Client Advisory: CTIA’s Messaging Principles and Best Practices

On January 19, 2017, CTIA issued a new guidance document developed by industry stakeholders with voluntary best practices for businesses that participate in the wireless messaging ecosystem entitled ​“Messaging Principles and Best Practices,” (Messaging Best Practices). The Messaging Best Practices present a revised approach to wireless messaging, replacing the previous SMS and MMS Interoperability Guidelines with ​“a broader, simpler and less technical set of recommendations that reflect an evolving wireless messaging ecosystem.”

Our client advisory, available here, provides an overview of the Messaging Best Practices and how the guidance applies to the various entities who participate in the messaging ecosystem by sending, receiving, routing, storing, or delivering messaging services.

The Messaging Best Practices consider the use of application-to-person (A2P) messaging and short codes, not just peer-to-peer (P2P) messaging, and account for new business models and messaging technologies. To account for the development of these new models, the Messaging Best Practices guidance focuses simply on the principle that all ecosystem participants should ensure the successful transmission of wanted messages between consumers and enterprises while minimizing the risk of unwanted messages by employing principles of fair dealing.

For additional information about the laws and rules relating to wireless messaging, please contact a member of Kelley Drye’s Communications Practice.