{"id":1231,"date":"2024-09-24T18:44:17","date_gmt":"2024-09-24T13:14:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/?p=1231"},"modified":"2025-10-06T18:33:18","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T13:03:18","slug":"url-whitelisting-for-sms-messages-starting-october-1-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/url-whitelisting-for-sms-messages-starting-october-1-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"URL Whitelisting for SMS Messages Starting October 1, 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From October 1st, 2024, telecom operators will begin implementing a strict policy for scrubbing message content containing URLs. Any URL that is not pre-approved or whitelisted will result in the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\">bulk SMS<\/a><\/strong> message being blocked by the operators. To ensure smooth delivery of your messages, it\u2019s essential to follow the URL whitelisting guidelines provided below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/bulk_sms_messages_url_whitelisting.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/bulk_sms_messages_url_whitelisting-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Bulk SMS Messages URL Whitelisting\" class=\"wp-image-1236\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/bulk_sms_messages_url_whitelisting-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/bulk_sms_messages_url_whitelisting-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/bulk_sms_messages_url_whitelisting-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/bulk_sms_messages_url_whitelisting.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">URL Whitelisting Process<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Static URL Whitelisting:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>URLs must start with <code>http:\/\/<\/code>, <code>https:\/\/<\/code>, or <code>www<\/code>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Example: <code>https:\/\/www.yourcompany.com\/products<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The URL should not include query strings (e.g., <code>?<\/code>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Redirect URLs will be rejected during the approval process.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Dynamic URL Whitelisting:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Dynamic URLs must start with <code>http:\/\/<\/code>, <code>https:\/\/<\/code>, or <code>www<\/code>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Only whitelist the static part of the URL up to the <code>?<\/code>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Example: <code>https:\/\/www.yourcompany.com\/products?src=web<\/code> should be submitted as <code>https:\/\/www.yourcompany.com\/products?<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>URLs that redirect will be rejected.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Short URL Whitelisting:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Short URLs must start with <code>http:\/\/<\/code>, <code>https:\/\/<\/code>, or <code>www<\/code>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Example: <code>https:\/\/cmp.ly\/HEADER\/abc123<\/code> &#8211; Here, <code>https:\/\/cmp.ly\/HEADER\/<\/code> should be whitelisted.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\">SMS Gateway Center<\/a><\/strong> users, whitelist short URLs as <code>https:\/\/sgc.im\/HEADER\/<\/code>, where <code>HEADER<\/code> is your template header.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>App URL Whitelisting:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>URLs must end with <code>.apk<\/code> for Android apps or <code>.ipa<\/code> for iOS apps.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Example: <code>https:\/\/www.company.com\/app\/appname.apk<\/code> or <code>https:\/\/www.company.com\/app\/appname.ipa<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>URLs that redirect will be rejected.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Social\/OTT URL Whitelisting:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>URLs must start with <code>http:\/\/<\/code>, <code>https:\/\/<\/code>, or <code>www<\/code>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Example: <code>https:\/\/instagram.com\/company<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Redirect URLs will be rejected.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For any queries or assistance with the whitelisting process, please contact us at contact@smsgatewaycenter.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>How do I whitelist a dynamic URL that doesn\u2019t end with a <code>?<\/code>?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Only the part of the URL ending with a <code>?<\/code> will be considered dynamic. If it ends differently, use a URL shortener.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>What if a dynamic URL has variable values before the <code>?<\/code>?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The URL will be considered static. Whitelist only the part up to the <code>?<\/code>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Can dynamic URLs end with <code>\/<\/code> instead of <code>?<\/code>?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No, only URLs ending with <code>?<\/code> are considered dynamic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>How do I whitelist a short URL?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Include the static portion of the URL along with the template header.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Can I use multiple headers with one template?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Each header needs a separate short URL for whitelisting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Are third-party URL shorteners like Bitly and Cuttly allowed?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Yes, provided they start with <code>http:\/\/<\/code>, <code>https:\/\/<\/code>, or <code>www<\/code> and end with your template header.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>What happens if the short URL exceeds 30 characters after adding the header and variable?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The final URL must not exceed 30 characters. Adjust the short URL accordingly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>How do I whitelist URLs using SMSGatewayCenter\u2019s shortening feature?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Whitelist <code>https:\/\/sgc.im\/HEADER\/<\/code>, where <code>HEADER<\/code> matches your template header.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Are static or dynamic URLs that redirect allowed?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No, redirect URLs will not be considered for whitelisting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>How do I whitelist a dynamic short URL?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The operator will scrub the URL up to the header. For example, <code>https:\/\/cmp.ny\/HEADER\/abc123<\/code> should be whitelisted as <code>https:\/\/cmp.ny\/HEADER\/<\/code>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Will the October 1st, 2024 deadline for URL whitelisting be extended?