Register Your Spruce Number

New Phone Registration Requirements

In an effort to combat spam and abuse, North American telecom networks (including Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T) are implementing policies that require phone numbers used for business purposes to be registered and verified with a third party.

All businesses must register or risk having calls and text messages blocked or marked as spam. Starting March 31, 2023, all unregistered businesses will be blocked from sending outbound SMS/text messages. 

Any organization on Spruce with a phone number will be prompted to register with a prominent banner in the Spruce app. Administrators can complete this information on the web via the banner or by going to Settings > Phone & SMS > Phone System Settings > Phone Registration. In the Spruce mobile apps on  iOS or Android, Phone Registration can only be viewed via the banner.  

The information entered on the form must exactly match your official business information, as it is listed in tax filings or other governmental records. A 3rd party on behalf of the major carries will verify that the information submitted is correct. If inaccurate information is submitted, the registration will be rejected and will require resubmission of the registration form with the corrected business information. 

General FAQs

Business Information FAQs

SMS Opt-In Process FAQs 

Registration Fee FAQs

General FAQs

Why do businesses need to register their phone numbers?

Under pressure from the FCC and angry consumers, the major telecom carriers (Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile) have increased their efforts to identify unwanted commercial phone calls and SMS messages by blocking them outright or labeling them with cautionary caller IDs, such as "Spam Risk" or "Scam Likely."

To make sure that only legitimate business phone traffic is taking place on their networks, the telecom carriers have implemented policies that require phone numbers used for business purposes to be registered and verified with a third party. 

It is very important for organizations on Spruce with phone numbers to successfully complete their phone registration because the telecom carriers are beginning to block calls and SMS messages from unregistered business phone numbers. 

We know how important it is for medical communication to be reliably delivered without disruption and without burdensome administrative requirements. Spruce is making every effort to help organizations on our platform comply easily with these new industry regulations to prevent your calls and text messages from being blocked or labeled as spam. 

What information do I need to register?

The information you must provide includes: 

  • Federal business registration number, such as an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
  • Full legal business name
  • Business address
  • Website URL  (Jump to the Website FAQ for more details)
  • Details on how patients opt in to receiving SMS/text messages from your organization. (Jump to Opt-In Process FAQs for more details)

This must exactly match your official business information, as listed in tax filings or other governmental records, and it will be verified by the major carriers. If inaccurate information is submitted, the registration will be rejected and will require resubmission of the registration form with the corrected business information. 

How long does the registration process take?

The registration process can take 2-3 business days for approval, given that it requires vetting and approval by a third party ( The Campaign Registry).

Why am I being charged a registration fee?

The Campaign Registry, the governing body that the major telecom carriers use to track how businesses use SMS text messaging, has set non-negotiable fees for registering and verifying business phone numbers. Every phone service provider, including Spruce, is subject to the Campaign Registry’s new registration rules and fees.

Spruce is passing on the registration fees without markup and your organization will be charged a one-time $19 fee after your phone registration is approved. This $19 fee includes the $4 Brand Registration fee and the $15 Campaign Verification fee charged by The Campaign Registry. These fees are not related to Spruce services and are being passed along without markup. Learn more about the registration fees. 

Where is this information being registered?

Registration requirements vary by size of business and volume of SMS traffic. Some or all of the following registrations will take place for your business:

  • A2P10DLC Brand and Campaign Registration - A2P10DLC was developed by US phone carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile) to allow businesses with 10-digit long-code phone numbers (10DLC) to send application-to-person (A2P) SMS messages. Without A2P10DLC registration, SMS messages you send risk being blocked by the phone carriers. Registration for A2P10DLC is verified through The Campaign Registry, a governing body that the telecom carriers work with to track how businesses use phone numbers for messaging. 
  • SHAKEN/STIR Caller ID Authentication - SHAKEN/STIR is a framework for an industry-wide caller ID authentication technology. Verification of a phone call's caller ID by SHAKEN/STIR protocol is critical for phone number reputation, and numbers obtained through Spruce start with an elevated level of trust via this mechanism. After you register your complete business information with our platform, we then work behind the scenes on your behalf to improve your SHAKEN/STIR "attestation level" to the most trusted status.
  • "Analytics Provider" Registration - The major telecom carriers rely on phone number reputation information that is collected and curated by third-party "analytics provider" services. Spruce will register your phone numbers with these analytics providers to ensure a satisfactory reputation score for your phone numbers.

Will my number be listed in a public directory or registry?

No, your number will not be listed in a public directory. The information that you provide will be sent only to the telecom infrastructure partners that Spruce uses and that are required for the platform's function. 

The business information entered on the form will not affect how the name of your organization appears on Spruce and it will not impact your caller ID name.

What if I registered my business with a different phone service provider before I switched to Spruce? 

Business registration information does not transfer with your phone number when you change service providers. This is not under the control of Spruce or any other service provider. You will need to re-register your business through the Spruce phone registration form and pay the registration fee. 

Can I opt out of registration? What happens if I don't register?

No, you cannot opt out of phone registration if your organization has a phone number associated with it. Communication from unregistered phone numbers will be delayed, blocked as spam, or subject to fees.

If you do not use your Spruce phone number and wish to have it removed from your organization, contact Spruce support. 

Do all of the teammates in my organization have to fill out the phone registration?

Only one administrator on your Spruce account needs to submit the phone registration form. Learn more about managing teammates and admins here.

Can I fill out the phone registration form on my phone?

Yes, in the Spruce mobile apps on iOS or Android, administrators can access the Phone Registration form  via the banner at the top of the screen. If you don’t see the banner asking you to complete the phone registration, your phone registration is complete. 

