What is DLT Registration?

DLT stands for Distributed Ledger Technology, which is a blockchain-based registration structure. It keeps a track of every transaction between the company and the customers or other entities of an SMS service network. According to the updated guidelines provided by the TRAI, every SMS bulk service in India must be DLT registered. This rule was devised as an initiative to minimise SMS spam. Resultantly, creating a safer and an explicit environment for the end-customer.

Why Has DLT Registration Been Mandated by TRAI?

DLT registration by TRAI provides benefits to all the parties involved in it, including those who are a part of SMS services, like the end customer or the enterprise itself.
The first and most important advantage that DLT registration offers is eradicating fraud, as telemarketing frauds have been a major problem for a long time in India. The customer’s seal of approval is taken prior to sending the SMS. Hence, utilising a blockchain registration improves the network and makes it more reliable and trustworthy for the customer.
Also, DLT registration means enterprises can reach a greater audience who is genuinely interested in using their services and getting information. This results in a good customer-enterprise relationship and consequently, enhancing marketing strategies.

Who are the Parties Involved?

There are mainly five parties involved in DLT registration: Principal Entity, End Customer, Service Provider, Telecom Operators and Regulator. Every party has a separate role in the network.

What is a Blockchain?

Blockchain is a system of recording information in a way that makes it difficult or impossible to change, hack, or cheat the system. A blockchain is essentially a digital ledger of transactions that is duplicated and distributed across the entire network of computer systems on the blockchain.

What is a Principal entity?

An Enterprise is an Individual or Company who wants to communicate with its customers using Bulk SMS Service. It is an Individual/Entity who want to send SMS to its customers and clients regarding the products and services. Enterprise is also known by the name of Principal Entity.

Who is a Telemarketer?

Telemarketer is the Bulk SMS Service Provider Company from which a business purchases Bulk SMS Service to send SMS to its clients and customers. In other words, telemarketer sends SMS on behalf of the Enterprise (Principal Entity).

What are Bulk SMS Routes?

In the latest TRAI regulations, new Bulk SMS routes have been introduced:

1. Transactional: Transactional route can only be used by Banks for sending OTP to their clients. Other Bank related messages such as amount debited/ credited, account status, etc. cannot be sent via Transactional route. This route can be used by all Banks including National/ Scheduled/ Private/ Government/ MNC. Transactional route can be used only by Banks for just sending OTP SMS.
2. Service Implicit: Service Implicit route can be used by business and companies for sending important SMS related to products and service updates. Examples are website/app OTP, payment alerts, purchase details, order delivery, and all other informative messages.
3. Service Explicit: Service Explicit route can be used for sending marketing related SMS to the customers after receiving their permission. If a customer gives permission to receive promotional SMS, then the messages will come under the Service Explicit category.
4. Promotional:Promotional SMS includes the marketing related SMS which can be delivered only to the NonDND numbers. SMS sent to promote products and services will come under this category.

What is Service Inferred?

Any message arising out of a customer's action or their existing relationship with the enterprise, that is not promotional, will be considered as Service-Inferred message.

What is Service Implicit?

Service implicit messages are the ones that are generated because you have initiated a transaction with a company and do not have any promotional content or implications.

What is Service Explicit?

Service Explicit: Any service message which doesn't fall under the category of service message (Implicit) will be sent only against service explicit, digitally verified/verifiable consent that has been taken from the subscriber by the respective enterprise.

What is Content Template?

Content Template is the message text which you have to submit on the DLT portal. It is the actual text of your SMS that has to be approved by DLT before sending it to your customers. Content Template has to be submitted for every single message you want to send to your customers in India.
Note:Content Template is mandatory for all type of SMS routes – Transactional, Service Implicit, Service Explicit and Promotional.

What is Consent Template?

Consent Template is used for taking customer’s permission before sending them promotional SMS. In simple words, if a business wants to send promotional SMS to its customers, it has to first submit Consent Template on the DLT platform which can be mapped to promotional messages at the time of approving Content Templates. If you are sending SMS only from the Service Implicit route, then you just need to submit Content Template on the DLT portal. But, if you are sending marketing related SMS, then at first you have to submit Consent Template (Promotional SMS permission) and after it is approved, you have to submit Content Template (actual SMS text).
Note:Consent Template is not required for Service Implicit route.
It is mandatory for Service Explicit & Promotional route only

How to add Header or Sender id in JIO DLT?

Header is a unique combination of six characters representing the brand or company name of the message sender. Header was earlier known as Sender ID. In the revised TRAI DLT regulations for Bulk SMS, Sender ID is denoted by the term Header.

What is the first step of DLT Registration at JIO portal?

Please find DLT URL's mentioned below:

• Jio DLT Portal: https://trueconnect.jio.com
• Support Email Id: Jio.ISOMCCSupport@ril.com

JoinIndia Technological Solutions Ltd. having TM ID: 1202159246020248247
After successful registration as an Entity with Jio's DLT Platform, kindly select JoinIndia Technological Solutions Ltd., Registration Id: 1202159246020248247 as your SMS telemarketer.

What is DLT Registration Fee?

DLT Registration Fee vary with different operator's DLT Portal.

How to avoid disruption when Template Scrubbing goes LIVE?

Message content and template ID must exactly match the templates approved in DLT platform

• The message content you have added should not have extra/missing spaces or new lines.
• All templates added in OnlineSMS panel must be added with template name and template ID.
• All DLT approved templates without/wrong/invalid template ID/message content in your account will be rejected post implementation. Sending any of the rejected templates will result in the error. You can access all your templates in your account. Please add DLT template IDs, message content template category or name for templates you wish to use.

How to use DLT Variables in a template?

