Help Center
Welcome to the Help Center!
Thank you for visiting the Somos Virtual Help Center! Here you can get the quick answers you need to common questions when you explore our FAQ section. Additionally, you’ll have access to valuable resources that can help you navigate the SMS/800 Toll-Free Number (TFN) Registry, Texting & Smart Services (TSS) Registry, and more. Start making the most of your Toll-Free user experience now!
FAQs
Somos is a leading provider of trusted registry management and data solutions. Our mission is to empower more intimate and trusted interconnections between brands, consumers, and communities. A total customer focus is reflected in everything we do – working collaboratively to build market value and creatively resolve industry problems.
Somos serves as the North American Numbering Plan Administrator and the Pooling Administrator for over 800 million local and wireless telephone numbers, and operates the SMS/800 Toll-Free Number (TFN) Registry for over 40 Million Toll-Free Numbers in North America. Other Somos solutions include the Texting & Smart Services (TSS) Registry, the centralized registry for the use of Toll-Free Numbers in text messaging and multimedia services; and RouteLink, the alternative solution for accessing authoritative Toll-Free routing data. To learn more about Somos, please visit www.somos.com.
The cost is determined in an agreement between you and your Toll-Free Service Provider.
If you have a problem with a company providing these services, you should first try to resolve your complaint with the company providing the service or the company billing for the service. If you are unsuccessful in resolving the problem, you may call the FCC at 888-CALL-FCC or visit their website at www.fcc.gov.
A Toll-Free Service Provider (also known as a Responsible Organization or Resp Org) is any person, company, or organization that manages Toll-Free Numbers in the SMS/800 TFN Registry.
The FCC regulates or sets the rules under which Toll-Free Numbers can be used or obtained. The FCC requires that Toll-Free Numbers be portable, meaning that a subscriber can “port” a number when changing Toll-Free Service Providers. The FCC’s rules designate the criteria for determining the status of each Toll-Free Number, and prohibit “warehousing” and “hoarding” of numbers.
The Toll-Free Service Provider application process was developed to preserve the trust and integrity behind Toll-Free Numbers. It entails an online application process, training, and the successful completion of an exam on Toll-Free Industry practices.
To become a Toll-Free Service Provider follow the 3 steps below:
Step 1: Apply Online Today
Submit an online Service Establishment application and make a one-time deposit. Deposits are returned after one year of prompt payments with Somos. Click here for more information:
Step 2: Train with an Instructor or on your Own
Attend our in-person 5-day SMS/800 TFN Registry class or self-train with materials about Toll-Free standards and advancements.
Our class covers these topics and more:
- SMS/800 TFN Registry overview
- General best practices
- Diagnostic and service maintenance
Click here for a Class Schedule.
Step 3: Take your Test and Certify
After you complete the SMS/800 TFN Registry class, you will be scheduled to take an exam on your knowledge of customer records, number administration, and service provisioning. After you complete and pass this exam, you’ll be certified as a Toll-Free Service Provider.
By becoming a Toll-Free Service Provider (also known as a Responsible Organization or Resp Org), your organization would have access to the SMS/800 TFN Registry and would be able to reserve and maintain your own Toll-Free Number(s) without relying on another company.
Toll-Free Numbers allow callers to reach businesses and/or individuals without being charged for the call. The charge for using a Toll-Free Number is paid by the called party (the Toll-Free Subscriber) instead of the calling party. Calls to Toll-Free Numbers can be routed to any business or personal telephone line.
There are 7 Toll-Free area codes: 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, and 833.
Visit this page for a listing of Toll-Free Service Providers.
Any person or company who wants to obtain a Toll-Free Number should contact a Toll-Free Service Provider. Toll-Free Service Providers have access to the SMS/800 TFN Registry which shows the current status of all Toll-Free Numbers. Unassigned Toll-Free Numbers can be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.
A vanity number is a Toll-Free Number that also spells a name such as a person or company. For example, 888-639-2277 spells 888-NEW CARS. Toll-Free Service Providers can help you find available vanity numbers that support your brand, campaign, or message. Visit the Find a Toll-Free Number page for a listing of Toll-Free Service Providers.
