TRAI SMS Compliance
India's DLT framework regulates every commercial SMS sent to Indian mobile numbers — including the format of every URL in those messages. Non-compliant links result in blocked campaigns.
Definition
TRAI SMS compliance refers to adherence with the requirements of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) framework for commercial SMS communications sent to Indian mobile numbers. The framework operates at the telecom carrier level — non-compliant messages are filtered and blocked before reaching recipients.
Compliance applies to any business sending commercial SMS to Indian mobile numbers, regardless of where the business is headquartered. The regulations apply to the destination numbers, not the sender's location.
DLT Framework Requirements
Three registrations are required:
- Entity registration. The sending business must be registered on the DLT platform of one or more telecom providers (Airtel Business, Jio, Vi, BSNL).
- Header registration. The sender ID — a 6-character alphanumeric identifier displayed as the SMS sender name — must be registered and approved per the DLT platform.
- Template registration. Every message format must be pre-registered and approved. Actual messages must match the registered template structure — variable fields for personalisation are allowed; the overall structure must be consistent.
The URL Format Requirement
The URL requirement is the element most directly relevant to link management. Every URL included in a commercial SMS must have its static portion whitelisted on the DLT platform. The required URL structure embeds the registered sender header as a path segment — after the domain, before the dynamic link ID:
Correct format:
https://domain.tld/HEADER/dynamicShortLinkID
Example with Cuttly's 2s.ms domain:
https://2s.ms/MYBIZZ/abc123
Example with a custom branded domain:
https://go.yourbrand.com/MYBIZZ/abc123
The static portion — https://2s.ms/MYBIZZ/ — is registered and whitelisted on the DLT platform. The dynamic portion — abc123 — is the unique short link ID that changes per link or campaign. Carrier filtering checks that the static portion of any URL in a message matches a whitelisted entry.
Critical error to avoid: The HEADER must be a path segment inside the URL — not a prefix before the domain. MYBIZZ-2s.ms/abc (prefix before domain) is incorrect and will not pass DLT validation. 2s.ms/MYBIZZ/abc (HEADER as path segment) is correct.
Cuttly's TRAI Infrastructure
Cuttly provides dedicated TRAI compliance infrastructure including the 2s.ms domain — an ultra-short domain designed specifically for the TRAI header-path format. At 5 characters, it minimises character consumption within the 160-character SMS limit. Full setup guides: 2s.ms Domain & Headers Guide and Custom Domains & Headers Guide.
TRAI tools are available in Cuttly from the Single plan and above.
Who Needs TRAI Compliance
Any business sending commercial SMS to Indian mobile numbers — regardless of the sender's country. Industries with high Indian SMS volumes: e-commerce, banking and payments, EdTech, travel and booking, healthcare and diagnostics, FMCG and consumer brands.
Related Terms
FAQ
What is TRAI SMS compliance?
Compliance with India's DLT framework for commercial SMS: entity registration, sender header registration (6-character ID) and message template pre-approval on the DLT platforms of Indian telecom operators. Non-compliant messages including those with non-whitelisted URLs are blocked at carrier level before delivery.
What URL format does TRAI require for SMS links?
The HEADER must be a path segment after the domain: https://domain.tld/HEADER/shortlinkID. The static portion https://domain.tld/HEADER/ is whitelisted on DLT. The dynamic short link ID follows. Do not place the HEADER before the domain — that format is incorrect and will fail carrier validation.
- ← Encyclopedia Index
- Compliance & Safety
- DLT Header
- Spam Protection
- GDPR & Analytics
- TRAI Resources
- TRAI URL Shortener Tool
- India & TRAI Guide
- Custom Domains & Headers
- 2s.ms & Headers Guide
- Plans & Pricing (Single+)
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