Note: SMS will be available for all clients around the middle to end of August 2024.
Prior to sending any text messages from the Ascent360 CDP, there are a few important setup steps to follow. These include: purchasing a phone number to send from, preparing your website and other operations for SMS Compliance, and submitting information to Ascent360 for verification & campaign approval.
Setup & Verification Overview
Our texting partner and downstream carriers require that the traffic from message senders adhere to certain standards of messaging content & compliance. Ascent360 will work with you to setup & verify your Phone Number.
Verification and Approval is a critical step in the setup process. While you may be able to send messages before your number is verified, you will experience poor deliverability and higher throttling & blocking rates from Carriers.
Verification can take up to 3 weeks, so please plan the launch of your texting program in Ascent360 accordingly.
Purchase a Phone Number
If you aren't already using any numbers for texting, Ascent360 can purchase and assign a phone number on your behalf. Ascent360 offers two types of numbers - toll-free (8xx numbers) and 10DLC (numbers with local area codes, also sometimes referred to as "Long Code").
If a significant amount (>40%) of your recipients are Canadian, Ascent360 recommends using toll-free.
For more on the number types offered by Ascent360, see Texting From Number Types in Ascent360
If you need a phone number, let our Help Desk or your CSM know and we'll begin the purchasing process for you. Fees related to toll-free and 10DLC acquisition and maintenance are included in your Ascent360 SMS pricing.
If you already have a phone number and wish to port it for use in Ascent360, please do not disconnect the phone number and contact Ascent360. Please allow 2 weeks for activation and porting completion.
Prepare for SMS Compliance
In order to remain compliant with SMS texting authorities, please ensure that you are acquiring explicit consent from individuals. The best way to do this is to create an SMS Landing Page within the Ascent360 Platform. These Landing Pages populate the necessary SMS Disclosure Language in the form. View this article to learn more about setting up these Landing pages within Ascent360.
Please also:
- Review and update your Terms of Service and Privacy Policy as necessary.
- Review the SMS - Ascent360's Guide to Texting Compliance
Submit Information to Ascent360 for Verification & Approval
SMS has stricter governance than the Email channel; as such, carriers want to ensure that the traffic they are carrying is from known senders and the content and nature of the messaging is sanctioned.
Please submit our Texting Phone Number Request Form in order to provide Ascent360 the information needed to set you up.
