strategy.