All you need to know about Template Registration in DLT – Phonon.io

Overview:

“Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT)” means a set of technological solutions that enables a single, sequenced, standardized and cryptographically-secured record of activities to be safely distributed to, and acted upon, by a network of varied participants and their database can be spread across multiple sites or institutions; records are stored one after the other in a continuous ledger and can only be added when the participants reach a consensus.

As per the TRAI regulation for SMS in India, Phase 2 (Template scrubbing) of the DLT platform is planned to go live from January 31, 2021 

To be compliant with DLT scrubbing guidelines and send SMS using Phonon.io, follow the steps listed below: 

As per the DLT regulations, any and all messages should fall into the below categories:

1. Transactional:

These are messages that would be sent to you as the customer and contain OTPs. These are called transactional messages since they are generated because you have initiated a transaction and requested an OTP to complete the transaction. 

The message content must contain the Brand name of the registered principal entity within the message body.

Example:

• OTP message required for completing a net-banking transaction.
• OTP message required for completing credit/debit card transactions at a merchant location.

Examples for templates:

Actual message	Required template format
Dear Customer, Your OTP for Click-to-Call request is 123456. This is valid for the next 15 minutes. Or Please give us a missed call on 02657123456 if you wish to get an instant call from Phonon representative. Thank you.	Dear Customer, Your OTP for Click-to-Call request is {#var#}. This is valid for the next 15 minutes. Or Please give us a missed call on {#var#} if you wish to get an instant call from Phonon representative. Thank you.
Dear Customer, 213566 is your OTP to process your call-back request. Phonon	Dear Customer, {#var#} is your OTP to process your call-back request.Phonon

1. Service Implicit

These are generated messages because you have initiated a transaction with a company and do not have any promotional content or implications. These are purely business or transaction-related. 

The message content must contain the Brand name of the registered principal entity within the message body.

Example:

• Confirmation messages of Net-banking and credit/debit card transactions.
• Product purchase confirmation, delivery status, etc. from e-comm websites
• Customers make payments through Payment Wallet over an E-Commerce website/mobile app and an OTP is sent to complete the transaction.
• OTPs required for e-comm website, app logins, social media apps, authentication/verification links, securities trading, Demat account operations, KYC, e-wallet registration, etc.
• Messages from TSP/ISP.
• Periodic balance info, bill generation, bill dispatch, due date reminders, recharge confirmation (DTH, cable, prepaid electricity recharge, etc.)
• Delivery notifications, updates, and periodic upgrades.
• Messages from retail stores related to the bill, warranty, school attendance/transport alerts.
• Messages from hospitals/clinics/pharmacies/radiologists/pathologists about registration, appointment, discharge, reports.
• Confirmatory messages from app-based services.
• Govt/DOT/TRAI mandated messages.
• Service updates from car workshops, repair shops, gadgets service centers.
• Directory services like Justdial, yellow pages.
• Day-end/month-end settlement alerts to securities/Demat account holders.

Examples for templates:

Actual message	Required template format
Thank you for your interest in Phonon Prestige Credit Card. We will call you within 2 working days to assist you with your application.	Thank you for your interest in Phonon Prestige Credit Card. We will call you within 2 working days to assist you with your application.
Your Phonon  credit card ending with 1234 is overdue. Your current payment record is: False. You now have over 2 payments due. Reply ‘Y’ to make a payment and reply ‘P’ to arrange a pick-up by Phonon Bank executive to 9979746666.	Your Phonon  credit card ending with {#var#} is overdue. Your current payment record is: {#var#}. You now have over 2 payments due. Reply ‘Y’ to make a payment and reply ‘P’ to arrange a pick-up by Phonon Bank executive to 9979746666

1. Service Explicit

These are messages that are generated to you as the customer after consent is received by you to send these messages. These will be sent to you only after a thorough verification process, checking that you have in fact approved such messages to be sent to you. These messages will also record your consent for future such communications.

The message content must contain the Brand name of the registered principal entity within the message body.

 Example:

• Messages to the existing customers recommending or promoting their other products or services.

