3rd Party Messaging Guidelines. Version 1.0

(1)

3rd Party Messaging Guidelines

Version 1.0

March 2015

(2)

2 | P a g e This documentation is confidential and proprietary information of T-Mobile USA, Inc. It is disclosed pursuant to a non-disclosure agreement between the recipient and T-Mobile USA, Inc. This document is provided for informational purposes only and T-Mobile USA, Inc. makes no warranties, either express or implied, in this document. Information in this document, including URL and other Internet Website references, is subject to change without notice. The entire risk of the use or the results of the use of this document remains with the user. Unless otherwise noted, the example companies, organizations, products, domain names, e-mail addresses, logos, people, places and events depicted herein are fictitious, and no association with any real company, organization, product, domain name, e-mail address, logo, person, place or event is intended or should be inferred. Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. Without limiting the rights under copyright, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or for any purpose, without the express written permission of T-Mobile.

T-Mobile USA, Inc. may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly provided in any written license agreement from T-Mobile USA, Inc., the furnishing of this document does not give D2C Partners any license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property.

(3)

3 | P a g e

ABOUT THESE GUIDELINES

T-Mobile USA, Inc., and its affiliated brands (“T-Mobile”), strives to protect its Customers and provide a supportive environment for messaging services. These 3rd Party Messaging Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) are a supplement to the most recent CTIA Short Code Monitoring Handbook (the “CTIA Handbook”), as well as the Provider’s Direct-to-Consumer Agreement with T-Mobile (the “Agreement”) and any additional applicable documentation and technical documentation related to T-Mobile platforms. This service is delivered via a unique five or six digit numerical code (the “Short Code”) leased from CTIA by the Provider or Content Provider in order to facilitate the delivery of each such messaging service (the “Short Code Program”) through the wireless network. Any instances where these Guidelines and the CTIA Handbook conflict, these Guidelines take precedence.

T-Mobile’s requirements for supporting Standard Rated and Free-To-End-User Short Code Programs on the T-Mobile network are outlined in these Guidelines. These Guidelines do not define the rules of Short Code Programs that bill Customers.

Companies or entities who have signed an Agreement with T-Mobile, (the “Providers”) for the purpose of providing Short Code Programs on behalf of 3rd party companies or entities (the “Content Providers”) to T-Mobile Customers, are expected to ensure that each Short Code Program is completely compliant with all legal requirements. Providers are solely responsible for the actions of their associated Content Providers and any company or entity who markets Short Code Programs (“Marketing Affiliate”) on behalf of the Provider or their associated Content Providers.

These Guidelines are not intended to be a comprehensive guide for compliance with laws and regulations that apply to Short Code Programs. T-Mobile makes no representation that meeting these Guidelines or acquiring T-Mobile approval of a Short Code Program will be sufficient to ensure legal compliance. T-Mobile’s “approval” of a Short Code Program is not a guarantee or an endorsement of the Short Code Program; it is reliant upon the accurate and complete disclosure of the Short Code Program as entered into 3Pi by the Providers and is only intended to confirm that the description of the Short Code Program meets the requirements outlined in these Guidelines to allow the Short Code Program to move forward (“Approval”). T-Mobile strongly recommends that Providers and their associated Content Providers consult legal counsel to ensure that the Short Code Program(s) meet the requirements of the Agreement and applicable laws. The terms of this document do not limit, restrict, or waive any of T-Mobile’s rights and remedies under the Agreement and that T-Mobile may change its current processes at any time with or without notice to the Provider.

REFERENCES

These Guidelines will continue to evolve as needed to support the best Customer experience. In addition to these Guidelines, Providers and their associated Content Providers should also consult:

 Mobile Marketing Association’s Consumer Best Practices v7.0;

 CTIA Short Code Monitoring Handbook v1.4.2;

 California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris’s “Privacy on the Go: Recommendations for the Mobile Ecosystem” best practices;

 Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA); and

(6)

6 | P a g e

T-MOBILE COMPLIANCE PRINCIPLES

T-Mobile expects that all Short Code Programs are designed with the best possible Customer experience in mind while supporting full compliance. Short Code Programs that are technically compliant with these Guidelines, industry best practices and legal requirements but, in T-Mobile’s opinion, violate the letter or spirit of any principle may be suspended or terminated.

