If you haven't done so yet, you will first need to enable text messaging on your account. This article explains the process.

Verification of Toll-Free numbers in the US and Canada is required by the wireless carriers (operators). Any organization that wants to send and receive text messages via a Toll-Free number should have their number "verified" before sending any text messages.

Verification is a lightweight on-boarding process that allows customers to privately submit their organization information and messaging use case in order to be approved to route mobile messages over the nationwide wireless networks.

This article explains how to verify your text messaging number.

A Verified Toll-Free number simply means that the traffic does not fall into network carrier Disallowed Content Policy and we are able to confirm that this traffic is in line with their Best Practices for sending content. It also means that they are associating this number with your organization specifically.

Starting November 8th, 2023, verification is required before any text messages can be sent or received.

Additional benefits of verifying your number are:

An Unverified Toll-Free number on the other hand, is a number that has not gone through verification. Being that it has not gone through the identification process, unverified numbers are blocked entirely from sending and receiving text messages.

An organization that wishes to send and receive mobile messaging traffic must first enable text messaging under Account Settings > Messages from the top of the side menu after logging into One Church.

Then, the number must successfully complete the verification process.

1. Each customer submits a verification request form under Account Settings > Messaging from the left menu within One Church.

2. One Church reviews the request to pre-approve and submits for verification to our provider.

3. After our provider submits the request to the carriers to review, the number is provisionally verified.

4. You will receive another email update indicating whether verification is approved, or not approved by the network carriers.

All campaigns in the US should provide the program name or brand name in the message header for every message that is sent to a mobile handset for recognition and consistency purposes.

Opt-In, Consent
The message sender must obtain explicit recipient opt-in consent for messages sent to a 10-digit number. Example opt-in disclosure should contain, near where the user enters their number to sign-up to receive messages, disclosure that says something like the first and last lines below at a minimum. A screenshot, or hyper-link to a URL is required for verification.

Opt-Out, No Consent
The end-user can revoke consent at any time. Opt-out requests must be honored, wherein the end-user sends a message from their mobile device with the word “STOP”. A STOP request blocks all subsequent text message exchanges between an individual mobile number and a text-enabled Toll-Free number. This keyword is automatically handled for you by the platform.

Disallowed Sending Practices
If a message sender is observed performing any of the disallowed sending practices (continuing to send to opt-out customer; opt-out avoidance; or any type of multiple content providers sending from a single number) then a review may be performed of the business and number. The review may result in the suspension of sending rights for a provisioned phone number.

Disallowed Content Policy
All Toll-Free number traffic should adhere to the CTIA guidelines. For more information please see the CTIA Handbook. Specific content is prohibited from being routed over the Verified Toll-Free messaging network. Content filtering includes, but is not limited to, gambling, vaping, illegal drugs and SHAFT (sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, tobacco).

Restricted Campaign Types
The following content categories have been identified as potentially harmful or deceitful to the end-user and will not be supported on the Verified Toll-Free messaging network. These categories are subject to change and traffic in other categories that are not listed may also be blocked without notice. Message senders are expected to enforce restrictions on their systems to prevent messages containing the content types described below. If messages are sent into the network containing disallowed content, we reserve the right to place restrictions on the number and block these messages.