DLT Variables

• The maximum character limit for a DLT variable is 30 (as mandated by operators) including space. If you wish to send more characters in variables please request 2 DLT variables ({#var#}{#var#} on DLT platform.
• Please use the same syntax when adding templates in each platform or can copy paste.

Note: The DLT portals are maintained and supported by respective telecom operators. OnlineSMS staff do not have access to your DLT account and information like template content, template ID, Entity ID etc.

What is DND?

DND is Do Not Disturb. It is a feature, to block the Unwanted commericial calls. This is DND facility is accessible from all telecom Operators by unsing the number 1909 . Once a mobile phone user/Land line user register his number at DND database for blocking, he will not get any commericial telemarking calls/SMS. This service is mainly to block unwanted Calls/SMS from Telemarketers.
The service provider will in turn register your number at the National Do Not Call (NDNC) registry within 45 days.
The NDNC Registry is a database having the list of all telephone numbers of the subscribers who do not want to receive commercial calls or SMS. Telemarketers have to verify the calling number list in the NDNC registry before making a call. So rest assured, the telemarketers will not trouble you else they will be fined for calling you.

Who is authority for DND or NDNCR ?

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). TRAI is the Indian governmental agency tasked with defining various policies and regulations for wireless communication service providers in India. As per TRAI regulation, every mobile service provider in India is required to set up a Do Not Disturb (DND) registry. All telecom wireless or wiredline service provider should allow 1909 .

How to register your number on the DND registry?

• Send an SMS to 1909 (toll-free) from the number you want to activate DND for. The text should read start dnd or start 0 (varies from carrier to carrier). You will get a message from your carrier saying your request will go into effect within 24 hours.
• Alternatively, you can also call 1909 (toll-free) from the number you are trying to register for DND. Depending on your carrier, you may or may not get a language selection option first up. Then, follow the prompts to register for DND in India.

Do I have an option to opt out for promotional sms from particular category?

Yes.
TRAI has also given an option to opt out for promotional sms from particular category; they have divided it into 7 categories.

1. START 1 - Banking: This sector includes, stock tips, investment opportunities, promotional messages from banks, policy changes, credit card promotions etc.
2. START 2 - Real Estate: This sector includes Big builders and their promotions, real estate investment opportunities and updates on government policies on real estate etc.
3. START 3 - Education: This sector includes schools and universities, exams and opportunities they create, online education websites etc.
4. START 4 - Health: This sector includes hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, gyms etc
5. START 5 - Consumer Goods and Automobiles: This sector includes all grocery stores, retail outlets, car manufacturers etc.
6. START 6 - Entertainment/IT: This sector includes the film and tv industry, online streaming services, all websites and even your internet service provider to name a few.
7. START 7 - Tourism: This sector includes airlines and their offers, hotels and Airbnb promotions, package tourism opportunities etc.

How can I opt for NDNC?

If you do not want to receive any promotional sms or calls from any company, you can add your number in NDNC registry.
To Start DND (Do not Disturb) Services follow below process –
To add your number in NDNC list you need to send a SMS to 1909.
Send an SMS START 0 to 1909
You will instantly receive a sms for registration in NDNC list; it may take upto 2-3 days to activate DND on your number.
If you do not get confirmation call from TRAI, try calling 1909 and then follow Instructions.
To Start DND (Do Not Disturb) Services from any particular category follow below steps-
If you want to stop SMS sms from only Real Estate then
send an SMS as STOP 2 and send it to 1909

Where can I check my DND status?

You can also check the status of your number here.

What is geofencing?

Geofencing is a process of using a geofence to target mobile users. Marketers use this technology to collect information about and target their customers as they enter, leave or stay in specific areas, known as geofences.

What is a geofence?

A geofence is a virtual perimeter marking a real geographic area. You can see it as a virtual fence. The area it surrounds can be as big as a city, or as small as one building. Geofences can take different shapes. For more straightforward use cases it could be round. For complex situations, marketers could build polygon shaped geofences. In other words geofence is a virtual boundary around a real-world geographic area. The use of a geofence is called geofencing, and one example of use involves a location-aware device such as a smartphone user entering or exiting a geo fence. triggering an alert to the device's user as well as messaging to the geo-fence operator.

What is geofencing used for?

On average, a mobile app loses 96% of its users within a year of its initial download. Keeping users engaged is difficult , due to the overload of commercial messages they receive, users filter out the noise. They only respond to what's really relevant to their current mood and setting. Geofencing can provide a lot of insights about user's context and surroundings, which can help marketers adapt their communications accordingly.

What is an example of geofencing?

Geofencing can be used in many different ways. Here are some examples of how marketers in various industries already get creative with it:

Retail: Sending promotional messages as shoppers pass by a store to drive visits.

Automotive: Retargeting users that have visited a car dealership (yours or competitor's).

Coupons: Proving the ROI of coupons using location data to track store visits initiated by coupons.

Airline: Upselling flyers with fast-track services as they walk in the airport.

Mobile payments: Reminding users of places where they can pay as they visit them.

Hospitality: Capturing feedback shortly after visitors step out of the hotel.

Travel: Enriching user profiles with travelling history to supercharge future targeting.

Dining reviews: Suggesting a list of popular dishes to a guest who visits a particular restaurant.

Coffee chain: Giving discounts to returning customers to build loyalty.

Online store: Geo-conquesting competitors locations with deals to lure customers away.

What location technology is used for geofencing?

The general functioning of geofencing is that it uses location services to detect a user's device within the predefined zone , the geofence , in order to trigger a notification or track visits. Now, which location services are used to do this can vary depending on the provider. It can use:

• Cellular
• Wifi
• GPS