A.1 CHOICE AND CONSENT

Support of advertising that is misleading or overly harmful to T-Mobile Customers may result in termination of the specific Short Code Program, the entire Short Code, or termination of the Agreement.

A.2 CUSTOMER CARE

Short Code Programs on the T-Mobile network must abide by the following additional guidelines:

 The Provider must maintain accurate and functioning Customer care information in 3Pi;

 All variants of the word “help” must be recognized and supported;

 Capitalization, punctuation, delivery type, or subsequent text must not interfere with the Customer care keyword functionality; and

 If multiple Short Code Programs are supported on the same Short Code then Providers and their associated Content Providers must identify the correct Short Code Program with which to respond.

A.3 PROGRAM CONTENT

Short Code Programs must promote a legal, positive and age appropriate Customer experience. The content requirements listed here, and in the CTIA Handbook, are not exhaustive. T-Mobile may, at its discretion and at any time, suspend, terminate, or not Approve any Short Code Program it feels does not promote a legal, age appropriate or positive Customer experience.

A.3.01 UNAPPROVED OR ILLICIT CONTENT

Unapproved or illicit content is strictly prohibited. Support of Short Code Programs that provide prohibited content is subject to permanent expiration of the entire Short Code or the specific Short Code Program and may jeopardize the Provider’s connection to the T-Mobile Network.

Short Code Programs must comply with all applicable laws regarding minors. A.3.03 SWEEPSTAKES AND CONTESTS

Sweepstakes and contests must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Sweepstakes must have easily-accessible Official Rules which, among other things, identify a corporate sponsor. T-Mobile must not be designated as a sponsor and must be fully released from any potential liability. Sweepstakes must include an alternate/no-cost method of entry. T-Mobile reserves the right, at its discretion, to review and Approve, reject, or modify Sweepstakes and Contest Short Code Programs and Official Rules.

A.4 PRIVACY POLICY AND TERMS OF USE

The following additional Guidelines must be followed:

 Checkboxes may not be pre-populated; and

(7)

7 | P a g e

A.5 PROGRAM RECORDS AND FUNCTIONALITY

All aspects of a Short Code Program (e.g. the privacy policy, terms and conditions, Call-To-Action… etc.) must be available to the Customer in the same language as the alerts. Additionally, synonyms for the help and stop disclosures must be supported in that same language.

USE CASES

The following additional Guidelines must be followed:

 Time sensitive Short Code Programs cannot support emergency messages that would typically result in a call to 9-1-1.

A.6 SINGLE-MESSAGE PROGRAMS

A session based Short Code Program means that the Customer’s Opt-In is only applicable for a specific set of messages that are clearly outlined to the Customer prior to opting into the Short Code Program. Once the specific set of messages has been completed the Customer is no longer opted in and no further messages can be sent. A session may not extend beyond 24 hours from the Initial Opt-In.

A.9 POLITICAL DONATION PROGRAMS

All political donation Short Code Programs must comply with the following:

 The premium SMS guidelines and audit standards found in CTIA Short Code Monitoring Handbook v1.4.2;

 The political contributions guidelines published by CTIA and available here: http://www.ctia.org/policy-initiatives/voluntary-guidelines/federal-political-campaign-contributions-wireless-carrier-bill;

 The guidelines and compliance processes that relate to carrier billing per the documentation provided by T-Mobile separately; and

 Each Short Code Program must function on a unique Short Code.

A.10 CHARITABLE DONATION PROGRAMS

All charitable donation Short Code Programs must comply with the following:

 The premium SMS guidelines and audit standards found in the CTIA Short Code Monitoring Handbook v1.4.2;

 The mobile giving guidelines published by CTIA and available here: http://www.ctia.org/policy-initiatives/voluntary-guidelines/mobile-giving-via-wireless-carrier%27s-bill;

 The guidelines and compliance processes that relate to carrier billing per the documentation provided by T-Mobile separately; and

 Any Short Codes that supports charitable donations may only be used to support charitable donation Short Code Programs.

