Phone Setup

4 steps

The Phone Setup Flow

Four things happen in order. Tap one to see what it covers.

Get a Local Number

Select your country, filter by your business area code, and pick a number close to your real business line.

Verify Your Identity

A quick ID check confirms you're the account owner, so no one else can send texts in your business's name.

Set Up Compliance

Opt-out language, sender business info, periodic opt-out, and Texas bulk-messaging rules if they apply to you.

Register in Trust Center

Two registrations: your business (brand) and your campaign. This is what actually gets you A2P approved.

"Think of A2P as your business phone ID card for texting. Once your registration is approved, you'll be able to send messages, make calls, and manage all customer communication through the system."

Key terms

Definitions

Tap any term to expand it.

Application-to-Person messaging, the carrier verification that tells AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile your texts are legitimate and safe to deliver.

Where you complete both A2P registrations: your business (brand) and your campaign.

A compliance setting that reminds recipients how to unsubscribe from your texts on a recurring basis.

An option that files an incoming message as already-read in your conversations, best left off so you actually see new leads.

A voice setting you can turn on to record calls, set up along with missed-call text-back and call scripts.

In practice

Common Use Cases

📱

Local Business Number

Match your text line's area code to your existing business line, so it feels familiar to customers.

🆔

Identity Verification

A quick photo ID check confirms you're the real account owner before you can send bulk texts.

🚫

Texas Bulk Block

If you're in Texas, block bulk SMS until you're registered with the state, a legal requirement since September.

📊

Messaging Analytics

See how many messages you've sent, delivered, failed, or had opted out, right inside Settings.

Help me do it

Things To Do

Finish these before moving to the next lesson. They only take a few minutes.

0 of 3 done

Get a local phone number that matches your business area code

Complete the identity verification with a photo ID

Start both A2P registrations (business and campaign) in the Trust Center

⚡ Tips

You will not be approved today. A2P registration takes 24-48 hours, start it early so it's ready when you need it.
Get an area code as close to your real business line as possible, people learn to recognize it as your text line.
Have your ID ready on your phone before you start the verification step, it goes faster.
If you're in Texas, block bulk SMS messaging until you're state-registered, it's a legal requirement, not optional.
Take the full phone feature course once you're approved to learn call scripts, missed-call text-back, and recording.

Check yourself

Quick Knowledge Check

Answer a few quick questions to lock in what you just learned. Miss one and we'll show you the right answer.

0 of 4 answered

The carrier verification process that confirms your texts are legitimate is called ____.

How long does A2P approval typically take?

True or false: if you're in Texas, you may need to block bulk SMS until you're registered with the state.

Both of your A2P registrations (business and campaign) happen inside the ____.

Help me apply it

Try This With Your Favorite AI

Copy a prompt below and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or whatever AI tool you use. Fill in the bracketed details and it'll help you write your own version for your business.

📋 A2P Registration Prep Sheet

You are a compliance consultant helping me gather everything I need before I start A2P registration so it goes smoothly the first time. My context: - My business type: [describe your business in 1-2 sentences] - Whether I already have an EIN: [yes / no / not sure] Give me: - A list of the information and documents I should have ready - One sentence on what happens if any of it is missing or wrong - What to expect for approval timing, and what I can do while I wait - One common mistake that delays approval, and how to avoid it Finish by asking me: "Do you have your EIN and authorized representative info ready right now? Tell me what's missing and I will help you figure out next steps.".

💬 SMS Compliance Message Writer

You are a compliance-minded copywriter helping me write the required opt-out and sender identification language for my business texts. My context: - My business name and what I text customers about: [describe briefly] - Whether I plan to send bulk/marketing texts or mostly one-to-one replies: [describe] Give me: - A short, compliant opt-out line I can use (reply STOP to unsubscribe, or similar) - A sender identification line confirming the message is from my business - One sentence explaining periodic opt-out reminders and whether I likely need them - A note on whether Texas's bulk messaging rule affects me based on what I described Finish by asking me: "Do you send more one-to-one texts or bulk campaigns? Tell me and I will tell you which compliance settings matter most for you.".

You won't be fully set up today, and that's fine. Get registration started now so it's ready by the time you need it, then let's get your email set up next.