What is a short code audit notice?
A short code audit notice for SMS is a report that outlines violations and compliance next steps for noncompliant short code programs. For US violations, these reports are issued by the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA), which regularly checks SMS programs across the US to make sure they’re up to standard. In Canada, they’re issued by the Canadian Telecommunications Association (CTA).
If a program doesn’t meet the guidelines, the sender will receive an audit notice that contains the following:
- A description of the violation
- A notice of severity (see below)
- A request for a written response with a due date timeframe
- An outline for what should be included in the response (desired outcome, next steps, etc.)
See the CTIA compliance handbook for more information.
Audit notice severity levels and penalties
All audit notices are assigned a severity level, determined by the potential harm it may bring to consumers:
- Level 0: This level is reserved for the most severe offenses, which include blatant noncompliance with regulations and an intent to cause extreme consumer harm. Examples of these offenses include using language that promotes S.H.A.F.T., messaging without prior consent, and not complying with opt-out requests. This level means an immediate suspension of a short code.
- Level 1: These are offenses that may cause serious consumer harm. The CTIA sanctions Level 1 offenses by sending a notice to carriers detailing the violation, allowing them to determine the appropriate penalty. Examples include intellectual property violations, improper use of the term “free,” and not displaying the STOP keyword.
- Level 2: These refer to actions that may result in moderate harm to consumers. The same procedure used to sanction Level 1 offenses is applied to Level 2 violations. Offenses of this kind include failing to mention that data rates may apply and failure to reply to the “HELP” keyword.
Failing to respond to a notice of an audit can lead to suspension of your messaging program. If your short code gets suspended, it can take at least 30 days to reactivate it, as it will need to go through the setup process again. The exact time can vary based on the severity of the violation and how quickly the issue gets resolved.
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