A.11 FREE-TO-END-USER PROGRAMS

A Short Code that supports Free-To-End-User traffic may only support Free-To-End-User Short Code Programs.

A.12 MMS PROGRAMS

Providers are expected to monitor MMS traffic to ensure that malicious software or programs are not contained within the MMS content that is distributed to Customers.

(8)

8 | P a g e

T-MOBILE TRADEMARKS RULES

Notwithstanding a License Agreement with T-Mobile, use of T-Mobile Trademarks is strictly prohibited.

CARRIER ONBOARDING

As part of the initial onboarding process Providers are supplied with the knowledge and documentation to connect directly to T-Mobile’s SDG messaging platform and offer compliant Short Code Programs to T-Mobile Customers. These documents and knowledge should be taken into consideration when reviewing these Guidelines.

B.1 ACCESS

B.1.1 3Pi

3Pi (found here: https://partner.sdg.msg.t-mobile.com/tpim/) documents all Short Code Program submissions and supports messaging traffic on the T-Mobile network. Access to 3Pi is granted as part of the Provider’s onboarding process with T-Mobile. Only one set of 3Pi credentials is issued per Provider. These credentials support simultaneous login so that the appropriate members of the Provider’s team can access 3Pi at the same time with the same credentials.

The Provider is expected to manage all notification updates (e.g. change in NOC information for outage notifications) by emailing [email protected] and requesting the appropriate notification adjustments.

B.1.2 THE KEYSTONE PORTAL

The Keystone Portal (found here: keystone.truenorthservice.com) serves as the means of submitting Testing and Certification requests. Login credentials are required for access to the Keystone Portal. New credentials can be acquired by sending an email request to [email protected]. The request should include the following information:

 Provider company name;

 Primary contact name;

 Email address; and

 Phone number.

B.1.3 THE JIRA TICKETING SYSTEM

The JIRA Ticketing System (found here: https://tmobile-3pg.atlassian.net/secure/Dashboard.jspa) serves as a tool for Providers to notify T-Mobile of any issues or concerns and request clarification on any technical questions. Short Code Program or business related questions should continue to be directed to the T-Mobile operational or business contacts respectively.

Access to the JIRA Ticketing System is granted as part of the onboarding process with T-Mobile. Only one set of JIRA Ticketing System credentials is issued per Provider. The Provider’s JIRA Ticketing System account supports simultaneous login so that the appropriate members of the Provider’s team can access the JIRA Ticketing System at the same time with the same credentials.

NOTE: The JIRA Ticketing System should not be used to notify T-Mobile of extensive SMS or MMS outages

outside of business hours. Those issues should continue to be addressed by contacting T-Mobile’s NOC. Information on contacting the T-Mobile NOC can be found in the Agreement.

(9)

9 | P a g e

B.2 SHORT CODE PROGRAM SUBMISSION CYCLE

The complete Short Code Program submission cycle depends on a variety of factors, including the current queue, and therefore is subject to change at T-Mobile’s sole discretion. The timeline below is not a guarantee, but just an estimate of the typical timeline supported in T-Mobile business days.

NOTE: The timeline below assumes some steps required by all Providers are completed and accurate prior to submitting

Short Code Programs to T-Mobile for review.

Step Owner Estimated Business Days

Provider Vetting of Content Provider Provider -

Provider Vetting of Short Code Program Provider -

Short Code Program Submission Provider -

Short Code Program Review T-Mobile 5 – 7

Short Code Provisioning:

SMS T-Mobile 4 – 5

MMS T-Mobile 7 – 10

Provider Testing Provider -

Testing and Certification T-Mobile 5 – 10

B.2.1 PROVIDER VETTING

Providers must fully vet each Content Provider and Short Code Program to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, Guidelines, and regulations prior to submission. Additionally, this vetting must verify that the Content Provider does not have a history of fraud, misrepresentation, cramming or a relationship with an entity implicated in any these violations.

