---title: Toll-Free Verificationslug: /guides/toll-free-number-overviewsidebar_position: 4x-custom: ported_from_readme: true---## Toll-Free Number OverviewA great alternative to using a Short Code or a 10DLC (local area code) number is a Toll-Free number. Toll-Free US numbers can be used for business messaging to all major US carriers, as well as most major mobile Canadian carriers.:::infoA no-cost[verification](https://support.signalwire.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=13501768371227)process needs to be completed for all Toll-Free numbers before being permittedto send any messages. Numbers pending verification will have their messagingfeatures enabled, but will have limited throughput and will be subject to strictSPAM filtering upstream.:::As a rule of thumb, some [categories of messaging are forbidden](/guides/sms-best-practices-how-to-ensure-message-delivery#explicitly-prohibited-content) on SignalWire. Please take the time to review our list of explicitly prohibited content before submitting your application for Toll-Free, 10DLC, and Short Code.Downstream message filtering is designed to prevent unwanted messaging, fraud, and abuse. Before considering a Toll-Free campaign, please be sure to follow the [CTIA guidelines and best messaging practices](https://api.ctia.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/190719-CTIA-Messaging-Principles-and-Best-Practices-FINAL.pdf).The following standards must be followed for Toll-Free messaging:- Obtain clear opt-in consent from your recipients before sending messages- Provide an easy way for your recipients to opt-out of receiving messages- Avoid using shortened URLs. Its highly recommended to use a full branded URL as well as URLs that lead back to a legitimate website that contains branding, a privacy policy, terms of service, and contact information. Publicly hosted URL shorteners are forbidden and are guaranteed to cause SPAM blocks- Using multiple Toll-Free numbers to send the same or similar content to bypass throughput limitations is known as **snowshoeing**. This is **highly prohibited** by carriers. If you need to [increase your throughput](https://signalwire.com/products/cloud-messaging/high-throughput-messaging#:~:text=With%20SignalWire%20High-Throughput%20Messaging,with%20Toll-Free%20numbers%20only), it can be approved by our Sales team. If you have a valid use case for using multiple Toll-Free numbers (such as multiple locations all requiring an individual Toll-Free number), this is something we may be able to work out with our carriers.## Get Verified!### What is Toll-Free Verification?Getting your Toll-Free number verified means that your business and use case has been reviewed and vetted prior to sending messaging via Toll-Free and that your content has received carrier approval.:::infoPlease note that the verification process is free of charge.:::Having your Toll-Free numbers verified will greatly reduce the risk of SPAM filtering on Toll-Free traffic towards all major mobile carriers in the US, as well as most major mobile carriers in Canada, so long as you stick with the content you submitted for verification and continue to follow SignalWires [messaging best practices](https://signalwire.com/resources/guides/a2p-messaging-use-case-best-practices) and [code of conduct](https://signalwire.com/legal/messaging-code-of-conduct).Verification affects messaging to mobile subscribers in the United States as well as Fido, Rogers, Telus, and Videotron in Canada.Note: Other (non-US/Canada) countries do not treat Toll-Free SMS any differently than other international SMS, and you should consult that countrys SMS Guidelines page to learn more about compliance considerations for messaging.### Toll-Free Verification ProcessIf you believe you have a valid use case for a Toll-Free number, our Carrier Operations team would be happy to assist you with obtaining a [verified Toll-Free campaign](https://support.signalwire.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=13501768371227). Once you fill out this [form](https://support.signalwire.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=13501768371227), a ticket will be generated for our Carrier Operations team to process. The turnaround for Toll-Free verification is 3-5 business days.:::cautionDue to an influx of upstream requests, our messaging peer has stated that the current turnaround time for registrations can be around a month, or longer if insufficient information is provided.:::The form linked above includes the following fields. All of this information is required to verify traffic for your Toll-Free number:- Business Name- Company Website- Business Address- Compliance Contact (someone at your business who can respond to compliance questions if they arise)- Requested Throughput (default is 3 MPS)- Toll-Free number(s) to be verified (if multiple, please provide justification)- Use Case / Description of the Use Case- Message Content (samples that reflect the type of messages you will be sending)- Opt-in Description (how do your recipients provide consent to receive messages?)- Opt-in details (link to, image of, or scanned copy of opt-in page or process):::infoNote: While it is not required to include samples of every different iteration of your messaging content, it is strongly recommended that the message samples you provide represent the majority of the content you plan on sending.:::## FAQs### I have many Toll-Free customers under my account, can I verify in bulk?If you are an ISV, for example, and need to complete verification for multiple customers/multiple numbers, please [download this template](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_LXQ1oXjybbB9YbdBQxfHuoBZIdyI2Bg/edit#gid=1315500553) and fill out the required information for each number. To download, click File > Download > Microsoft Excel (.xlsx). Once youre ready to submit, send the form to support@signalwire.com and our Carrier Operations team will be in touch with you!### Is there an API available?Currently (as of April 2023), there is no API available for submitting Toll-Free verification requests.### What throughput should we expect with a number that is pending verification?- Daily Limit: 2,000 messages per day- Weekly Limit: 6,000 messages per week- Monthly Limit: 10,000 messages per month- Whether successful or not, all messages will count toward the daily, weekly, and monthly volumes. For example, if a customer sends 25k messages on the first of the month, the first 2k messages will be allowed to send, and the remaining 23k messages will be blocked. **All 25k messages still will count toward the weekly and monthly totals.**:::caution You are responsible for monitoring your limitsSignalWire does not throttle or block Toll-Free messages if thedaily/weekly/monthly limit is surpassed. If you try to send after reaching thislimitation, it will be sent through our platform and you will be charged for themessages you are attempting to send. Send at your own discretion.:::### Are these restrictions per individual Toll-Free number:Yes, the send thresholds for pending Toll-Free numbers will be applied per TFN(Toll-Free number).### Does TCR (The Campaign Registry) process Toll-Free Verifications?No, TCR is not involved with Toll-Free verifications. A specific Toll-FreeAggregator handles Toll-Free messaging for the industry and is unrelated to TCR.### Why does Canada have stricter requirements?Canada is more restrictive because of its anti-spam laws and the policiesimplemented by mobile carriers to meet the law.### Is legal language required somewhere on the brands website about messaging?Toll-Free Verification and the downstream provider require legal language to be found somewhere on the brands website about messaging. You will have to provide a link to yourcompanys terms and conditions and your privacy policy.### How long does it take for the Toll-Free verification process?It can take up to 8 weeks, from start to finish.### If my Toll-Free number is verified, does that guarantee deliverability?No, your verified Toll-Free number is subject to limited filtering. If yourcontent is flagged as spam, that specific content will be blocked, but not theToll-Free number.
