Carrier Registration, TCR, and Message Packs
Before you can send a single broadcast with Phound Wave, your business has to be approved by US wireless carriers. This is handled through The Campaign Registry (TCR), an industry-wide system that verifies SMS senders and prevents spam. Wave walks you through the process and then uses Message Packs to track your sending volume once you are approved.
This guide explains both pieces: how to get registered, and how Message Packs work after you are live.
What Is The Campaign Registry (TCR)?
TCR is the centralized system that US wireless carriers use to approve business SMS senders. Every company that wants to send application-to-person (A2P) text messages to US numbers must register:
- Who is sending — your business name, address, tax ID (EIN), and authorized contact.
- What you are sending — the type of campaign, message samples, and opt-in process.
Once your information is reviewed and approved, you receive a Brand ID and Campaign ID. Those IDs tell the carriers your messages are legitimate and let them flow through without being flagged as spam.
Warning: Sending broadcast SMS to US numbers without TCR approval will result in your messages being blocked. This is not a Phound policy — it is a US carrier requirement. Wave enforces it to protect your sender reputation.
Registering with TCR Through Wave
Wave offers a simplified TCR onboarding flow for lower-volume senders and a comprehensive path for enterprise campaigns. Both live inside the Wave dashboard.
Step 1: Start Registration
From the Wave dashboard:
- Click Registration or Get Approved in the sidebar.
- Choose your registration tier — Wave recommends one based on your expected volume.
Step 2: Submit Brand Information
Provide your business details:
- Legal business name
- EIN (tax ID) for US businesses
- Business address
- Website
- Authorized contact name, email, and phone number
This information is used to verify your business with TCR.
Step 3: Submit Campaign Information
Describe the type of messages you plan to send:
- Campaign use case (marketing, customer care, delivery notifications, etc.)
- Sample messages (Wave will prompt you for 2–3 examples)
- How recipients opt in to receive your messages
- Opt-out handling (Wave handles STOP responses automatically, but you confirm this)
Step 4: Submit and Wait for Approval
Once you submit, your registration enters review. Approval typically takes 1–3 business days, though it can take longer for more complex use cases or during heavy review periods.
You will receive an email when your registration is approved, and the Wave dashboard status will flip from Pending to Approved.
Tip: Keep your sample messages realistic and specific. Vague or overly broad samples are the most common reason TCR submissions get rejected. "Hi {first_name}, just a reminder about your appointment tomorrow at 2pm. Reply C to confirm or R to reschedule." is a great example.
US Message Packs
Once you are approved, Wave meters your sending volume through US Message Packs. A Message Pack is a pre-allocated bundle of SMS segments that your account can send in a billing period.
How Usage Is Tracked
Every message you send counts against your Message Pack:
- Standard SMS (up to 160 characters) — 1 segment per recipient.
- Longer SMS (over 160 characters) — 2 or more segments per recipient, depending on length.
- MMS (images, video) — Typically 3 segments per recipient.
For example, a 200-character text sent to 100 recipients uses 200 segments (2 per recipient × 100 recipients).
Pack Sizes and Pricing
Wave offers several Message Pack sizes. Your Wave subscription ($29.99/month) includes a base allocation, and you can add larger packs as your volume grows. Pack sizes, pricing, and current availability are listed on the Billing tab in the Wave dashboard.
Rollover Behavior
Your plan defines how additional message volume is billed. Check the Billing tab in Wave for current pack sizes and overage rules.
Tip: Watch the usage bar on your dashboard. It shows your current consumption vs. your Message Pack allocation, and warns you when you are approaching the limit. You can upgrade to a larger pack mid-period without losing your existing balance.
If You Run Out of Segments
If you exhaust your Message Pack mid-campaign:
- New sends are paused until you upgrade or the pack resets.
- Already-queued messages in an automated campaign continue but will be rate-limited.
- You can add a larger pack from the Billing tab and immediately resume.
Compliance Best Practices
Beyond TCR registration, there are a few ongoing practices that keep your sending reputation strong:
- Always collect explicit opt-in. Never send to contacts who have not agreed to receive messages.
- Include your business name in the first message. E.g., "Hi, this is Jane from Acme Plumbing…"
- Handle opt-outs instantly. Wave automatically processes standard opt-out keywords (such as STOP). Do not re-add opted-out contacts.
- Match your messages to your approved use case. Do not submit a marketing campaign and then send transactional messages (or vice versa).
Warning: Repeated carrier complaints or spam reports can get your Brand suspended at the TCR level — not just at Phound. Treat your sender reputation like your business reputation, because that is exactly what it is.
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