SMS Program Compliance Guide

SMS Program Compliance Guide

Prepare consent records, opt-in disclosures, privacy terms, opt-out handling and the information needed to review your business messaging program.

Before launching business SMS or MMS, make sure people expect your messages and that your business number is approved for the intended use. This guide separates our service requirements from FCC rules and voluntary industry guidance.

1. Describe your messaging program

Provide your business's legal and public-facing identity, contact information, website, sending numbers, message purposes and representative examples. Describe every planned use, including any combination of customer-care, appointment or promotional messages. The information must match what customers see and what you will actually send.

For our service, complete the registration applicable to local business numbers (10DLC), or the verification applicable to toll-free messaging, before launch. Zonitel Support can confirm the process for your numbers. Registration is an operational messaging requirement; it is not an FCC approval of your campaign and does not guarantee delivery.

2. Collect clear consent

Our service requires permission for the messages you intend to send. Explain the business identity, purpose and expected frequency before the person agrees. Keep the date, number, collection method and exact disclosure they accepted. Do not use purchased lists or treat an existing customer relationship as permission for every future campaign.

For marketing, collect express written consent appropriate to the program. On a web form, keep the SMS marketing choice separate, optional and unchecked, and state that consent is not a condition of purchase. Do not rely on a generic contact form or verbal permission alone for a marketing subscription.

Example disclosure to adapt: “I agree to receive [purpose] text messages from [Business] at the number provided. Frequency: [accurate frequency]. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out or HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. [Privacy Policy] [SMS Terms].” For automated marketing, have the disclosure address the actual technology and consent requirements that apply to your program.

3. Publish matching privacy and SMS terms

• Provide accessible privacy-policy and terms links at the point of consent.
• Explain the program name, message types, expected frequency, support contact, possible message/data charges and how to stop messages.
• Our program review requires a clear statement that mobile opt-in information and consent are not shared with third parties for their marketing. Your actual data practices must match that statement.
• Supply the real opt-in form or other collection evidence. A description in an application does not replace the disclosure customers actually see.

4. Handle welcome, help and stop requests

For recurring programs, prepare a welcome message identifying the business, purpose, frequency, help contact and opt-out method. A HELP response should identify your business and give a working support channel. Confirm which responses your account handles automatically and which your team must manage.

Honor STOP and other clear requests to revoke permission through reasonable methods. Apply the request promptly, review affected scheduled sends and keep the record. Any permitted final opt-out confirmation must be limited to confirming the request, without marketing. Do not delete the opt-out record to send again. See Managing Your Opted-Out List.

5. Follow our content restrictions

Our messaging service does not support spam, phishing, fraud, deceptive or illegal content, or campaigns involving sexual content, hate, alcohol, firearms, tobacco or cannabis. Consent does not override these service restrictions. These are acceptable-use restrictions for our service; this list is not presented as a blanket FCC prohibition on those industries.

Messages must match the approved business and use. Do not rotate numbers, disguise links or alter wording to evade a restriction. If a use is unclear, have Zonitel review it before sending.

6. Review, test and monitor

1. Check that business details, forms, policies and sample messages agree.
2. If changes are requested, correct all identified issues before resubmitting.
3. Wait for the required approval and messaging activation.
4. Run a small authorized test, including your help and opt-out handling.
5. Review delivery results and complaints. Keep consent and suppression records current.

FCC rules and industry references

The TCPA and FCC rules impose consent requirements on covered automated calls and texts, with additional requirements for advertising or telemarketing. Their application depends on the message and sending method. The FCC also recognizes reasonable ways to revoke consent. Consult the FCC consent-revocation order and the FCC resource on unwanted calls and texts for the official framework.

CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices is voluntary industry guidance, not an FCC regulation. Our approval process and service policies operate alongside applicable law. This checklist is operational guidance; it does not determine every federal or state obligation for your business.

Need help?

Contact Zonitel Support with the relevant details.