Insights

Somos Launches Educational Resource to Support Growing Market for Text Enabling Toll-Free Numbers

Apr 12, 2016

Updated website provides Toll-Free Service Providers and Service Registrars with detailed information on the importance of their role in the messaging ecosystem

Bridgewater, NJ, April 12, 2016 — Somos, the provider of trusted, neutral Toll-Free registry and numbering administration services for the telecommunications industry for more than 20 years, today announced that it has unveiled a new resource on its website to educate Toll-Free Service Providers (commonly known as Resp Orgs), Messaging Providers, Messaging Aggregators and other companies on text enabling Toll-Free Numbers and the role they play in this growing market.

Today there are more than 40 million Toll-Free Numbers in use throughout North America, roughly half of which are expected to become text enabled in the next few years. Somos operates the Texting & Smart Services (TSS) Registry, the authoritative, centralized provisioning and routing database for all multimedia services associated with Toll-Free Numbers. The TSS Registry is the only formal industry-wide system that follows CTIA guidelines for validating the text enablement of Toll-Free Numbers, providing complete transparency into all communications services associated with that number.

The successful adoption of texting to Toll-Free Numbers hinges on the role of Toll-Free Service Providers who reserve, assign and manage Toll-Free Numbers. Somos has launched a new educational resource on its website at www.somos.comthat provides companies interested in text enabling Toll-Free Numbers for themselves or their customers with all the necessary information needed to help enhance value and build stronger connections.

This online resource details the value of text enabling Toll-Free Numbers, as well as an overview of the messaging ecosystem and how it functions to protect the integrity of Toll-Free Numbers. Here you will find instructions on how to connect with or become a Service Registrar. In addition, Toll-Free Service Providers can get information on the process of receiving notification and validation requests.  Overall, this resource is the latest initiative from Somos in its role upholding fairness and full transparency for the use of Toll-Free Numbers.

About Somos, Inc.:

Formerly known as SMS/800, Inc., Somos provides trusted, neutral numbering and registry administration services for the telecommunications industry. Somos operates the SMS/800 Toll-Free voice registry for administration and routing data for all Toll-Free Numbers in the North American Numbering Plan, as authorized by the Federal Communications Commission. Somos also operates the Texting and Smart Services Registry, the centralized registry for administration and routing data for Toll-Free messaging and multimedia services. Additional information is available at www.somos.com

Media Contacts:  

Michelle Larsen
Vice President, Customer Engagement
844.HEY.LARSEN
mlarsen@somos.com

Meghan Thomassen
Fuse Communications
978-421-5795
mthomassen@fusecommunications.com