B.2.2 SHORT CODE PROVISIONING

Any new Short Code (or a Short Code that is adding new transport capabilities such as MMS) must be submitted for provisioning on the T-Mobile network. To submit for provisioning the Provider must email

[email protected] and request Short Code provisioning on the T-Mobile network. The email must include the following information:

 Content Provider Name;

 Short Code;

 Launch Date; and

 Transport Type (SMS or MMS).

All provisioning requests for the week must be submitted by close of business on Monday.

NOTE: The typical length of time it takes to provision a Short Code depends upon the transport type. More information on the timing associated with provisioning requests can be found in section B.2.

B.2.3 SUBMISSION TO T-MOBILE

Once the Content Provider and Short Code Program have been fully vetted, the Provider can submit the Short Code Program via the steps outlined below:

(10)

10 | P a g e 1. The Provider should check 3Pi to confirm that the Short Code is associated with the Provider’s bind

and that the Short Code Service is set up to support the new Short Code Program;

a. If the Short Code is not associated with the Provider’s bind and the Short Code is not associated with a live migration then the Provider must request that the Short Code be provisioned (see section B.2.2).

b. If the Short Code is associated with the Provider’s bind and the Short Code Service is not yet set up to support the new Short Code Program then a new Short Code Service will need to be created and submitted for review. More information on creating Short Code Services can be found in the T-Mobile SDG 2.0 User Interface Guide.

c. If the Short Code is associated with a live migration then the Provider must follow the process for live migrations (see section B.3).

2. Submit the Short Code Program by creating a Campaign Service in the 3Pi and attaching the Short Code.

a. The Campaign Service submission must clearly specify all aspects of the Short Code Program that will be offered;

b. The Campaign Service submission must be completely compliant with all Guidelines; c. At a minimum the Campaign Service should include the following information:

i. A clear description of the Short Code Program; ii. Specification on the transport type (SMS or MMS); iii. Specification on the delivery type (FTEU or Standard); iv. Content Provider name;

v. Customer care information; vi. Short Code;

vii. Applicable URLs (e.g. Ts&Cs, Privacy Policy, etc…); viii. Call-to-Action; and

ix. Message flow.

More information on setting up a Short Code Program in 3Pi (inclusive of Short Code Service and Campaign Service creation) can be found in the T-Mobile SDG 2.0 User Interface Guide.

B.2.4 REVIEW

T-Mobile’s review of the Short Code Program will include both the Campaign Service and the Short Code Service. This review will result in one the following outcomes: “In Test”, “New”, or “Removed”. Information on the potential results of a review is included below:

Review Results Description “In Test”

 The Campaign Service and its associated Short Code Program(s) and Short Code have been Approved to function on the T-Mobile network and can move forward in the process.

”New”

 The Campaign service must be revised or additional information must be provided before this Campaign Service can be resubmitted for review.

 Once the Campaign Service has been resubmitted to T-Mobile the review cycle begins again.

 A Campaign Service that is returned with the same change request 3 times will be removed.

(11)

11 | P a g e B.2.5 PROVIDER TESTING

Once Approved, the Short Code Program will be ready for testing. Provider and Content Provider must fully test each Short Code Program prior to submitting it to T-Mobile for Testing and Certification. A fully tested Short Code Program must perform exactly as represented to T-Mobile and Approved during the submission process. B.2.6 TESTING AND CERTIFICATION

Testing and Certification is completed on a Campaign Service level. At a minimum, Providers must ensure that the following are TRUE prior to submitting a Campaign Service for Testing and Certification:

 Campaign Service functions exactly as represented to T-Mobile and Approved during the submission process to function;

 Campaign Service is commercially ready; and

 All messaging traffic is processed through SDG.

Campaign Services must be submitted for Testing and Certification through True North Service Keystone Portal and via 3Pi. More information on submitting (or resubmitting) a Campaign Service for Testing and Certification via 3Pi can be found in the T-Mobile SDG 2.0 User Interface Guide. Providers will need to login to the Keystone Portal (see section B.1.2 for more details) and follow the instructions below:

1. Select the “D2C Shortcodes program” button along the left side of the submissions screen. 2. Select either “Add New Campaigns” or “previously failed Campaign Service”.

a. For new Campaign Service submissions:

i. Enter appropriate information for the submission; and

ii. Attach all supporting marketing and advertising vehicles that will be used in conjunction with the Campaign Service.

b. For resubmissions of a failed Campaign Service:

i. Select that Campaign Service from the list of previously submitted Campaign Services included in this same window.

