DLT Registered SMS for India, Sent From Com.Bot

The complete guide

DLT Registered SMS for India, Sent From Com.Bot: everything you need to know

What is DLT registered SMS for India?

Short answer: DLT registered SMS for India means a business registers its entity, its six-character sender ID such as LUMASK, and every message template on a DLT platform before sending commercial SMS to Indian mobile numbers. Templates use {#var#} placeholders. Com.Bot supports SMS only in India and is fully DLT compliant, so you send from the same platform as your other channels.

DLT registered SMS for India means every business that sends SMS to Indian mobile numbers must first register on a DLT platform. DLT stands for Distributed Ledger Technology, and it is the system TRAI uses to keep commercial SMS accountable. Three things get registered: the business entity, the sender ID or header, and each message template. Only after that can your messages be delivered.

The sender ID is a six-character header, for example LUMASK. It appears as the sender on the customer's phone. Every template you send is also registered, and variable parts of the message are written as {#var#} placeholders. This makes commercial SMS traceable and gives customers a clear idea of who is messaging them.

Com.Bot supports SMS only in India, and it is fully DLT compliant. You do not need to stitch together a separate SMS vendor and a separate WhatsApp tool. You register your DLT details, build your templates and send from the same platform where your WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and RCS conversations already live.

• Entity registration identifies your business on a DLT platform
• Header is a six-character sender ID such as LUMASK
• Every template is registered before it can be sent
• Variables in templates use the {#var#} format
• SMS on Com.Bot is available in India only

Why send DLT registered SMS for India from Com.Bot?

Short answer: Sending DLT registered SMS from Com.Bot keeps SMS and WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and RCS in one platform with a shared team inbox, so your team does not switch tools. Com.Bot is an official Meta Business Partner used by 50,000+ active customers, including 100+ government bodies. Plans are billed quarterly, starting at Silver $149 or ₹10,000 per quarter, with SMS message charges billed separately.

Most Indian businesses already use WhatsApp for customer conversations. Adding SMS gives you a second notification and marketing channel for people who may not be active on WhatsApp, or for moments when a plain text message is the fastest way to reach someone. Com.Bot keeps both channels in one platform, so your team is not switching between tools.

Com.Bot is an official Meta Business Partner with direct WhatsApp Business API integration, and it also supports Instagram DMs, Facebook Messenger, Google RCS and a website chat widget. SMS sits alongside those channels. You can run a WhatsApp campaign, send a DLT registered SMS reminder and manage replies in the same shared team inbox.

The platform is used by 50,000+ active customers, including 100+ government bodies, across 50+ countries, and processes 100M+ messages a day. Plans are billed quarterly, starting at Silver $149 or ₹10,000 per quarter in India. SMS message charges are billed separately from the plan, and you can ask the Com.Bot team for current rates.

• One platform for SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and RCS
• Shared team inbox with multiple agents and role-based access
• Visual bot builder and AI chatbots for follow-up conversations
• Contacts CRM with up to 1M to 5M contacts by plan
• No monthly conversation cap on your plan

How do you set up DLT registered SMS in Com.Bot?

Short answer: Setting up DLT registered SMS in Com.Bot starts with DLT registration of your business entity, six-character sender ID and each template, written with {#var#} placeholders. You then add those details to Com.Bot, create templates, choose the category, and build an audience from your contacts CRM. Because SMS on Com.Bot is one-way, include a link, phone number or wa.me link when a reply is needed.

Setup starts with DLT registration. You register your business entity, your six-character sender ID and each message template on a DLT platform. Templates are written with {#var#} placeholders where you want to insert names, order numbers, amounts or dates. Once approved, those details are added to Com.Bot so your sends are compliant.

Inside Com.Bot, you create your SMS templates and choose the category: promotional, transactional or service, or OTP. Promotional SMS goes only to numbers that are not on the DND or NCPR registry, and within TRAI-permitted hours. Service and OTP messages can go to all numbers. You then build your audience from your contacts CRM or import a list of opted-in numbers.

