Filling a Carrier Approval Form can be overwhelming, and we understand it. Based on a dedicated short code application form for the US, we prepared a guide explaining how to fill out each field. You will also find examples to help you complete your form correctly and a form to download, attached at the bottom of this article.

Apply for a dedicated short code in the US

Let's imagine you run an e-commerce store and want to notify customers about new products, discounts, and other store updates that can increase their interest in your offer. SMS feels like a good choice because it's one of the most engaging customer communication channels available. Customers can sign up for SMS messages using a web form on your website or by texting a keyword (JOIN) to a short code you are applying for.  

The full process to secure a short code goes as follows:

• Order form
• Code acquisition (by then, you would know the short code)
• Campaign registration

You can start a submission before the order form and code acquisition and put it in a draft when submitting. The review and feedback takes place while you are working on the order form and update the short code when it's acquired.

Vanity short code information

Page 1

The form starts with a section related to vanity short codes. This applies only in case you actually acquired a vanity short code.

If you purchased a vanity short code, we'll do our best to secure and provision your first choice. In case it’s not available, state your preferences from highest to lowest.

Generic information

Enter basic information about your SMS campaign.

Short code: The short code secured via the order form process. If you have the short code already, type it here. If you don't, write "NA."

Program name: The name of the SMS service submitted. This identifier helps to understand the purpose of the program for the subscribers and carriers.

Program request type: Tick one of the checkboxes:

• New program
• Modified program
• Short code migration

When you are changing an existing program, select Modified program. Short code migration means you are moving an existing short code from another provider to Acoustic. In other cases, select New program.

Page 2

Short description: Describe the purpose of the program and short code in a few words.

Short code information

Give more details about the program and short code you are going to use.

Page 2

Web sign-up URL: The URL where end users can sign up for the SMS service. This is required if your contacts can opt in to SMS via web form.

Staging web sign-up URL (optional): A staging site to preview the web sign-up URL. This can help in the approval process if available.

Target launch date: A specific date when you want to launch your SMS program with a requested short code.

Note: It can take 12-14 weeks to get carrier approval. Make sure you include that in the launch date.

Terms and conditions URL: The direct URL where you will host the SMS Terms and conditions. You can provide the URL to a page where these are located or attach a file to the carrier approval form. 

Privacy policy: The direct URL where you will host your privacy policy.

Ongoing: Tick the checkbox if the SMS program has no specific end date.

Page 3

End date: Enter a date when you want to close your SMS program with the requested short code.

Short code type: Tick one of the checkboxes:

• Standard
• Free to end user

For more information about different types of short codes, go to Types of SMS codes.

Program name: The name of the submitted SMS service. The program must include your brand name.

Message volume: The estimated volume of messages you will be sending monthly or annually.

Contact information

Fill out this section only if a 3rd party content provider (Company 2) will be responsible for your SMS service’s content., e.g. if the SMS campaigns are handled by an agency. If so, Company 2 must complete the CTIA vetting and one of the steps in this process involves completing this section. Company 2 information is required for any 3rd party responsible for the SMS service’s content.

Page 3

Is Company 2 applicable? Check Yes.

Company address, Company phone: Enter the responsible company's address and phone number. The carriers want to know who is responsible for the content transmitted over their network.

Page 4

POC & email: The point of contact for the content provider and email address for that point of contact.

The questions below are only obligatory for content providers who want to send SMS to Sprint numbers:

Has company ever filed for bankruptcy? Choose Yes or No. If yes, provide the year.

Cramming or other illegal, fraudulent, misleading or suspicions activity: Has the company, or any principal of the company, been involved in cramming or other illegal activity? If yes, explain briefly.

Under investigation by any governmental authority: Has the company, or any principal of the company, been under investigation by any governmental authority? If yes, explain briefly.

Page 5

The questions on this page are only obligatory for content providers who want to send SMS to Sprint numbers:

Has Sprint ever suspended one of this company’s short codes? Choose Yes or No. If Yes, enter a brief explanation.

Has Sprint ever suspended a short code assigned to a principal of this company? Choose Yes or No. If yes, enter the short code, date, and code of suspension.

Has Sprint ever terminated one of this company’s shortcodes? Choose Yes or No. If yes, enter the short code, date, and code of suspension.

Has Sprint ever terminated a short code assigned to a principal of this company? Choose Yes or No. If yes, enter the short code, date, and code of suspension.