3. Select the “Submit Certification Request” button. Critical items to bear in mind:

 Testing and Certification is a Pass or Fail Process;

 T-Mobile may, at its sole discretion, provide limited feedback about a failure; and

 Only 3 attempts are permitted per Campaign Service – a 3rd failure will result in removal of the Campaign Service.

B.3 MIGRATIONS

If Content Provider wishes to move their Short Code Programs from one Provider to another, then the new Provider must notify their T-Mobile operations manager in advance. All migrations are at the sole discretion of T-Mobile.

For a Short Code Program migration with live traffic, the new Provider is expected to follow the steps listed below: 1. Submit a migration request to the T-Mobile Operations Manager at [email protected]

2. If Approved, review the Migration Report (provided by the T-Mobile Operations Manager) and confirm the Campaign Services that will be migrated to the new Provider’s bind.

(12)

12 | P a g e a. NOTE: Campaign Services that will not be included in the migration will automatically be expired. 3. Submit a migration request to True North Service by emailing [email protected].

a. This migration request should include: i. T-Mobile Approval email; ii. Short Code;

iii. Migration Report;

iv. Provider that the service is migrating from; and

v. Signed migration letter from the Content Provider – or – the current CSCA receipt that reflects the new Provider.

4. Schedule a migration call with True North Service.

a. NOTE: During the migration call the Short Code (and its associated campaign services) will be migrated over to the new Provider’s bind and tested.

5. Provided the migrated service is functioning correctly, and as originally represented to T-Mobile and Approved, the Campaign Service will be Deployed.

For a Short Code Program migration without live traffic, proceed with the steps outlined in section B.2 for new Short Code Program submissions, and identify the Campaign Service as a “New Migration” when submitting for Testing and Certification.

T-Mobile will work with Providers to migrate the Short Code for Approved migrations; however, it is considered the Provider’s responsibility to migrate any messaging subscriptions to the Short Code Programs for the Customers.

B.4 EDITING A LIVE SHORT CODE PROGRAM

If Provider, or their Content Provider, wishes to update their Short Code Program to include new content for Customers, Provider must identify the type of update (see sections B.4.1 and B.4.2) and follow the appropriate process. T-Mobile may require a new Campaign Service submission or Campaign Service addendum for the update.

B.4.1 UPDATING DETAILS

Details are defined as portions of the Short Code Program that do not change the way that the Short Code Program works for Customers.

Examples of Details Updates:

 Customer care information;

 Keyword only adjustments; and

 Font or color changes.

These updates can be handled by editing the live Campaign Service in 3Pi. This edit will not affect messaging traffic.

When updating details in a live Campaign Service the Provider must include a note in the ”Campaign Overview” section that identifies which details were updated.

B.4.2 ADDING NEW FUNCTIONALITY

New functionality is defined as a change that adjusts or adds to the way that the Short Code Program works for T-Mobile Customers.

(13)

13 | P a g e

 Adding MMS capability;

 Adding LBS capability; and

 Adding new components to the Short Code Program.

(E.g. adding the option for users who already receive their banking alerts via the Short Code Program to also receive a one-time message with the location of the nearest ATM on request.)

A Campaign Service addendum must be submitted in 3Pi when adding new functionality to a Short Code Program. To submit a Campaign Service addendum, follow the steps outlined in section B.2 for submitting a new Campaign Service. The Campaign Service addendum should include a note in the ”Campaign Overview” that identifies the submission as a Campaign Service addendum and outlines the new functionality clearly.

B.5 EXPIRING A SHORT CODE PROGRAM

Provider must notify T-Mobile when a Short Code or Campaign Service expires. Expiration requests must be sent to

[email protected]. The subject line should read: “Expiration Request – [Short Code] [Campaign Service ID].”

