FAQ: SMS Compliance

Overview

Due to rulings and regulations implemented by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) through the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), mobile carriers (e.g. Verizon) 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. One part of creating this trust in SMS messaging relates to a registration process brought forward by carriers to provide transparency about who is sending messages, what types of messages they are sending, and if the consumer consented to receive these messages. To comply with these new regulations, Updox will be making 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.

The Updox default is toll-free phone numbers for all SMS-based products. 


What types of phone numbers do you support?

We have one main number type used at Updox for practice to patient text messaging products such as Reminders, Video Chat invites, Secure Text, and Broadcast.

NOTE: We only support service in the United States and its territories.

Sanctioned business text messages using a toll-free number which is a ten-digit number starting with 8XX such as 800, 877, 888, etc. All traffic through toll-free numbers needs to 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?

For Toll-Free numbers, they will need to be verified by the carriers. Updox will complete the number registration on your behalf once we have collected all necessary business details.  

Use of a toll-free number requires the number to go through a verification process with the carriers. The verification requires details such as business name, address, phone number, contact, email, and company website. There are no additional fees for verifying a toll-free number.