Why am I being asked to re-register my business information? 

The major telecom carriers have been actively updating their phone number registration policies and requirements. Spruce continues to track these changes and make updates to our platform to help you keep your business registration compliant and your business phones working.

We acknowledge that this is a frustrating change, and we know how important it is for medical communication to be reliably delivered without disruption and without burdensome administrative requirements. Spruce is making every effort to help organizations on our platform easily comply with these new industry regulations to prevent your calls and text messages from being blocked or labeled as spam. 

Why did my registration fail? 

The information submitted through the form must exactly match your official business information, as listed in tax filings or other governmental records. It will be verified by a 3rd party on behalf of the major carriers. Inaccurate information will result in a registration failure and will require the registration form to be resubmitted with the correct information. 

We frequently see rejections due to the business name or address not matching official records. If you are unsure of the accuracy of your registered business information, view the tips we have on how to locate it below. 

What if I'm not located in the United States?

You will see a dropdown menu to select your state or province. If you have any trouble, message us in Spruce Support.

Business Information FAQs

What is a federal business registration number?

This is a unique identifying number assigned to your business when you register it with the federal government.

In the United States, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) uses an Employer Identification Number (EIN) which is also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number.

In Canada, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) uses a Business Identification Number (BIN).

How do I locate my federal business registration number (Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Business Identification Number (BIN))? 

Your EIN, business name, and address can be found on an SS-4 form, W-9, or filed tax documents. If you’re unable to locate any documents with your business information, visit the IRS website for how to find your business information. 

If you’re in Canada, log in to your business account to locate your BIN. 

What if I don’t have an EIN or BIN? 

The major telecom carriers require a business registration number to verify phone and SMS text traffic. Without this, you are likely to experience blocked calls and messages. If you later obtain a business registration number, we strongly recommend updating your information to include it.

How do I get an EIN or BIN?

To get an EIN in the United States, follow the instructions on the IRS website.

To get a BIN in Canada, apply via the Government of Canada website.

What business name should I use? 

You must use the official legal name of your business that matches your business registration number (EIN or BIN) if you have one. 

This may be a different name than your Spruce organization name, and what you enter in the Phone Registration form will not affect your organization name in Spruce or what your customers see when you call or message them.

What business address should I use? 

This must be a physical address and must match the business information that you've registered with tax authorities. If you are working as part of a larger organization, as an employee or independent contractor, use your personal mailing address.

The address you enter on the Phone Registration form will not affect your Spruce billing address. 

How do I locate the legal name or address of my business? 

Your EIN, business name, and address can be found on an SS-4 form, W-9, or filed tax documents. If you’re unable to locate any documents with your business information, visit the IRS website for how to find your business information. You may also be able to search your state’s Secretary of State website to locate your registered business name and address. 

If you’re in Canada, log in to your business account to locate your registered business information. 

What if I don’t have a business website? 

If you don’t have a business website, use your professional or business profile listing on a site such as ZocDoc, Yelp, or Google Maps. 

You can also use your public Spruce Health profile once it’s been completely filled out. To update your Spruce profile, go to Settings > Organization Profile. 

SMS Opt-In FAQs

What is an opt-in process?

Phone service carriers require that we collect information describing how people opt in to receiving SMS/text messages from your organization. 

There are a variety of ways to have someone opt in to receiving text messages. A few examples include:

  1. End users opt in by accepting the terms outlined in Example Brand’s organizational agreements. 
  2. End users opt in by visiting www.examplewebsite.com and adding their phone number. They then check a box agreeing to receive text messages from Example Brand.
  3. End users opt in by texting START to (111) 222-3333 to opt in.
  4. End users opt in by visiting www.examplewebsite.com and adding their phone number. They then check a box agreeing to receive text messages from Example Brand. Additionally, end users can also opt-in by texting START to (111) 222-3333 to opt in.

Spruce recommends having SMS opt-in language in your standard organizational agreements, such as your new-patient agreement. 

If you select this option during phone registration, you must ensure that your agreements include terms for SMS opt-in. 

If your terms do not yet have such language, you are free to use and adapt the following template language in your agreements:

You agree to receive (you "opt in" to receiving) SMS text messages from our organization related to services that we are providing to you. Message and data rates may apply, and message frequency varies. You may text us STOP at any time to opt out of receiving SMS text messages from us. You may text us HELP at any time to receive help.

Please Note: This template is not legal advice and is provided for general guidance ONLY. Please consult with legal counsel to consider the specifics of your situation.

Registration Fee FAQs

What is the registration fee? 

The registration fee covers industry fees required to register and verify business phone numbers. This fee is not a fee related to Spruce’s services. Spruce is collecting and passing along the fees without markup as a one-time charge per organization. 

The one-time $19 dollar registration fee includes:

  • $4 Brand Registration Fee 
  • $15 Campaign Verification Fee

The Campaign Registry, the governing body that the major telecom carriers use to track how businesses use SMS text messaging, set these non-negotiable fees. Every phone service provider, including Spruce, is subject to the Campaign Registry’s registration rules and fees.

Where does the fee go? 

The fee Spruce collects is passed along to our telecom infrastructure partner, who then pays the fee to The Campaign Registry to verify your business information. 

When do I pay the fee? 

Your organization will be charged the $19 fee after your phone registration is approved by The Campaign Registry. 

What if I transferred or ported my number to Spruce and paid a registration fee with my previous phone service provider? 

Business registration information does not transfer with your phone number when you change service providers. You will need to re-register your business through the Spruce phone registration form and pay the registration fee. 

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