SMS Compliance Guide

India DLT Registration

Quick guide to India DLT registration. Understand regulations and streamline your SMS campaigns with compliant practices as per TRAI TCCCPR 2018.

What is DLT Registration?

DLT registration stands for “Distributed Ledger Technology” registration — a mandatory process where businesses and entities involved in sending commercial communication messages (such as SMS or voice calls) register their sender IDs, headers, and content templates with telecom authorities or service providers.

As per the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulation (TCCCPR 2018), the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) requires businesses that want to send bulk SMS to register themselves on a DLT blockchain platform.

DLT uses blockchain technology to curb unsolicited message/voice communication. When a customer registers for Do Not Disturb (DND) services, their data is synchronized with all other Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in real-time through a highly secure process.

You have to provide the name of the business entity, along with the templates (messages that will be sent), headers (Sender IDs), and the consent templates. This means that there is a record for every SMS sent, which specifies the business entity sending the SMS, the actual sender name displayed, the main content of the SMS, and the nature of the consent that the SMS recipient has agreed to.

Who needs to register?

  • 1Enterprise or Principal Entity sending messages to its customers and potential customers
  • 2Telemarketer with a direct connection to the telecom operators
  • 3Aggregator that does not have a direct connection with the telecom operators

Additionally, you must provide your SMS gateway provider with the names, IDs, and PAN Card details of the authorized signatory within your business. This authorization must be provided on your official business letterhead.

Associated Costs

₹5,000 + GSTone-time fee per registration type

A standard one-time fee of ₹5,000 INR + 18% GST (₹5,900 total) is charged by telecom DLT operator portals:

  • Telemarketer (TM) Registration: Required only for CPaaS platforms/aggregators (like Tetrax) to route messages.
  • Principal Entity (PE) Registration: Required for each individual business or brand sending SMS/OTPs.

Once you register on your first DLT platform, linking/registering your entity on other operator portals (Jio, Airtel, etc.) is free.

💡 Cost-Saving Tip: Free DLT Entity RegistrationWhile portals like Jio and Airtel charge the standard ₹5,900 fee, government operators like BSNL DLT or PingConnect (Videocon DLT) frequently offer Free PE Registrations (₹0 fee). Registering your Principal Entity (PE) there for free will issue you a PE ID that is 100% compatible and works universally with Jio, Airtel, and Tetrax.

DLT Registration Steps

TRAI permits major telecom operators in India to provide DLT platforms. You have the option to register on any of the following platforms. All operators are supported, but for DLT registration, STPL, Airtel, and Jio are recommended.

Step-by-Step Registration Process

1

Choose a DLT Platform

Select one of the TRAI-approved DLT platforms listed above. STPL, Airtel, and Jio are recommended for their user-friendly interfaces and broad carrier support.

2

Register Your Principal Entity (PE)

Submit your business details including business name, PAN card, incorporation certificate, and authorized signatory information to register as a Principal Entity on the DLT platform.

3

Register Sender IDs (Headers)

After PE registration, register your sender IDs — 6-character alphanumeric headers that will appear as the sender name on SMS messages. Register separate headers for transactional and promotional traffic.

4

Register Message Templates

Submit your SMS content templates for approval. Each template must be linked to a specific sender ID and use case. Templates must be approved by the operator before you can send messages.

5

Link with Tetrax

Once your DLT registration is complete, share your PE ID, Sender IDs, and approved Template IDs with Tetrax. We configure your account for DLT-compliant SMS dispatch.

Required Documentation

The essential documents required for registration on any of the aforementioned DLT platforms include:

Mandatory Documents

  • PAN Card — Proof of Business Identification
  • Letter of Authorization (LoA) on company letterhead

Authorized Signatory

  • Board Resolution Copy, or
  • Power of Attorney (POA) of authorized person

Proof of Business Entity (any one)

Shop and Establishment Act License
GST Certificate
CIN Certificate (Certificate of Incorporation)
TAN Certificate
FSSAI License
Import and Export Registration Documents
ℹ️
Need help with documentation?If you encounter any difficulties during the registration process related to the Operator's DLT Portal platform, reach out to support@tetrax.in.

Principal Entity & PE-TM Binding

Principal Entity (PE) refers to the company or organization that is sending SMS messages to its clients and customers. It can be an individual, sole proprietor, partnership firm, or any private/public or government organization who wants to communicate with their clients using the Bulk SMS Service.

Principal Entity (PE) ID

After registration, you receive a unique 19-digit PE ID (e.g., 1401157000000000001). This ID is linked to your business and used for all subsequent Sender ID and Template registrations.

PE-TM Binding (Linking with Tetrax)

Under Indian telecom regulations, registering your own PE ID is not enough to send messages. You must also authorize Tetrax to route messages on your behalf. This is done via PE-TM Binding:

  1. Log into your DLT portal (e.g. Jio TrueConnect, Airtel DLT).
  2. Navigate to the PE-TM Binding or Telemarketer / Router mapping section.
  3. Submit a mapping request to Tetrax's Telemarketer ID (TM ID) which is displayed in your Tetrax dashboard settings.
  4. Once approved, the DLT operators link your PE ID and headers to Tetrax’s routing gateway.
HASH_ID = SHA256(YOUR_PE_ID + TETRAX_TM_ID)

Sender ID (Header)

After establishing the Principal Entity on the DLT platform, the next step involves registering Sender/Header IDs — unique identifiers that appear as the sender name on your SMS messages.

In accordance with the latest TRAI regulations, Sender ID is now referred to as Header. A Header is a unique combination of six characters that represents the brand or company name of the sender.

A-Z

Alpha Sender ID

For transactional, service implicit/explicit type of traffic.

TETRAX

6-character alphabetic header for transactional SMS

#

Numeric Sender ID

Only for promotional type of traffic.

567890

6-digit numeric header for promotional SMS

Key Requirements

  • Headers must be registered for each category of commercial communication
  • For every registered Header, a corresponding template that aligns with the category or purpose of the Header must be registered by the Principal Entity (PE)
  • Templates must be approved by the operator before messages can be sent
Tetrax SMS Platform

Already registered with DLT?

If you've completed your DLT registration and have your PE ID, Sender IDs, and Template IDs ready, you can start sending DLT-compliant SMS through Tetrax immediately. Just configure your credentials in the dashboard.

Next: Register Your Templates

Learn about DLT template types, format requirements, and best practices for template registration.

DLT Templates Guide →

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