Last updated November 2025
What is A2P 10DLC?
A2P 10DLC (Application-to-Person 10-Digit Long Code) enables businesses to send text messages using standard local phone numbers. U.S. and Canadian carriers apply per-segment surcharges for SMS and MMS messages sent through these channels.
Important: All carrier fees listed below are passthrough costs that Volt forwards to customers at cost with no markup.
Using Volt Connect? If you're using your own carrier contract through Volt Connect, please refer to your CPaaS provider's 10DLC fee sheet, as rates and review processes may differ.
Registration Fees
Fee Type | Cost | Billing | Notes |
Brand Registration | $4 | One-time | Per brand |
DCA Vetting | $15 | One-time | Per new campaign (recharge applies for resubmissions) |
Standard Campaigns | $10 | Monthly | 2FA, Notifications, Customer Care, etc. |
Mixed/Special Use Cases | $10 | Monthly | Proxy, Sweepstakes, Social, Political, K–12 |
Low Volume Mixed | $1.50 | Monthly | Per campaign |
Charity | $3 | Monthly | Per campaign |
Emergency | $5 | Monthly | Per campaign |
Agents & Franchises | $30 | Monthly | Per campaign |
Large CSP Trial | $0 | Monthly | Per campaign |
Inactivity Fee | $250 | As needed | T-Mobile passthrough fee after 60 days of campaign inactivity |
Carrier Message Fees
Carriers charge per-segment rates for every message sent or received. These fees vary by operator, country, and message type.
U.S. Long Code (10DLC) SMS Rates
Carrier | Outbound | Inbound | Notes |
AT&T | $0.0030 | $0.0030 | Per segment both ways |
T-Mobile/Sprint | $0.0030 | $0.0030 | Per segment both ways |
Verizon | $0.0040 | Free | Outbound only |
US Cellular | $0.0050 | Free | Outbound only |
C-Spire | $0.0035 | $0.0035 | Per segment both ways |
Dish Wireless | $0.0035 | $0.0035 | Per segment both ways |
TextNow | $0.0020 | Free | Outbound only |
Commnet | $0.0025 | Free | Outbound only |
T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon have notified customers of increasing fees for unregistered traffic for phone numbers not registered for 10DLC.
Long Code (10DLC) MMS Rates
U.S. Carriers
Carrier | Outbound | Inbound |
AT&T | $0.0075 | $0.0075 |
T-Mobile/Sprint | $0.0100 | $0.0100 |
Verizon | $0.0065 | Free |
US Cellular | $0.0100 | Free |
C-Spire | $0.0100 | $0.0050 |
Toll-Free Messaging Fees
Toll-free numbers also incur per-segment carrier fees:
SMS: Typically $0.0025–$0.0045 outbound (varies by carrier), free inbound
MMS: Typically $0.007–$0.010 outbound (varies by carrier), free inbound
Short Code Messaging Fees
U.S. Carriers
Carrier | Outbound | Inbound |
AT&T | $0.0030 | Free |
T-Mobile Family | $0.0025 | $0.0025 |
Verizon | $0.0040 | Free |
US Cellular | $0.0035 | Free |
Claro Puerto Rico | $0.0740 | Free |
OpenMobile | $0.0360 | Free |
Note: Most regional U.S. carriers charge $0.0035–$0.004 per segment for short code SMS.
Short Code MMS Rates
Carrier | Outbound | Inbound |
AT&T | $0.0075 | Free |
T-Mobile Family | $0.0100 | $0.0100 |
Verizon | $0.0065 | Free |
US Cellular | $0.0100 | Free |
Unregistered Traffic Surcharges
Warning: Unregistered 10DLC traffic faces higher fees and may be filtered or blocked by carriers. Always register your numbers properly.
Carrier | SMS Surcharge | MMS Surcharge |
AT&T | $0.0100 | $0.0150 |
T-Mobile | $0.0060 | $0.0150 |
Verizon | $0.0100 | $0.0050 |
T-Mobile Special Fees
One-Time Charges
Service | Cost | When Required |
Special Business Review | $5,000 | For campaigns exceeding 200K daily messages (currently waived) |
Number Pool Request | $2,000 | For brands requiring more than 50 numbers |
Campaign Activation (Sole Proprietor) | $1 | Per campaign for sole proprietor accounts |
NNID Registration | $2,000 | For custom Network Node ID creation |
Non-Compliance Penalties
Violation Type | Penalty | Description |
Text Enablement | $10,000 | Sending messages before completing ownership verification |
Grey Route | $10/message | Routing A2P traffic through P2P channels (not currently enforced) |
Program Evasion | $1,000 | Using snowshoeing or other routing circumvention tactics |
Content Violation | $10,000 | SHAFT content, spam, phishing, or repeated CTIA violations |
All rates are subject to change based on carrier policy updates
Volt passes through 100% of carrier fees with zero markup
Fees apply per message segment (SMS segments are typically 160 characters)
For custom pricing with your own carrier contract, consult your CPaaS provider directly
Need help? Feel free to email us at [email protected]