Toll-Free Verification

Toll-free numbers (833, 844, 855, 866, 877, 888) require verification before they can be used for A2P (Application-to-Person) SMS messaging. This guide explains the verification process and requirements.

What is Toll-Free Verification?

Toll-free verification is a process that:

Confirms your business identity
Validates your messaging use case
Approves your content for SMS delivery
Enables higher message throughput

Why Use Toll-Free Numbers?

Feature	Toll-Free	10DLC
Throughput	Higher (up to 10 MPS)	Lower (varies by trust score)
Recognition	Customers recognize toll-free	Local numbers may seem unfamiliar
Cost	Higher per message	Lower per message
Two-Way	Yes	Yes
MMS Support	Limited	Yes
Registration Time	1-2 weeks	3-7 days

Verification Process

Step 1: Obtain a Toll-Free Number

If you don’t already have a toll-free number, request one through:

TextFlow admin (contact support)
Your account manager
The phone numbers section (if enabled)

Step 2: Submit Verification Request

Provide the following information:

Business Information

Field	Description
Business Name	Legal company name
Business Address	Physical business address
Business Website	Company website URL
Contact Name	Primary contact person
Contact Email	Contact email address
Contact Phone	Contact phone number

Use Case Information

Field	Description
Use Case Type	Marketing, notifications, 2FA, etc.
Message Volume	Expected monthly message volume
Opt-In Description	How customers subscribe
Sample Messages	2-5 example messages

Step 3: Review and Approval

The verification process:

Submission - Your request is submitted to carriers
Review - Carriers review your business and use case
Approval/Denial - Decision typically within 1-2 weeks
Provisioning - Number is enabled for SMS

Step 4: Start Sending

Once verified:

Your toll-free number is enabled for SMS
Higher throughput limits apply
Messages are delivered with better reliability

Verification Statuses

Status	Description
Pending	Verification submitted, awaiting review
Verified	Approved and ready for use
Rejected	Verification denied (see reason)
Suspended	Previously verified but suspended

Required Information

Business Details

Legal business name (as registered)
DBA (if different from legal name)
Business type (LLC, Corporation, Sole Prop, etc.)
Tax ID / EIN
Business address (no PO boxes)
Business phone number
Business website

Messaging Use Case

Primary use case category
Detailed description of messages
Expected monthly volume
Opt-in collection method
Sample messages (minimum 2)

How do customers opt in?
Where is consent collected? (website, in-store, etc.)
Do you use double opt-in?
How are opt-outs processed?

Use Case Categories

Marketing

Promotional messages, sales, offers

Example: "Flash Sale! 30% off all items today only.
Shop now: example.com/sale Reply STOP to opt out"

Notifications

Alerts, reminders, updates

Example: "Your appointment is tomorrow at 2pm.
Reply C to confirm or R to reschedule. STOP to opt out"

Two-Factor Authentication

Security codes, login verification

Example: "Your verification code is 123456.
This code expires in 10 minutes."

Customer Service

Support responses, case updates

Example: "Your support ticket #1234 has been updated.
View details: example.com/support Reply STOP to opt out"

Delivery Notifications

Shipping and delivery updates

Example: "Your order has shipped! Track here:
example.com/track/ABC123 STOP to opt out"

Sample Message Requirements

Do Include

Your business name
Clear purpose of the message
Call to action (if applicable)
Opt-out instructions (for marketing)
Website URL (if applicable)

Don’t Include

Prohibited content (SHAFT-C)
URL shorteners
Excessive punctuation
ALL CAPS
Deceptive content

Example Good Samples

Marketing:

[Business]: New arrivals just dropped! Get 15% off your
first order with code WELCOME15. Shop now: example.com
Reply STOP to unsubscribe

Appointment Reminder:

[Business] Reminder: Your appointment is scheduled for
tomorrow at 3:00 PM. Reply Y to confirm or call us to
reschedule. STOP to opt out

Order Confirmation:

[Business]: Thank you for your order #12345! Your order
is being prepared and will ship within 2 business days.
Questions? Reply HELP or call 555-123-4567

Common Rejection Reasons

Business Information Issues

Business name doesn’t match registration
Website is under construction or unavailable
Physical address cannot be verified
Contact information is invalid

Use Case Issues

Sample messages don’t match stated use case
Prohibited content detected
Missing opt-out instructions
Vague or insufficient description

Opt-in method not clearly described
Using purchased or rented lists
No evidence of consent collection

Throughput Limits

Before Verification

Messages may be filtered or blocked
No guaranteed delivery
Very low throughput (if any)

After Verification

Trust Level	Throughput
Basic	1-3 MPS
Standard	3-5 MPS
High	5-10 MPS

MPS = Messages Per Second

Toll-Free vs. 10DLC Comparison

Consideration	Toll-Free	10DLC
Best For	High-volume, national campaigns	Local presence, varied use cases
Setup Time	1-2 weeks	3-7 days
Throughput	Higher	Varies by trust score
Per-Message Cost	Higher	Lower
MMS	Limited	Full support
Canada	Works in CA	US only
Complexity	Single verification	Brand + Campaign registration

Toll-Free for Canada

Toll-free numbers can send SMS to Canadian recipients:

Same verification applies
CASL compliance required
CWTA guidelines apply
French support (ARRET) required

Maintaining Verification

To keep your toll-free number in good standing:

Do

Only send messages matching your verified use case
Process opt-outs immediately
Include opt-out instructions
Monitor complaint rates
Keep volume within expected range

Don’t

Change use case without re-verification
Send prohibited content
Share the number across unrelated campaigns
Ignore carrier feedback
Exceed expected volumes suddenly

Troubleshooting

”Verification rejected”

Review rejection reason
Update business information
Clarify use case description
Improve sample messages
Resubmit with corrections

”Messages not delivering”

Confirm verification status
Check for content issues
Verify recipient opt-in status
Review carrier feedback

”Verification taking too long”

Standard processing: 1-2 weeks
Complex cases may take longer
Contact support for status updates

Requesting Verification

To request toll-free verification in TextFlow:

Contact TextFlow support with your toll-free number
Provide all required business information
Submit sample messages and use case details
Support will submit verification on your behalf
You’ll be notified when verification completes

Additional Resources

10DLC Registration - Alternative for US messaging
Canada CASL Requirements - Canadian compliance
Prohibited Content - Content restrictions

Need help with toll-free verification? Contact TextFlow support.