SMS Campaigns

Before your business can send SMS text messages through Cloudspire Voice, you need to register your brand and submit a campaign with The Campaign Registry (TCR). This is a one-time process required by US carriers for 10DLC (10-Digit Long Code) messaging. Registration ensures your outbound messages are delivered reliably and helps carriers distinguish legitimate business traffic from spam.

This guide walks you through every field, explains what reviewers look for, and gives you concrete examples so you can get approved on your first submission.

Understanding 10DLC & Brand Registration 3:40

Before You Begin

Gather these items before starting your registration. Having them ready will save time and prevent the most common rejections.

Getting Started

1. Log in to the customer portal.
2. Navigate to the SMS Campaigns tab.
3. You will see two sections: Brand Registration and Campaign Registration.

You must complete brand registration first. Once the Cloudspire team approves your brand, the Submit a Campaign button in the Campaign Registration section unlocks; until then it stays disabled.

How It Works

The registration process has two phases — brand first, then campaign. Each phase goes through review and verification before becoming active.

Step 1: Register Your Brand

Your brand represents your legal business entity. The information you provide is verified against public sources such as the IRS EIN database and state business registries. Accuracy is everything — most rejections happen because a field doesn’t match official records.

Registering Your Brand 4:35

Field-by-Field Guide

Submitting Your Brand

1. Fill out the brand registration form in the SMS Campaigns tab.
2. Click Save Draft at any time to save your progress without submitting.
3. When ready, click Submit for Review.
4. Wait for the Cloudspire team to review your submission (typically within one business day).
5. Once approved, your brand is forwarded to The Campaign Registry for identity verification, which usually takes a few minutes.

Step 2: Submit Your Campaign

A campaign describes the specific type of SMS messages you will send, how your customers agreed to receive them, and what those messages look like. The Campaign section becomes available once your brand status is Active.

Creating Your First Campaign 6:13

Field-by-Field Guide

Submitting Your Campaign

1. Complete all required fields in the Campaign section.
2. Click Save Draft to save without submitting.
3. Attach any supporting documents to the saved draft.
4. Click Submit for Review when ready.
5. The Cloudspire team will review your campaign and either approve it or send it back with notes.
6. Once approved, the system automatically creates your campaign with The Campaign Registry, shares it with your carrier, and assigns your phone numbers to the campaign.

Prohibited Content (SHAFT-C)

The following content categories are banned on 10DLC messaging. This applies to both your SMS messages and your website.

Top 10 Rejection Reasons

These are the most common reasons registrations are rejected, in order of frequency. Review each one before submitting.

1. Legal name doesn’t match EIN — Character-for-character mismatch with IRS records. Check your EIN confirmation letter.
2. Website missing or non-functional — 404 errors, “under construction” pages, or parked domains.
3. Website doesn’t match brand — Different company name on the website than in the registration, or no company info visible.
4. Campaign description too vague — Doesn’t explain who you are, who you message, and why.
5. Sample messages don’t match use case — Selected “2FA” but samples are appointment reminders.
6. Brand name missing from samples — Reviewers can’t tell who is sending the message.
7. Content flags contradict samples — Marked “No embedded links” but samples contain URLs.
8. Public URL shorteners — bit.ly, tinyurl, and similar services are banned in 10DLC messages.
9. Missing opt-out language — At least one sample must include “Reply STOP to opt out” or equivalent.
10. SHAFT-C content on website — Prohibited content found on the business website, even if unrelated to SMS.

Pre-Submission Checklist

Run through this checklist before clicking “Submit for Review” to maximize your chances of first-try approval.

Status Tracking

The SMS Campaigns tab shows a simplified status for both your brand and campaign at a glance:

Campaign Status & Lifecycle 4:16 Managing Active Campaigns 4:20

The carrier-by-carrier approval breakdown (which carriers have registered and approved your campaign) and the activity timeline of every step are shown directly on the campaign card — you don't have to open anything to see them. Your campaign is only fully deliverable once every carrier has approved it; until then you will see it progress carrier by carrier.

Both the brand and the campaign also carry a View Full Details control. Expand it to review exactly what you submitted — for a campaign, its description, message flow, sample messages, and keywords; for a brand, its contact and business details.

