Fawkes Digital Marketing Blog Article

Staying Compliant, Staying Visible: Why A2P SMS Compliance Matters More Than Ever

In today's hyper-connected world, texting is one of the most powerful tools businesses have to communicate with their audience. But with great power comes great responsibility. Especially when using Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging through systems like Twilio and the 10DLC (10-digit long code) framework. As consumers, we don't think about texting each other. That the costs are free. As businesses, we have rules, regulations, fines, and there is a cost with each and every SMS (text) or MMS (picture text) that we send.

At Fawkes Digital Marketing, we don't just build powerful marketing platforms—we protect your ability to keep using them. Our team is committed to helping businesses in North Alabama and across the country understand and follow A2P messaging rules, so you avoid disruptions, bans, and steep penalties.

What Is A2P and Why Should You Care?

A2P stands for Application-to-Person messaging. It covers any kind of automated text message sent from a software application to a human (e.g., appointment reminders, marketing blasts, lead follow-ups).

To reduce spam and abuse, carriers like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile have strict rules enforced through The Campaign Registry (TCR). If your messages violate these rules, your number could be blocked, your campaign revoked, or your entire account banned.

And if you're using Twilio, Telnyx, or another texting platform this matters even more.

What Happens If You Break the Rules?

Violations of A2P regulations (especially intentional ones) carry real consequences:

• Message filtering or blocking
• Suspension of your campaign or brand registration
• Blacklisting of your numberacross all major U.S. carriers
  • This includes all future numbers you might get and not just the ones you have today.
• Hefty fines (sometimes $10,000+ per violation)
• Termination of your Twilio/Telnyx account and associated services

This isn't fear-mongering—we've seen businesses lose their ability to communicate with customers overnight.

What is "Intentional"

Intentional is when you send out your text messages that have not "opted into" receiving messages from you. In fact, unless you ask a lengthy question even if someone signs up for an appointment with you it still could be classified as intentional.

How Fawkes Digital Marketing Keeps You Compliant

We take compliance seriously because we know how costly a mistake can be to your companies future. Here's how we make sure your business stays in the clear:

• A2P Brand and Campaign Registration Done Right: We walk every client through the proper registration process with The Campaign Registry. No shortcuts. No guesswork.
• Content Compliance Reviews: Before any message is sent, we help you review it for compliance. We make sure you're not triggering any red flags around prohibited content (sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, tobacco, etc.).
• Subaccount Isolation for High-Risk Clients: Using Twilio subaccounts, we separate clients' messaging environments to reduce the risk of one bad actor affecting others.
• Automatic Opt-in/Opt-out Management: Brilliance CRM, our all-in-one CRM solution, automatically manages consent with proper opt-in and opt-out functionality.
• Education and Training: We don't just tell you what to do—we teach you why it matters. We provide training, plain-English explanations, and actionable advice so you and your team can avoid violations.
• Proactive Monitoring and Alerts: Our systems monitor delivery rates and carrier feedback. If something looks off, we catch it early and address it fast.

Can I Bypass the A2P Rules Using "Email to Text" Options?

Sending an email to a phone number (like "1234567890@txt.att.net") is not a bypass of A2P (Application-to-Person) rules, but rather an entirely different messaging channel — and it comes with its own limitations and risks. Here's what you need to know:

• What Happens When You Email a Phone Number: You're using carrier-provided email-to-SMS gateways, not an SMS API (like Twilio). So:
  • You're not technically using A2P messaging.
  • You don't need A2P registration.
  • You bypass Twilio and 10DLC regulations, but...
• Risks and Limitations of This Approach:
  • High Spam Filtering
    • Carriers aggressively filter these messages. If you're sending bulk or marketing messages, they are likely to be blocked.
    • Gmail, Yahoo, etc., may even prevent sending if your server appears to be spamming.
  • No Delivery Guarantees
    • No delivery receipts, tracking, or error feedback.
    • If a message fails, you may never know.
  • User Experience Issues
    • Messages often get truncated.
    • Some carriers split long emails across multiple texts in a messy format.
    • Attachments and links might not render properly.
  • Not Scalable or Professional
    • No proper opt-in/opt-out management.
    • No analytics or logging.
    • Hard to manage compliance at scale.
  • Violation of CAN-SPAM or Carrier Terms: Even though you're not using A2P, if users didn't explicitly opt-in to receive texts via email, you could still face legal or carrier repercussions.
• When Is It Acceptable?
  • Internal alerts (e.g., for staff or admins)
  • Low-volume transactional notices (with consent)
  • Emergency messaging (e.g., school closings, server outage alerts)

A2P SMS vs. Email-to-Text Gateway Comparison

Here's a clear side-by-side comparison between A2P (Application-to-Person) SMS and Email-to-Text Gateways to help you (or your clients) understand when and why to use each.

Summary Information

Bottom Line On Email To Text

You can send email-to-text to a phone number, but it's not a reliable or compliant alternative to proper A2P messaging if you're running a business or engaging customers. It's a short-term workaround, not a sustainable solution.

Building for the Long Term

Some agencies will set up your A2P campaigns with as little effort as possible, just to get them live. That's not us. At Fawkes Digital Marketing, we're your long-term partner. We build solutions that last and protect your brand.

Your SMS strategy should be a reliable growth engine, not a liability. With us, you get more than just deliverability. You get peace of mind.

Let's Talk A2P Strategy

Whether you're just starting with SMS marketing or already using a tool like Brilliance CRM, we can help make sure your setup is safe, smart, and scalable. Don't let one bad message cost you your connection to your customers.

Contact us today to schedule a compliance check or full A2P onboarding review.

Learn more about our Brilliance CRM solution here.