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Hi All!

I have had Ring Central for about 2 years and and a 1 woman business (Travel Agency).

I only text as response to a client, or if they specifically ask me to correspond by text. Do I need to opt-in for this? I got as far as registering with my EIN and stopped when it mentioned campaigns (I do not do these) and also asked for payment... is this a one time fee, yearly, monthly, etc? SO confusing.

I have had issues with calls cutting off at the 2 hour mark, on top of Ring Central being $60 or whatever a month. If I have to pat more just to use the text feature, I will also reconsider.

Then the question is, how to continue using a number that ring central assigned? What a mess.....

@Katelin Noe You do need to work through the TCR Registration process.
A campaign is basically your use case - TCR uses "campaign", but it's a bit of a misnomer for our purposes.
I believe your use case would fall under implied consent. I've shared additional information below.
Fee information can be found here:
https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/TCR_registration_fees.html?brand=RingCentral&product=MVP&language=en_US

If you are having issues with your phone, please create a case so the Support team can troubleshoot that specific issue.

Please let me know if you have additional questions.

Implied Consent (Conversational Messaging Content)

• First message is only sent by a Consumer

• Consumer initiates the conversation and the business simply responds.

• Does NOT provide consent for informational, promotional, or future messaging unless recipient provides consent during conversation

Express Consent (Informational Messaging Content)

• Consumer needs to agree to receive texts for a specific purpose when they give the business their mobile numbers

• Consent must be specific for SMS, general language including “opt into communications” is not considered sufficient (instead say “opt into receiving SMS)

• Does NOT provide consent to be notified of promotional messages unless recipient provides consent to be added to the marketing list.

Express Written, and Logged Consent (Promotional Messaging Content)

• Consumer needs to agree to receive texts for a specific purpose when they give the business their mobile numbers

• Consent must be specific for SMS, general language including “opt into communications” is not considered sufficient (instead say “opt into receiving SMS)

• Businesses that already ask Consumers to sign forms or submit contact information can add a field to capture the Consumer’s consent

• Consent must be logged as outlined below

Message Senders Should Provide Clear and Conspicuous Calls-to-Action

Purpose: Disclosure to ensure that a consumer consents to receive a message and understands the nature of the program

• Invitation to opt-in to a messaging campaign

• Calls-to-Action should not contain any deceptive language

• Calls-to-Action should not be obscured in terms and conditions

• Example of calls-to-action:

  • The program or product description

  • Telephone numbers or short codes from where the message will originate

Ways to Collect Opt-in

Purpose: Help prevent messages from being sent to a phone number that does not belong to the Consumer who provided that phone number (e.g., a Consumer purposefully or mistakenly provides an incorrect phone number to the Message Sender)

For conversational messages:

• Recipient sends you a message first

For informational messages (and conversational):

• Verbally asking recipient if they would like to receive messages

• Clicking a button on a mobile webpage

With everyone here. Just found this out this morning. Must be a few bad actors who have ruined it for us all - This reeks of some kind of regulation/law with "good intentions" but will just wind up costing small business money for the same service we used to receive. Like many, I simply receive messages.. The thought of having more nickel and diming on top of the $476/year of taxes and "administrative" fees my small business pays just makes me sick. Never ends - And our options are limited.

I've searched back through my emails and was unable to locate any from RC that referenced the TCR requirement, I only learned about this pursuant to the issue with outbound SMS not currently working (which may or may not be related to the TCR?). My RC Rep and/or RC should have been bombarding me with warnings about this months ago. And while the current RC clarifications regarding what constitutes consent, etc., are appreciated, the guidance comes a bit late for many of us and was not adequately explained in the printed guidance online. In any event for those concerned because they don't currently have an EIN you can usually get one (almost always immediately) through the IRS Online EIN https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online at no cost.

I rarely, if ever, text customers from my office line and certainly would never spam anyone. Do I still need to register? Yes, I already have an EIN. However, in the future, should I decide to do outbound chatbot campaigns I would be required to register at that point? Should I register my brand at least just so they have contact information?

your text messaging stops completely on 3/31 without you registering is my understanding. I had to go get an EIN number now I wait on the IRS. Mine may stop bc it won't be completed in time. Such a mess.

@Jason Talbot @Maria Wilder
All customers are encouraged to complete TCR registration by March 31, 2023, as the carriers may block SMS at any time with little or no notice. RingCentral will continue to advocate on behalf of customers who are in the TCR registration process to work to prevent any service disruption.

Hi Denny, I'm feeling your frustration. Small office here with less than 20 employees. We have patients and we only text them if they text us first. Now suddenly I have to opt them in? If they text me, I have to pay $20 a month to be able to reply to them? Nickel and diming us to death. I still don't understand if I have to Opt In text, or Opt Out text. We may just have to kill that feature.

I"m in the same situation. I don't have an EIN number. I ported my number over so I can type my texts to communicate easier with clients. Do you have a resolution that's been given to uou on this?

Unfortunately, RingCentral is currently unable to support SMS registration without an EIN due to SMS limitations and reporting requirements associated with the Sole Proprietorship registration process.

So if I get an EIN number with the IRS - I just got one for $329. Got a Sole Proprietorship EIN number - I can register with that and once it's verified I can start receiving/sending texts again? ((Mike Stowe do you work for Ring Central?))

Yes that is correct. As part of the registration process you'll be asked to verify your brand information including the EIN number, the legal business name associated with that number, address etc.

And yes, I do work for RingCentral and SMS is one of the areas I cover. If you have additional questions please let me know and I'm happy to help.

Last question - my texts aren't going out at all right now. RC says there is an issue. Is that related to this registration or something else?