You will not need to get a new Toll-Free Number if you change your Toll-Free Service Provider. Number portability means that Toll-Free Subscribers can change providers without having to obtain a new Toll-Free Number.
Click here to begin the registration process.
The Toll-Free Service Provider application process was developed to preserve the trust and integrity behind Toll-Free Numbers. It entails an online application process, training, and the successful completion of an exam on Toll-Free Industry practices.
To become a Toll-Free Service Provider follow the 3 steps below:
Step 1: Apply Online Today
Submit an online Service Establishment application and make a one-time deposit. Deposits are returned after one year of prompt payments with Somos. Click here for more information:
Step 2: Train with an Instructor or on your Own
Attend our in-person 5-day SMS/800 TFN Registry class or self-train with materials about Toll-Free standards and advancements.
Our class covers these topics and more:
- SMS/800 TFN Registry overview
- General best practices
- Diagnostic and service maintenance
Click here for a Class Schedule.
Step 3: Take your Test and Certify
After you complete the SMS/800 TFN Registry class, you will be scheduled to take an exam on your knowledge of customer records, number administration, and service provisioning. After you complete and pass this exam, you’ll be certified as a Toll-Free Service Provider.
Becoming a Toll-Free Service Provider allows your company direct access to the SMS/800 TFN Registry to reserve and maintain your own Toll-Free Number(s). Companies that often choose to become Toll-Free Service Providers are those who provide communications services to their customers or are large-scale users of communications services.
The TSS Registry is the centralized database of all text enabled Toll-Free Numbers.
A Service Registrar is an organization who is certified to text enable Toll-Free Numbers through the TSS Registry.
As with any competitive communications service, it is essential to have an authoritative registry – administered by a neutral entity – to indicate which service provider is associated with each text enabled Toll-Free Number. The TSS Registry also provides routing information so that text messages are directed to the proper Toll-Free Number every time.
The TSS Registry operates independently from the SMS/800 TFN Registry but interacts with it to provide confirmation that Toll-Free Numbers are working before the system accepts a text enablement request. The TSS Registry also notifies the Resp Org of record when new service enablement requests are made, and the Resp Org will have the opportunity to review the request.
Yes. Service Registrars receive a monthly invoice from Somos based on a count of text enabled Toll-Free Numbers in the TSS Registry. For more details on pricing, click here. If you are accessing the TSS Registry as a Resp Org to respond to text enablement request notifications, there is no cost. For more details on how Resp Orgs interact with the TSS Registry, click here.
Yes, an API is available that can help automate the provisioning process. Click here for more details.
The Primary Contact of Toll-Free Service Providers (Resp Orgs) have an account in the TSS Registry in order to respond to request notices. Click here to learn more about responding to pending text enablement requests and the Resp Orgs' role. Additional accounts can be created in the TSS Registry; please call or text our Help Desk at 844.HEY.SOMOS (844.439.7666), Option 1 if you need assistance creating additional accounts.
Yes, an API is available that can help automate the review process and provide visibility into text enabled Toll-Free Numbers. Click here for more details.
Yes, a Toll-Free Service Provider (Resp Org) can become a Service Registrar! Click here to get started or email the TSS Registry team at texting@somos.com.
To access your TSS Registry account for the first time, please follow the simple steps outlined below. Step 1: Visit texting.somos.com. Step 2: Click on Forgot your Password? Step 3: Enter in your Email Address and click Submit. Step 4: If you already have an account established, you will receive an automatically generated password reset email from Somos. Visit texting.somos.com to log in with your email address and temporary password. Step 5: Once logged into the Registry, click on Settings and then Profile. Step 6: On the Profile screen, you will have the option to reset your password for permanent use. Click on the Reset Password radio button and enter in (and confirm) your new password. Click Save. Your account has now been activated! Please call or text our Help Desk at 844.HEY.SOMOS (844.439.7666), Option 1 if you need assistance accessing your account.
