Overview
Due to rulings and regulations implemented by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) through the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), mobile carriers (for example, Verizon Wireless) have implemented a series of policies and procedures to adhere to these guidelines to increase trust across the messaging ecosystem and reduce the spam that consumers may receive through SMS messaging. A key part of building trust in SMS messaging involves a carrier-led registration process that increases transparency around who is sending messages, the type of content being delivered, and whether the recipient has provided consent to receive them. To comply with these new regulations, Updox has made a series of changes to our SMS-based products to ensure compliance with these new regulations and allow us to stay ahead while ensuring the deliverability of SMS messages to your patients.
Updox has been working directly with our messaging service providers to collaborate on best practices to ensure compliance and aid Updox in developing a strategy and solution that creates a consistent experience for consumers that aligns with how other software vendors are approaching these regulations. These conversations have led Updox down the path of moving our SMS-based products to standardized text messages that drive the consumer to a web application to take action or view additional information and instructions from the practice. Multiple Updox products that leverage SMS delivery already align with this strategy, including Video Chat, Payments, and Secure Text.
What types of phone numbers do you support?
Updox only supports toll-free phone numbers for all SMS-based products, such as Reminders, Video Chat invites, Secure Text, and Broadcast.
NOTE: Updox only supports service in the United States and its territories.
Approved business text messages can be sent using a toll-free number — a ten-digit phone number that begins with an 8XX area code prefix, such as 800, 877, 888, and similar prefixes. All traffic through toll-free numbers must go through a verification process and gain carrier approval.
While a toll-free number does not have the same tie to locality, it provides a lower-cost method of sending SMS messages.
What is the registration process?
Toll-free numbers must be verified by the carriers. Updox will complete the number registration on your behalf once we have collected all necessary business details.
The verification requires details such as business name, EIN, business type, address, phone number, contact, email, and company website. There are no additional fees for verifying a toll-free number.
How do I know if I am impacted?
Partners that are impacted by this change are those who are leveraging either of the two APIs listed below to send SMS messages.
EventNotificationBulkCreateSMS Send
If any of your customers have contracted directly with Updox to leverage our SMS-based products, we will be working directly with those customers to aid in the verification process.
HEADS UP! In addition, if you are leveraging our Broadcast or Reminders products inside the Updox application, you may also be impacted.