You are sending SMS campaigns to the United States and/or Canada, and while creating your SMS campaign, you realized that you have to register for a toll-free number but don't know how to fill out the form? We created this article to help you out! 

Register for a toll-free number (TFN)

To learn more about compliance with the United States SMS marketing regulations and our compliance feature, check our dedicated article.

🤨 Why should I register for a toll-free number? 

The United States has strict SMS marketing regulations that you have to follow to prevent your SMS campaign from being blocked by mobile carriers. One of those regulations is to register for a toll-free number. Your registration for a toll-free number is mandatory if you send SMS campaigns to recipients in the United States or Canada to comply with the regulations from those countries. If you send an SMS campaign without complying with these regulations, your campaign will not be sent and will be suspended.

📞 What is a toll-free number? 

A toll-free number is a telephone number with a distinct three-digit code that can be dialed or contacted by text from landlines or cell phones without charge for the caller. Toll-free numbers are usually used by businesses and customer services and make it easy for customers to connect with businesses all around the world as they are not charged for a long-distance call or SMS. 

📝 How to fill out the toll-free number registration form?

To register for a toll-free number, you have to fill in the form provided by Brevo during the creation of an SMS campaign. All the fields marked with a * are mandatory.  

The toll-free number registration form is divided into 3 parts: 

🏢 Part 1: Company information

In this part, check that the Brevo Account Email field is filled in with the correct email address, and enter your business URL, name, and address.

👤 Part 2: Contact information

In this part, enter the information about the person who will be your company's point of contact for toll-free registration. 

✅ Part 3: SMS use cases and opt-in proof 

This part is dedicated to your SMS content and opt-in process for SMS messages:

1. Message volume per month
   Select the estimated number of SMS messages sent by your business each month. 
2. Use case category
   Choose the categories that best describe your SMS message content. 
3. Use case summary
   Provide a detailed explanation for each of your SMS categories. The maximum character limit is 1,000 characters. 
4. Sample message content
   Paste a sample of SMS content for each selected category. The maximum character limit is of 500 characters. 
5. Opt-in workflow description
   Provide a detailed explanation of how your consumers agree to receive your SMS messages. The maximum character limit is 1,000 characters. 
6. Screenshot of the opt-in
   Upload a screenshot or scan (PNG or JPEG format) of your opt-in process as proof of your workflow description. 
   Here are some examples of screenshots you can upload as proof for each type of opt-in:
   
   Website form Keyword Paper form Voice opt-in

   Your consumers opt-in to your SMS messages by entering their phone number and checking a box on a subscription form available on your website:
   

   Your consumers have to text a keyword (e.g. JOIN) to opt-in to your SMS messages. It can either be online, by text, or in-store for example:
   

   Your consumers provide their consent by writing their phone number and checking a box on a paper form:
   

   Your consumers provide their consent via interactive voice response. You retrieve transcripts of their voice, check an opt-in box in their CRM, and enter their opt-in date:
   
7. (Optional) Additional supporting documentation 
   Add any other relevant information on your registration or opt-in process. The maximum character limit is 500 characters. 
8. Submit the registration
   After completing and verifying your answers to the form, click Submit the registration to submit your form.

Your toll-free number registration will be reviewed by the toll-free provider. Your registration can take up to 15 business days.

🤯 Troubleshoot error messages 

If, after clicking the Submit the registration button, you get an error message similar to the one below, contact our support team by creating a ticket and providing them the error message number (e.g. Toll-free number - error 2) and a screenshot of your form.

🤔 Have a question?

If you have a question, feel free to contact our support team by creating a ticket from your account. If you don't have an account yet, you can contact us here.