COMPLIANCE AUDITS

T-Mobile may permanently expire any Short Code Program that results in extreme harm to T-Mobile Customers or is found to be in repeated violation of T-Mobile Guidelines, industry guidelines, or applicable laws.

FORMAL WARNINGS AND TERMINATION OF THE AGREEMENT

T-Mobile may issue formal warnings for non-compliance of Short Code Programs. Formal warnings will typically relate to a specific Short Code Program (that may be shut off) but are meant as a formal comment on the relationship between T-Mobile and the Provider. A formal warning is a signal that the Provider’s relationship with T-Mobile’s D2C Program is in jeopardy. Formal warnings may be issued for single infractions and/or for a series of infractions over time. T-Mobile is under no obligation to issue any warning prior to temporarily or permanently suspending a Campaign Service and its associated Short Code Program(s).

If T-Mobile terminates the Provider’s Agreement, the termination will affect all Short Code Programs associated with the Provider’s bind, not just non-compliant Campaign Services. In the event of a contract termination, T-Mobile reserves the right to terminate any and all Short Code Programs immediately. If the contract termination is not immediately effective, Provider will be notified by T-Mobile of this termination and have 30 calendar days to make appropriate arrangements to transition any compliant Short Code Programs to other T-Mobile Providers in good standing. All Short Code Programs not transitioned within the 30-day period will be terminated. There are no exceptions to this policy.

(14)

14 | P a g e

APPENDIX A: Terms & Definitions

Term

Definition

Call-to-Action (CTA)

A prompt in an online, radio, or print advertisement or delivered in-venue for the purposes of encouraging an action by a Customer.

Campaign Service

A detailed description of a Short Code Program's content (inclusive of a Short Code, Customer care information, samples of the appropriate messages, traffic type, and other applicable data points) that is submitted by a Provider to T-Mobile.

Confirmation Opt-In

The second step in a double Opt-In process (or confirmation of a single Opt-In process) whereby the Customer sends a message to a Short Code or, in the instance of double Opt-Ins only, enters a mobile device number into a website, to engage with a Short Code Program.

Customer

Any user of the T-Mobile network who is registered with or otherwise authorized to access such network.

Free-To-End-User (FTEU) A Short Code Program that provided to the Customer free of any charge.

Initial Op-In

The first step in a double Opt-In process whereby the Customer sends a message to a Short Code or enters their mobile phone number into a website to engage with a Short code Program.

Jira Ticketing System

Ticketing system powered by Jira that allows Providers to submit tickets to the appropriate tech support team for system, Short Code, or Short Code Program specific issues.

Keystone Portal The user interface for True North Service's Testing and Certification platform.

Short Code Service

Representation of a Short Code (inclusive of rate [Standard or FTEU] and transport type [SMS or MMs]) that must be associated with a Campaign Service in order to support messaging for the Short Code Program.

MMS (Multimedia Messaging Services)

A standard way to send messages that include multimedia content to and from mobile devices.

Opt-In

An explicit action or series of actions, taken by a Customer to elect to receive access to a Short Code Program.

Opt-Out

An instance where the Customer communicates their choice not to continue to access or receive the benefits of the Short Code Program.

3Pi

The interface to the SDG 2.0 messaging platform which allows Providers to manage Short Code Programs.

SMS (Short Message Service)

A text messaging service component of the mobile communication systems which allows messages that contain only text to be sent to and from the Customer’s mobile device

Standard Rated

The usual message and data rates (as defined by the Customer’s TMUS wireless plan) apply to all messages.

True North Service (TNS)

The vendor who completes Testing and Certification for all Short Code Programs submitted to T-Mobile.

Testing and Certification

The process whereby a Short Code Program is tested to ensure that it performs exactly as it was represented to T-Mobile and Approved during the submission process prior to being made available for T-Mobile Customers.

Deploying

The act of changing the status of a Campaign Service (and its associated Message Route) to "Live" which enables the associated Short Code Programs for T-Mobile Customers.

3rd Party Messaging Guidelines. Version 1.0