Examples for templates:

Actual message	Required template format
Dear Phonon Bank customer, you are eligible for availing benefit of RBI’s Covid Restructuring scheme on your Unsecured Loan.To avail Restructuring , simply message RSTG <last 4 digits of card no> to 09979746666  from your registered mobile number,  T&C apply.	Dear Phonon Bank customer, you are eligible for availing benefit of RBI’s Covid Restructuring scheme on your Unsecured Loan.To avail Restructuring , simply message RSTG <last 4 digits of card no> to 9979746666  from your registered mobile number,  T&C apply..

1. Promotional

These are messages sent to you, knowing you are not a customer (not registered for the company’s/entity’s services) intended to promote that company’s services or products. These messages will be sent only after consent and preference scrubbing is done for your number. If you have not provided consent, then the messages will not be sent to you.

Consent overrides preferences.

The message content must contain the Brand name of the registered principal entity within the message body.

Examples for templates:

Actual message	Required template format
Dear Deepak, Your friend referred you for an Phonon card. As a special offer, you get 6000* Bonus Points and zero annual fees for the first year once approved. Please continue filling up from where you left. Thank you for showing interest in Phonon	Dear {#var#}, Your friend referred you for an Phonon  card. As a special offer, you get 6000* Bonus Points and zero annual fees for the first year once approved. Please continue filling up from where you left. Thank you for showing interest in Phonon
Smart is availing the best fares and more on the Go!Download the Phonon  mobile app and use promo code PHAPP10 to get 10%* off on bookings. T&C App	Smart is availing the best fares and more on the Go!Download the Phonon mobile app and use promo code {#var#} to get 10%* off on bookings. T&C App

Some important points to keep in mind while creating content templates are:

• 2 or more spaces are not supposed to use between 2 words, before word or afterword.
• All special characters (found on the keyboard) are allowed, except < and > symbols.
• The variable format is {#var#} which is case sensitive.
• Or variable can be inserted by clicking the radio button (insert variable) above the text box
• Trans/Service category messages should have variables mandatorily.
• Promo category can have complete fixed content or with a variable part
• There is no limitation in no. of variables per message.
• Values like amount, date, a/c no, merchant names, OTP, codes, URL, customer names, card type, etc. need to be replaced with variables.
• In case trying to upload the same template, the portal would show an error as “Template Message already registered (Template Name – ****)”
• A single SMS has a character limit of 160 characters. If your message exceeds the limit, an alert is shown on the screen allowing you to continue typing the message beyond the character limit. This message will count for 2 or more SMS
• Each variable can consist of up to 30 characters.

DOs for Content Templates:

• Use the promotional category for communications intended to send from numerical sender id only.
• The transactional category is to be used by banking enterprises only & for OTP messages during fund transfer; online payment; merchant transaction only.
• Service – explicit category needs to link consent templates as well, without which the template gets rejected.
• Choose a relevant/recognizable name for templates
• Use the message type as “TEXT” for all general messages & “Unicode” for regional messages.
• Variable {#var#} insertion to be required against values like a date; amount; a/c no; OTP; names; etc.
• Always use notepad or notepad ++ to create a template, to avoid additional spaces and invalid characters
• The minimum fixed characters required in templates is 10 characters (applicable in pure OTP messages only)
• Linking of consent templates for content template categories “promotional” & “service – explicit” is optional (not mandatory)

DON’Ts for Content Templates:

• Same content template against multiple headers.
• Header selection against irrelevant templates
• Selecting the “Transactional” category by non-banking enterprises.
• No or invalid variable format in templates.
• Using double spaces in templates (this can be pre-checked by verifying the template on notepad++ before template submission)
• Templates with less than 10 characters or variable insertion alone as a template using multiple templates (eg: Dear customer {#var#}{#var#}{#var#}.)
• Use external fonts or characters other than those that appear on the keyboard, like the example mentioned explaining the brand name field.

We hope this helps you in creating the templates in the DLT platform without any concerns.

If you require any further assistance, please feel free to drop us an email at help@phonon.io  and we will have your concerns addressed at the earliest.

Published on: Feb 3, 2021

Author: Chitraba Raj