Ensuring TRAI SMS Compliance with Cuttly: Custom Domains & Headers Guide

How Cuttly Helps Ensure Compliance with TRAI's New SMS Regulations: A Guide to Safe SMS Campaigns Using Custom Domains

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The introduction of new regulations by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) significantly changes how businesses should approach SMS marketing. Starting from October 1, 2024, TRAI’s rules aim to enhance consumer protection by preventing unauthorized and potentially harmful messages. If you're running SMS campaigns that include URLs, APKs, and OTT links, you must ensure they are whitelisted to avoid message delivery failures. This guide will show you how to comply with TRAI’s rules using Cuttly's features, such as custom domains and headers.

Why are TRAI’s New Regulations Important?

The primary goal of TRAI’s new regulations is to protect consumers from fraudulent messages that contain non-compliant links. Telecom operators are now required to block messages that include URLs that have not been whitelisted. This applies to both static and dynamic URLs, which means every sender must make sure that their headers and URLs are registered with the DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) platform used by telecom providers in India.

Failure to comply with these regulations could result in your SMS campaigns being blocked, severely affecting your business’s ability to engage with customers.

Why Custom Domains are the Best Option

One of the most effective ways to ensure compliance with TRAI’s rules is by using custom domains for your SMS links. By using Cuttly, you can switch to custom domains, creating brand-specific and compliant URLs like:

https://yourbrnd.link/HEADER/{dynamicShortLinkID}

Benefits of using custom domains include:

Brand Trust: A custom domain is more recognizable and trustworthy for recipients.

TRAI Compliance: Custom domains can be whitelisted, ensuring that your messages won't be blocked.

Increased Security: By controlling your own domain, you can better protect your URLs from misuse.

Understanding Header IDs and Their Role

A key element in complying with TRAI regulations is the Header ID. This is a 6-character code that identifies the sender of the SMS. Every SMS campaign must be linked to a registered Principal Entity (PE), and the associated Header ID must be whitelisted on the DLT platform.

For instance: https://yourbrnd.link/HEADER/abc123

In this example: https://yourbrnd.link/HEADER/ is the static portion of the URL that must be whitelisted.
abc123 is the dynamic part of the URL, generated uniquely for each instance.

The static part of the URL (e.g., https://yourbrnd.link/HEADER/) must be submitted for whitelisting. The dynamic part can vary per message but does not affect compliance.

Compliant URL Structures in Cuttly

To clarify, here are examples of compliant shortened URLs in Cuttly:
Short URL Example: https://yourbrnd.link/HEADER/abc123

In this structure:
https://yourbrnd.link/HEADER/ is the static part that must be whitelisted.
abc123 represents the dynamic portion, generated uniquely for each shortened link.

Only the static portion of the URL (https://yourbrnd.link/HEADER/) needs to be whitelisted, while the dynamic part can vary based on the specific message being sent.

Client Responsibility for Compliance

As a service provider, Cuttly offers the necessary tools to manage custom domains and headers. However, the responsibility for registering and whitelisting headers and domains on the DLT platform lies with the client.

Register their HEADER ID and domain with the DLT platform.

Ensure the domain and HEADER are whitelisted with their telecom operator to guarantee smooth message delivery.

The HEADER and domain are linked, meaning that the HEADER identifies the sender, while the domain or subdomain must be approved by the telecom operator to meet compliance standards.

How to Use Custom Domains and Headers in Cuttly

Cuttly makes it easy for users to manage their URL Shortener, custom domains, and headers. Here's how it works:

Register a Custom Domain: Users can register their own domain or subdomain, allowing them full control over their branding.

Add Header IDs: When creating shortened URLs, users can assign their Header ID to ensure compliance with TRAI regulations.

Whitelist the URL: Once the static part of the URL is set, it must be submitted for whitelisting. The dynamic part of the URL can vary but does not impact the whitelisting process.

Monitor Campaigns: Cuttly provides tools to help manage custom domains and HEADERs, supporting compliance with TRAI regulations. However, ensuring that your links are correctly whitelisted and ready for SMS delivery is the responsibility of the user.

Act Now to Stay Compliant

With the new TRAI regulations taking full effect on October 1, 2024, businesses need to act quickly to avoid disruptions in their SMS campaigns. Moving to custom domains, using compliant Header IDs, and submitting them for whitelisting are essential steps to keep your campaigns running smoothly.

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