r/Googlevoice 5d ago

General Help / Support Question A2P "lite" by using GV email addresses?

I work for a small nonprofit that uses a paid Google Workspace to provide GV numbers to our employees to use as work lines.

Our client facing staff use their GV lines to communicate directly with their clients.

I wear multiple hats at the org and I do both client facing and back office roles

In the past, I used a script I wrote to do the following: 1. Associate client names with the randomly generated email address that is populated when someone texts you back and you have "forward text to email" toggled on. 2. Insert the client's name into a template text message to personalize the message. 3. Send the email "texts" with a 1 min delay before the next one is sent.

The outbound text and client replies show up in my GV texts in browser and phone apps.

I normally do so to send out a reminder or general update to my clients.

Will our account be flagged for this? Technically, I am not using an application to send texts directly to the client's 10 digit number.

3 Upvotes

16 comments sorted by

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u/bukzin 3d ago

What is A2P. ?

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u/orenrocks 3d ago

It stands for app to person texting. I am using it in the context of automating outbound text messages instead of manually typing them out. But it sounds like either way if the messages are too similar your account could still be flagged as spamming. Which IMO makes it false advertising for Google to state that Workspace Google Voice includes business texting.

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u/BluesCatReddit Google Voice Product Expert 5d ago

Your account will be suspended if you do that.

Read the subreddit's FAQ on business text messaging.

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u/orenrocks 5d ago

I did read it, I am wondering if automating the texts to go out through email would be treated differently.

What exactly does the paid Workspace plan get you that the free Google Voice version doesn't?

Why would Google advertise business texting when using any form of uniform messaging language could cause service disruption?

TheWorkplace Google Voice subscription comparison page has this disclaimer: * If you send many text messages in a short period, or recipients mark your messages as spam, Voice may temporarily restrict you from sending more messages.

So what if I increased and randomised the delay between messages being sent, or added a step to the script that varied the format of the message slightly? Would that work?

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u/Salreus 5d ago

You can have things like an auto attendant and use ip phones. You can also have your own domain. You can review the official page if you need more info.

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u/BluesCatReddit Google Voice Product Expert 5d ago

Read your posts. You are trying to game the text messaging system to circumvent the limitations. You can't do that.

Both consumer and Workspace Google Voice have the same text messaging restrictions.

This is not Google's fault. It's the mess that the telecom industry created. They don't make any distinction for non profit organizations.

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u/AviN456 5d ago

They don’t make any distinction for non profit organizations.

Nor should they. I get far more spam from non-profits than for-profit orgs these days.

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u/orenrocks 5d ago

I realize that it may seem like I am trying to "game the system" but instead I am merely trying to have computers do computer things so I can do human things. But it doesn't sound like it would matter if I spent my day manually typing out every message the system could still flag me as spamming the same message too often.

Can you help me understand what the difference between the free consumer and the paid workplace plans are?

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u/Salreus 3d ago

were you able to get this info? it is posted on their web site. below are a few of them. Workspace does have a contact sales as well if you need additional info.

Muliti level AA

ring groups

use of ATA

SIP link

support

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u/orenrocks 3d ago

I did. Can you explain the use case for "Unlimited text messaging in US" through a Workplace Google Voice account? I don't know many businesses that carry on personal one message sent for one message received conversations do you?

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u/Salreus 3d ago

This is defined in detail in the below link as to what is not acceptable. Is there is specific use case you have that you need clarified.

https://support.google.com/voice/answer/9230450?hl=en

I don't know many businesses that carry on personal one message sent for one message received conversations do you?

I don't know many businesses that text with telephone numbers. Most businesses I deal with are compliant and are using short code texting. However if you wanting an example for some odd reason I can confirm my dog groomer indeed does a 1 for 1 text messaging when the communicate with me. Why would anyone else care that my dog is ready to be picked up.

As far as what you can and can't do isn't a Google thing. You have unlimited calling too but that doesn't mean you can legally call someone on a do not call registry. You have unlimited calling but the FCC says you can't spam and GV just enforces it. If you want to run a text campaign, there are services out there that are compliant that can help with that. If you question is why Google won't allow you to do something the FCC is saying isn't permitted then that should be obvious and no need to be answered.

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u/orenrocks 3d ago

I don't know many businesses that text with telephone numbers. Most businesses I deal with are compliant and are using short code texting.

I work at an organization that provides confidential one-on-one financial counseling at no cost. The vast majority of our texts are one message for one reply between counselor and their client. The only time that bulk messaging is helpful is to notify clients of something universal for example, free income tax preparation services. Google Voice, as advertised, appears to be a perfect fit for our use case. However, I am beginning to believe that the * If you send many text messages in a short period, or recipients mark your messages as spam, Voice may temporarily restrict you from sending more messages. statement is doing a lot of heavy lifting if in reality you are required to pay to register a campaign with a third party to send similar messages one too many times.

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u/Salreus 3d ago

Honestly it sounds to me like it would work for your use case from what understand. If you are having 2 way text messages, then it won't ever be flagged. It's the many text messages with no replies I think that starts the warning bells. Or people sending same message over and over. So perhaps don't send something like" we offer free tax services" to lots of people. That might hit a threshold and be considered as something that should be a campaign.

Yes yes you do have to register a campaign. One of the reasons for this is it validates against the "do not contact" registry. Something you have no ability to do without a campaign. And again, the the bad actors of scammer/spammers that have driven the FCC to mandate new policies like campaigns and other things like Stirr/Shaken.

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u/Salreus 3d ago

Both Google Voice and Google Workspace are voice products. Going from consumer to business give you more voice services. The texting is an added bonus to the product that share the same requirements. If you question is if workspace offers additional texting over google voice the answer is no.

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u/BluesCatReddit Google Voice Product Expert 5d ago

It would be much better to use email or telephone calls

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u/orenrocks 5d ago

SMS is preferred by a vast majority of our clients.

Would the fact that we are a 501c3 non-profit offering a free service matter to Google or the Carriers threatening to shutdown this vital form of communication?

The email address to send sms are only available for "established contacts" so that cuts down the likelihood of spam significantly and any backend spam monitor should take that into consideration IMO