Guides to the rules behind every text and call
16 guides in 4 subjects
The rules for business texting and calling come from several places at once: the TCPA and the FCC's orders under it, the Do Not Call rules, state laws that go further, and the carriers' own 10DLC and messaging policies.
These guides take one question at a time and answer it from the primary source, with the date it was read. Where a rule is still moving, the guide says so rather than guessing. None of it is legal advice.
Texting
Everything on texting- Twilio SMS Pricing Explained
How an SMS bill is built: per-segment price, carrier fees, 10DLC fees and failed-message fees.
- TCPA Rules for Text Messages
Every rule a business text meets: consent by message type, STOP and revocation, quiet hours, DNC and carriers.
- SMS Opt-Out Keywords (STOP, HELP)
The FCC's seven stop words, STOP, HELP and START, and which words 14 texting tools catch by themselves.
Calling
Everything on calling- What Is TCPA Compliance
What the TCPA covers, who it binds, the consent tiers, Do Not Call and calling hours.
- TCPA Litigator Scrub
What a litigator list screens, why it is no safe harbor, and whether a small business needs one.
- Telemarketing Sales Rule vs TCPA
The FTC's rule beside the FCC's: enforcement, hours, DNC, abandonment and records.
- Mini-TCPA State Laws
Nine state laws that go further than the TCPA: hours, consent, call caps, damages, registration.
- TCPA Exemptions
What the TCPA exempts, and what an established business relationship does and does not cover.
- What Is an Autodialer (ATDS)
The autodialer definition after Facebook v. Duguid and what still needs consent.
- Do Not Call Rules for Business
National registry access and the internal do-not-call list every telemarketer must keep.
Records
Everything on records- Prior Express Written Consent
What PEWC must contain, how e-sign counts, and where the one-to-one rule ended up.
- Reassigned Numbers Database
The FCC's Reassigned Numbers Database, its safe harbor and how to query it before a send.
Registration
Everything on registration- Free Caller Registry and Spam Likely Labels
Registering business numbers to stop Spam Likely labels, and STIR/SHAKEN in plain words.
- What Is 10DLC
A2P 10DLC in plain words: The Campaign Registry, brands, campaigns, use cases and throughput.
- 10DLC vs Toll-Free vs Short Code
Three sending routes side by side: registration, approval time, throughput and cost parts.
- CTIA Messaging Guidelines
The carrier rulebook behind 10DLC vetting, and how it differs from the TCPA.