Page 6

Tax ID: You must include a W-9 form as a part of carrier approval in the US. Enter the tax ID 

The other questions on this page are only obligatory for content providers who want to send SMS to Sprint numbers:

Company DBAs: Enter the brand name associated with the content provider.

Principal names: Enter the names.

Company URL: Enter the company's main website URL.

Years in business: Enter the number of years the brand has been in business.

Program information

Dive into more details about your program, including the offered opt-in scenarios, estimated traffic, possible interactions, and example messages.

Page 7

Opt-in: Tick one or more checkboxes to describe how your customers will qualify to receive SMS text messages:

• Web (through a web form or similar)
• Keyword (texting the code to opt in)
• IVR
• IVR #800

Type of traffic: Choose what type of content you are going to send your subscribers:

• Marketing
• Transactional

We recommend choosing one for carrier approval.

Message frequency: State how often you want to send messages to customers (approximately). You must use the same language in all sections that require it and make it clear what the customer should expect.

Program summary: Explain what types of messages would be delivered to their contacts for the first SMS use case.

Note: The character limit for program summary is 150 characters.

Program request type

Page 7

Program request type: Tick one of the checkboxes:

• New program
• Modified program
• Short code migration

When you are changing an existing program, select "Modified program". Short code migration means you are moving an existing short code from another provider to Acoustic. In other cases, select New program.

Message flow/customer interaction

Page 8

Opt-in interaction

CTA (call to action): Include the message that will be sent to get customers to opt in. If it's a web form, provide the URL or a screenshot along with the double opt-in messaging.

Initial opt-in: Specify the first step taken by the end user to opt in to the SMS service. 

Initial opt-in MT: The SMS alert sent to the end-user in response to the initial opt-in.

Double opt-in: The second step taken by the end-user to complete sign-up for the SMS service.

Confirmation MT: The SMS alert sent to the end user as part of the opt-in process, which confirms their successful opt-in.

Page 9

Example MT 1: A sample SMS alert that might be sent to end users as part of their participation in the SMS service.

Example MT 2 (optional): Another sample SMS alert that might be sent to end users in the SMS service.

Help interaction

Help MO: HELP is the only keyword accepted by the carriers for the help interaction.

Help MT: The SMS sent to the end user as a response to the HELP keyword.

Opt-out interaction

Opt-out MO: Enter one of the five keywords accepted by carriers: STOP, END, CANCEL, QUIT, UNSUBSCRIBE

Opt-out MT: The SMS sent to the end user as a response to any of the mandatory opt- out keywords

Page 10

Subscription renewal reminder

Renewal MT: A recurring SMS alert sent to the end user reminding them of participation in the SMS service. This option can be useful in programs where the subscriber may receive a message from the short code in long intervals, e.g. every other month or more. With the renewal reminder, you keep and active connection between your brand and the customer.

Customer care

Page 10

URL for customer info: Most commonly the same as the T&Cs URL. If you have another website with specifics about the SMS program outside of the T&Cs, type it in this field.

Toll free customer care number: A phone number that end users can contact for support with the SMS service. 800 number in (XXX) XXX-XXXX format.

Customer care email: An email address that end-users can contact for support with the SMS service.

Note: Provide a toll free number or an email. Both are not required.

Other customer care: Any other form of customer support, e.g. web form, Contact Us page URL, customer chat initiating URL.

Marketing plan and traffic projections

Page 11

Marketing source: The media promoting the SMS service, e.g. the web sign-up URL, station ID/TV/radio show, press title.

Estimated total messages per month: An estimated number of messages sent monthly.

Traffic spikes: Provide an estimate of high volume traffic spikes. Enter details or N/A.

Estimated number of participants per month: Enter the number.

Carriers

Pages 11-12

For most campaigns, you'll send SMS to all carriers. In this case, select Yes in the All carriers field. If you don't wish to send SMS to all carriers, select those you want to send to from the list and select Yes:

• Verizon Wireless
• T-Mobile/Metro PCS
• AT&T
• Sprint/Boost
• Virgin Mobile
• U.S. Cellular
• Interop
• C-Spire/Cellular South
• ClearSky
• Google Voice

After you fill out the form, click Save form and attach it to a support ticket for the provisioning team or send it to a person in charge for confirmation.