Every sender type goes live in the same five steps: pick it, verify the business, get the use case approved, launch on each network, then send. "Approved" in one system rarely means live everywhere, and a live sender can still be suspended.
US 10DLC long code. An ordinary ten-digit US number used for A2P, registered at The Campaign Registry (TCR) under a brand (the legal entity, keyed by its EIN, the US tax ID) and a campaign (one use case). Cheap and two-way; a vetting score sets throughput.
Toll-free. 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888 numbers (822 is assigned but not launched yet). Text-enabled in Somos's TSS Registry, and can send only after toll-free verification (TFV), a per-number review of the business and its opt-in flow.
Short code. A 5 or 6 digit code you lease, never own, from the CTIA-overseen Short Code Registry (US) or the Canadian Telecommunications Association. Every carrier approves every program.
Alphanumeric sender ID ("alpha"). A brand name of up to 11 characters instead of a number. One-way, and never allowed in the US or Canada. Providers' country guides show three patterns: dynamic, where any ID goes (Germany, France, the UK outside protected IDs); pre-registered (India, Singapore, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Australia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Mexico if you want the ID kept); and not supported, where the carrier swaps in a number or short code (Colombia, Argentina, Chile).
International long code. A number abroad. Most are voice-only, and mobile ranges are often kept for individuals (France has reserved 06 and 07 for them since 2023, according to ARCEP, the French regulator). Buying one usually takes a regulatory bundle: a local address, company documents, sometimes a local entity.
RCS agent. RCS (Rich Communication Services) runs inside the phone's own texting app; Google renamed its business side "RCS for Business" in September 2025. The sender is an agent with a name, logo, colors and a verified check, launched carrier by carrier, with an SMS sender behind it as fallback.
WhatsApp sender. A phone number on Meta's Cloud API, inside a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA), inside a Meta business portfolio. Recipients see a reviewed display name. Outside a 24-hour customer service window, only pre-approved templates go out. Meta is the network.
Voice caller ID. The number on an outbound call plus whatever the receiving carrier shows with it: a STIR/SHAKEN attestation (the originating provider's signed claim about the caller), a CNAM caller name, a label like "Spam Likely", or branded calling with a name, logo and reason (CTIA's Branded Calling ID, live at T-Mobile and, since September 15, 2025, Verizon).
I'd pick the sender before anything else, because it decides who approves you, how long that takes and what the recipient sees.
The sender types side by side
Sender
Two-way
Branded
Throughput
Time to go live
Cost shape
Where it works
US 10DLC long code
Yes
No, shows the number
AT&T 75 to 4,500 SMS/min per campaign; T-Mobile 2,000 to 200,000/day per brand; both set by vet score
Days; campaign review takes 3 to 5 business days
TCR: a few dollars per brand, optional vet roughly $40-100, about $10/mo per campaign; plus number rent and a carrier fee per segment
US recipients, including from Canadian numbers
Toll-free
Yes
No, shows an 8XX number
3 to 20 messages/sec depending on provider
3 business days to 3 weeks
Number rent plus carrier fees; no TCR fees
US and Canada
Short code
Yes
Partly: a memorable code
Highest of the number types
US 2 to 4 weeks (registry) or 8 to 12 (providers); Canada 3 to 6 weeks after a weekly review
US roughly $500-1,000/mo, prepaid per term; Canada a few hundred CAD/mo; carrier setup fees
One country per code
Alphanumeric sender ID
No
Yes, up to 11 characters
Set by route and carrier
Instant if dynamic; 5 business days (Singapore) to about 10 weeks (Brazil) if registered
Per message by destination; some markets charge to register
Most of Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa; overwritten in Colombia, Argentina, Chile; never US or Canada
International long code
Often domestic only; many are voice-only
No
Low, country-specific
Days to weeks (regulatory bundle)
Monthly rent plus per message by destination
Country by country
RCS agent
Yes, but the agent starts the thread
Yes: name, logo, colors, check
Per carrier; unpublished
1 to 3 business days per Google-managed carrier; carrier-managed varies
Carrier rate cards per message, conversation or session; US replies billable; plus SMS fallback
Android and iPhone (iOS 18+) where the carrier enabled it
WhatsApp sender
Yes; templates only outside the 24-hour window
Reviewed display name; optional blue check
80 to 1,000 msgs/sec per number; 250 to unlimited users per 24h per portfolio
Minutes to days
Per delivered message by category and country; service replies charged since Oct 1, 2026
Wherever users have WhatsApp; no marketing templates to US numbers
Voice caller ID
Yes
Only with branded calling or CNAM
Limited by reputation
Same day; reputation takes longer
Number rent plus per minute; branded calling per call
Numbers you're authorized to use
US 10DLC long code
Two-way
Yes
Branded
No, shows the number
Throughput
AT&T 75 to 4,500 SMS/min per campaign; T-Mobile 2,000 to 200,000/day per brand; both set by vet score
Time to go live
Days; campaign review takes 3 to 5 business days
Cost shape
TCR: a few dollars per brand, optional vet roughly $40-100, about $10/mo per campaign; plus number rent and a carrier fee per segment
Where it works
US recipients, including from Canadian numbers
Toll-free
Two-way
Yes
Branded
No, shows an 8XX number
Throughput
3 to 20 messages/sec depending on provider
Time to go live
3 business days to 3 weeks
Cost shape
Number rent plus carrier fees; no TCR fees
Where it works
US and Canada
Short code
Two-way
Yes
Branded
Partly: a memorable code
Throughput
Highest of the number types
Time to go live
US 2 to 4 weeks (registry) or 8 to 12 (providers); Canada 3 to 6 weeks after a weekly review
Cost shape
US roughly $500-1,000/mo, prepaid per term; Canada a few hundred CAD/mo; carrier setup fees
Where it works
One country per code
Alphanumeric sender ID
Two-way
No
Branded
Yes, up to 11 characters
Throughput
Set by route and carrier
Time to go live
Instant if dynamic; 5 business days (Singapore) to about 10 weeks (Brazil) if registered
Cost shape
Per message by destination; some markets charge to register
Where it works
Most of Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa; overwritten in Colombia, Argentina, Chile; never US or Canada
International long code
Two-way
Often domestic only; many are voice-only
Branded
No
Throughput
Low, country-specific
Time to go live
Days to weeks (regulatory bundle)
Cost shape
Monthly rent plus per message by destination
Where it works
Country by country
RCS agent
Two-way
Yes, but the agent starts the thread
Branded
Yes: name, logo, colors, check
Throughput
Per carrier; unpublished
Time to go live
1 to 3 business days per Google-managed carrier; carrier-managed varies
Cost shape
Carrier rate cards per message, conversation or session; US replies billable; plus SMS fallback
Where it works
Android and iPhone (iOS 18+) where the carrier enabled it
WhatsApp sender
Two-way
Yes; templates only outside the 24-hour window
Branded
Reviewed display name; optional blue check
Throughput
80 to 1,000 msgs/sec per number; 250 to unlimited users per 24h per portfolio
Time to go live
Minutes to days
Cost shape
Per delivered message by category and country; service replies charged since Oct 1, 2026
Where it works
Wherever users have WhatsApp; no marketing templates to US numbers
Voice caller ID
Two-way
Yes
Branded
Only with branded calling or CNAM
Throughput
Limited by reputation
Time to go live
Same day; reputation takes longer
Cost shape
Number rent plus per minute; branded calling per call
Where it works
Numbers you're authorized to use
Carriers and regulators don't publish 10DLC and toll-free throughput, review times, alpha lead times or the rule for Canadian numbers; those come from providers. Prices are rough and as of October 2026.