Toll-free phone numbers are ten-digit phone numbers with an area code like 833, 844, or 866, such as 833-999-9999. Toll-free numbers are particularly well suited for fundraising. You can send texts from toll-free phone numbers in Spoke if you register in advance. 

Who can use toll-free numbers?

To comply with vendor requirements, you must register to send texts from a toll-free number. Check out our article on how to get registered here. 

Previously, it was possible to send texts from unregistered toll-free numbers. The cut-off for doing so was May 15th, 2022.

If you prefer to only text with 10DLC (phone numbers with local area codes), then you do not need to register for toll-free.

Why text on toll-free?

We recommend utilizing toll-free if you need to send a link in your initial message to a warm list (donors, supporters). Though we can’t guarantee this will be true for every one of your texting campaigns, we typically see excellent deliverability (outside of bad / disconnected phone number errors) while texting with toll-free and links in the initial message. 

Disclaimer: Deliverability is never guaranteed, and is always subject to change. Mobile carriers don’t always communicate what traffic they will and won’t allow, and filtering on toll-free is still possible.

Additionally, toll-free provides additional redundancy in the unlikely event of filtering on a different phone number strategy.

What does it cost?

Right now, there are no additional costs to utilizing toll-free with Scale to Win. 

What are the downsides?

After testing toll-free at scale, we have found no negative impact on response rates or action takers with contacts who received a text message from a toll-free number vs. a traditional local phone number (in fact, we often see higher positive rates due to increased deliverability!) 

How do I use toll-free numbers?

You will need to register to use a toll-free number to send texts. Once you’ve registered, you will be able to text from a verified toll-free number. 

If you have successfully registered for 10DLC as well as toll-free, you can switch between phone number strategies in your campaigns. Just head over to the "Phone Number" tab in your campaign and select the dropdown menu. 

Image above: Scale to Win supports both 10DLC and toll-free numbers for sending texts in your campaigns.

Click on “Toll-Free Number - SMS / MMS” to access your registered number. 

Image above: Select "Toll-Free Number" to send SMS and MMS campaigns from your registered toll-free number.

Then, select “Save and Go to Next Section”. Now, when the texts in your campaign are sent, your contacts will see them coming from your toll-free number.

Note: you cannot change a phone number strategy after a campaign has launched.