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Currently, there is no indication of an extension.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Does the deadline apply to callback numbers and email addresses?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No, the deadline is only for URL whitelisting. The deadline for callback numbers and email addresses is not yet set.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Do we need to whitelist URLs with all operators?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Whitelisting with one operator will suffice. It will sync with the DLT platform and be shared across all operators.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>How do we pre-tag URLs to pre-registered templates?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Once a CTA is whitelisted, it will automatically apply across all existing and new templates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Is there any impact if the message content does not contain a URL?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No, only messages with URLs (CTA) will be affected.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>What is the turnaround time (TAT) for URL whitelisting?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The expected timeline is 24 to 48 working hours post-submission.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Do we need to take any action on existing SMS templates with variables instead of links?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No further action is required after the CTA is whitelisted with the DLT operators.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>If we use Vodafone\/BSNL DLT\u2019s URL shortening service, will the URL be shortened further on the SMSGatewayCenter platform?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No. All short URLs should contain the header linked to the template.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Are <code>www<\/code> or <code>https<\/code> mandatory when whitelisting URLs?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Yes, all URLs must start with <code>www<\/code>, <code>http:\/\/<\/code>, or <code>https:\/\/<\/code> for whitelisting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>What if we have more than 5 URLs for whitelisting on Airtel\u2019s DLT portal?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Airtel allows up to 5 URLs at a time. Additional URLs can be submitted in batches of 5.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By adhering to these guidelines, you can ensure your messages are delivered without interruption. Stay compliant and keep your communications flowing smoothly! For any assistance, please reach out to our support team at contact@smsgatewaycenter.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Whitelist CTA Documents: A Step-by-Step Guide for Jio Portal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/jio_cta_whitelisting_user_guide_v21_2_1.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of jio_cta_whitelisting_user_guide_v21_2_1.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-6e059aca-0299-45a0-a420-6e62f833daf1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/jio_cta_whitelisting_user_guide_v21_2_1.pdf\">jio_cta_whitelisting_user_guide_v21_2_1<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/jio_cta_whitelisting_user_guide_v21_2_1.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-6e059aca-0299-45a0-a420-6e62f833daf1\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Whitelist CTA Documents: A Step-by-Step Guide for BSNL Portal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/bsnl_cta_whitelisting_user_manual.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of bsnl_cta_whitelisting_user_manual.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-a8eb088b-7631-4912-a664-454924d3c453\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/bsnl_cta_whitelisting_user_manual.pdf\">bsnl_cta_whitelisting_user_manual<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/bsnl_cta_whitelisting_user_manual.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-a8eb088b-7631-4912-a664-454924d3c453\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Whitelist CTA Documents: A Step-by-Step Guide for VI Portal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/vodafone_idea_cta_whitelisting_user_manual.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of vodafone_idea_cta_whitelisting_user_manual.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-f487f9fb-9ce7-4437-ba6f-835acdc052db\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/vodafone_idea_cta_whitelisting_user_manual.pdf\">vodafone_idea_cta_whitelisting_user_manual<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/vodafone_idea_cta_whitelisting_user_manual.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-f487f9fb-9ce7-4437-ba6f-835acdc052db\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Whitelist CTA Documents: A Step-by-Step Guide for TATA Portal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/tata_telecom_url_whitelisting_procedure.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of tata_telecom_url_whitelisting_procedure.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-03bcd79e-3dd8-4e66-9a94-c84d21d741e7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/tata_telecom_url_whitelisting_procedure.pdf\">tata_telecom_url_whitelisting_procedure<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/tata_telecom_url_whitelisting_procedure.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-03bcd79e-3dd8-4e66-9a94-c84d21d741e7\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From October 1st, 2024, telecom operators will begin implementing a strict policy for scrubbing message content containing URLs. Any URL that is not pre-approved or whitelisted will result in the bulk SMS message being blocked by the operators. To ensure smooth delivery of your messages, it\u2019s essential to follow the URL whitelisting guidelines provided below. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":118,"featured_media":1236,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1250,1253,915,1244,27,1251,1245,1243,1247,1249,1246,445,1252,1248,1240],"class_list":["post-1231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sms-gateway-news","tag-avoid-sms-message-drops","tag-dlt-guidelines","tag-dlt-operators","tag-dlt-url-whitelisting","tag-sms-gateway-center","tag-sms-marketing-compliance","tag-sms-message-compliance","tag-sms-template-whitelisting","tag-sms-url-regulations","tag-sms-url-scrubbing","tag-sms-url-whitelisting","tag-smsgatewaycenter","tag-telecom-regulations","tag-url-whitelist-guidelines","tag-url-whitelisting"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1231","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/118"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1231"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1231\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1236"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1231"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1231"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smsgatewaycenter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1231"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}