At the top of the campaign you’ll see a progress bar that fills in left to right as your campaign moves through every stage — Draft → Submitted → Sent to carriers → Carrier review → Approved → Texting active. A single status pill above it tells you the headline state at a glance (for example “Texting is live” once every carrier has approved and your numbers are assigned). Below it, the Carrier Approval panel breaks the work down carrier by carrier so you can see exactly which mobile carriers have registered and elected to deliver your messages.

Approval Timeline

Fees

The one-time brand setup fee and the per-submission fee are shown on the SMS Campaigns tab itself — the exact amount appears on the card before you submit, and again before any resubmission, so you always see what will be added to your next invoice. Monthly carrier fees are set by the carriers and vary with your volume.

Fixing Returned Submissions

A submission comes back to you in one of two ways, and the status pill tells you which:

• The Cloudspire team returns it for changes. Your submission goes back to Draft. Click Continue Editing, make the corrections, and submit again.
• The Campaign Registry or a carrier turns it down. Your brand shows Rejected or your campaign shows Declined, with the feedback shown right on the card. Click Edit & Resubmit.

1. Read the feedback carefully — it tells you what was wrong.
2. Open the form with Continue Editing or Edit & Resubmit.
3. Update the relevant fields and click Submit for Review again.

A resubmission fee applies to a brand or campaign that was rejected or declined; the exact amount is shown on the card before you submit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does registration take?

Brand identity verification through The Campaign Registry typically takes a few minutes once the Cloudspire team approves your submission. Campaign approval by carriers typically takes 3–5 business days, but due to current carrier backlogs, it can take up to 30 days. Cloudspire has no control over carrier review timelines. You’ll see status updates on your SMS Campaigns tab throughout the process.

Why do I need to register?

US mobile carriers require 10DLC registration for all businesses sending SMS messages to American phone numbers. Registration helps carriers verify that your business is legitimate and that recipients have consented to receive your messages. Without registration, your messages will be filtered or blocked by carriers before they reach your customers.

What’s the difference between “Low Volume Mixed” and “Mixed”?

“Low Volume Mixed” is designed for small businesses sending fewer than a few thousand messages per month across multiple message types. “Mixed” is for higher-volume senders. Most Cloudspire customers should choose Low Volume Mixed.

Can I have multiple campaigns?

Yes. How many campaigns you can register is set by the number of 10DLC campaigns on your account — every campaign occupies one, whatever its status. If you are already at that number, raise the quantity on the Services tab and then register the next campaign. The SMS Campaigns tab shows your most recent campaign.

What if my brand verification fails?

The Campaign Registry will provide feedback about why verification failed. The most common reasons are:

• The EIN does not match the business name in IRS records (check your EIN confirmation letter).
• The business address does not match records in public business registries.
• The business name is a trade name rather than the legal registered name.
• The website is down, doesn’t match the brand, or contains prohibited content.

Update the relevant fields to match your official records and resubmit. If you are unsure what records TCR is checking against, contact the Cloudspire support team for help.

I operate as a sole proprietor but I have an EIN. Which should I choose?

Choose Private / For-profit Corporation and use your EIN. In TCR’s system, “Sole Proprietor” means you have no EIN at all. Registering with an EIN gives you higher throughput, more phone numbers, and fewer restrictions than the sole proprietor tier.

My business sells alcohol/CBD/firearms. Can I still register?

No. SHAFT-C content is prohibited on 10DLC — this applies even if your SMS messages don’t mention these products. If your website or business is primarily associated with a SHAFT-C category, the brand registration will be rejected. There is currently no exception process for standard 10DLC.

Can I use URL shorteners in my messages?

Public URL shorteners like bit.ly, tinyurl, goo.gl, and similar services are banned. Use full URLs from your own domain. If your URLs are long, consider setting up a branded short domain (e.g., links.yourcompany.com).

Do I need to do anything after my campaign is active?

No. Once your campaign is active, all SMS-enabled phone numbers on your account are automatically assigned to the campaign and you can start sending text messages immediately. (Receiving inbound texts only needs an active SMS Message Package, so it works as soon as your package is active — even before the campaign is approved.) Your registration remains active as long as your account is in good standing.

What if I need to change my campaign details after it’s active?

Contact the Cloudspire support team. Changes to active campaigns (like adding new use cases or modifying sample messages) require a review and may need to go through the carrier approval process again.