A2P
Application-to-Person
SMS Marketing
Messaging sent from an application or software to a person's mobile device, as opposed to person-to-person (P2P) messaging.
What is A2P?
Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging refers to automated text messages sent from a software application to mobile users. This is the standard for business SMS.
A2P use cases:
- Marketing campaigns
- Order confirmations
- Shipping notifications
- Appointment reminders
- Two-factor authentication
- Customer service
A2P requirements:
- Registration with carriers (10DLC for US)
- Compliance with TCPA and carrier guidelines
- Proper opt-in consent
- Honor opt-out requests
Example
For example, a shipping update sent automatically from a store's messaging platform to a customer's phone is A2P. A store owner texting a friend from a personal phone is P2P. If the store sends its updates from a standard US 10-digit number, that number must be registered for 10DLC so carriers will deliver the messages reliably.
Why A2P Matters
Understanding A2P is essential for compliant and effective business SMS.
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