Visit texting.somos.com to log into the TSS Registry. If this is your first time logging in, please click on the “Forgot your Password” link on the page to reset your password for use.
Click here to get started or email the TSS Registry team at texting@somos.com.
Companies that offer texting on Toll-Free Numbers (whom we call Service Registrars) can enable and set up routing in the TSS Registry on behalf of their customers. The TSS Registry then performs a series of validations to ensure that the integrity of the Toll-Free Number is maintained across all communication types (voice, texting, etc.). Once the validations are completed and the request is authorized by the Resp Org of record, the TSS Registry distributes the text routing information to message Routing Database Providers who serve mobile-network operators for message routing.
We are here to help! You can contact a member of the TSS Registry team at tsshelp@somos.com or you can call or text our Help Desk at 844.HEY.SOMOS (844.439.7666), Option 1.
As the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) -appointed administrator in North America, Somos is focused on maintaining the vitality and integrity of all Toll-Free services. Our members include over 479 Toll-Free Service Providers (also known as Responsible Organizations (Resp Orgs)) and have relied on us for over 20 years to provide a reliable and unbiased system that supports number reservation, accurate routing information, and the expert management of all Toll-Free Numbers.
There is no cost to the Toll-Free Service Provider (Resp Org), only the Service Registrar. Service Registrars will pay a monthly fee for each Toll-Free Number entered into the registry. As a Resp Org, you may choose to become a Service Registrar in order to provide both voice and texting service on your Toll-Free Numbers. Learn more about becoming a Service Registrar here.
RouteLink is available through 3 different subscriber models: Direct Subscriber, Authorized Distributer and Authorized OEM. Contact a RouteLink team member today at routelink@somos.com to learn more.
Contact a RouteLink team member today at routelink@somos.com to learn more about RouteLink's subscription models and pricing.
To become a RouteLink Direct Subscriber, you will need to complete the On-boarding Checklist, review and agree to the RouteLink User Agreement and certify your RouteLink Application Programming Interface (API) implementation. Contact a RouteLink team member today at routelink@somos.com to get started!
You may acquire additional API connections up to the limit established in the RouteLink User Agreement. You can acquire additional API clients through your existing RouteLink account.
Yes, there is a sandbox environment where developers can test the RouteLink API before signing up for the service. Visit https://routelink.somos.com/create_account.html to create a sandbox account. Note: The sandbox environment only contains testing data.
How do I access the RouteLink Service? RouteLink is accessible through an Application Programming Interface (API). Access to an API connection to receive RouteLink Toll-Free routing data is granted when you find the right model that fits the best for you. Click here to find the perfect fit!
RouteLink is a service that provides direct access to authoritative Toll-Free routing data. RouteLink subscribers receive a local copy of Toll-Free routing data from the SMS/800 Toll-Free Number (TFN) Registry, which is constantly updated in near-real-time through an Application Programming Interface (API) connection.
The local copy of Toll-Free routing data allows companies to access routing data without having to leave their networks – this helps to minimize call setup latency. By having access to Toll-Free routing data through RouteLink, customers can apply their network intelligence, and perform analytics to identify the lowest cost routing alternative between the originating carrier and the terminating carrier, reducing the routing cost for Toll-Free calls.
Our team is here to help! Call or text or Help Desk at 844.HEY.SOMOS (844.439.7666), Option 1 or email us at routelink@somos.com.
Requests & Resources
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Requests
Click here to establish your Responsible Organization or Service Control Point.
Voice - TFN Registry
Read through this document for a step-by-step guide on submitting requests.
Follow this handy checklist to establish a Responsible Organization or Service Control Point.
Somos is the holder of the SMS/800 TFN Registry Functions Tariff for the management and administration of Toll-Free Numbers. It's a responsibility we take seriously.
Access video tutorials, Resp Org documents and more on the Somos Portal Website. Valid login credentials are required to access this resource.
Follow this link to gain access to current API documentation. Valid login credentials are required to access this resource.
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Messaging - TSS Registry
For a Responsible Organization that believes its Toll-Free Numbers have been text-enabled without its permission.
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