Because SMS on Com.Bot is one-way, every message that needs a response should include a link, a phone number or a wa.me WhatsApp link. For example, a promotional SMS can end with a wa.me link that opens a WhatsApp chat with your business. That way the customer replies on WhatsApp, where your team can answer in the shared inbox.

• Register entity, header and templates on a DLT platform
• Write templates with {#var#} variables for personalization
• Choose promotional, transactional or service, or OTP category
• Add a link, phone number or wa.me link when a reply is needed
• Send from Com.Bot and track delivery in the platform

What are the DLT and DND rules for SMS in India?

Short answer: DLT rules require the business entity, sender ID and every message template to be registered before sending, with templates using {#var#} variables and a clear category: promotional, transactional, service or OTP. Promotional SMS goes only to numbers not on the DND (NCPR) registry and within TRAI-permitted hours, while service and OTP messages can reach all numbers.

DLT rules require that the business entity, sender ID and every message template are registered before sending. Templates must use the {#var#} format for variable content. The message category matters: promotional, transactional or service, and OTP. Sending promotional content through a service or transactional template is a common mistake and can get your messages blocked or your header flagged.

DND, also called NCPR, is the Do Not Disturb registry. Promotional SMS can only be sent to numbers that are not on the DND registry, and only within TRAI-permitted hours. Service and OTP messages can be sent to all numbers because they relate to a transaction or authentication the customer is already part of. If you are unsure whether a message is promotional or service, treat it as promotional unless it clearly updates an existing order, booking or account.

SMS is plain text and each segment is 160 GSM characters. Long messages are split into multiple segments. SMS is simply another channel you choose to use when it fits the message and the audience.

• Entity, header and templates must be DLT registered
• Promotional SMS goes only to non-DND numbers in permitted hours
• Service and OTP messages can reach all numbers
• Templates use {#var#} variables and a clear category
• SMS is one-way and plain text, 160 GSM characters per segment

When should you use SMS versus WhatsApp or RCS?

Short answer: Use SMS for simple text-only messages like OTPs, delivery alerts, payment reminders and short promotions, especially for customers who may not use WhatsApp. Use WhatsApp when customers need to reply, pay or continue a conversation, and Google RCS for rich branded messages on supported Android phones. A common mix is sending a DLT registered SMS with a wa.me link, then continuing on WhatsApp.

Use SMS when you need a simple, text-only message that reaches a customer who may not have WhatsApp or may not be active there. It works well for OTPs, delivery alerts, payment reminders and short promotional notes. SMS is also useful for reaching customers who have opted in but have not interacted with your WhatsApp business number.

Use WhatsApp when the customer needs to reply, choose options, make a payment or continue a conversation. WhatsApp Business API supports approved templates for business-initiated messages, and when a customer replies, a 24-hour customer service window opens for free-form replies. Com.Bot also supports native payments and payment collection on WhatsApp, a commerce store with cart recovery, and order and delivery notifications.

Use Google RCS when you want rich messages with a branded sender, images, carousels and suggested reply buttons on supported Android devices. RCS needs agent verification before launch. A practical mix is to send a DLT registered SMS with a wa.me link, then continue the conversation on WhatsApp or RCS where the customer can tap, reply and buy.

• SMS for plain text alerts, OTPs and short promotions
• WhatsApp for replies, payments, commerce and support
• RCS for rich branded messages on supported Android phones
• Use a wa.me link in SMS to move replies to WhatsApp

What mistakes should you avoid with DLT SMS?

Short answer: Avoid sending promotional content through a service or transactional template, and never send a template before it is DLT registered or use variables outside the {#var#} format. Do not treat SMS as two-way: SMS on Com.Bot is one-way, with no reply keywords, STOP replies or SMS inbox. Respect DND and TRAI-permitted hours for promotions, and message only opted-in contacts.

The biggest mistake is sending promotional content through a service or transactional template. DLT categories exist for a reason, and mismatched content can lead to blocks. Another common error is forgetting to register a template before sending it, or using variables outside the {#var#} format. Always register first, then send.

A second mistake is treating SMS as a two-way channel. SMS on Com.Bot is one-way. Customers cannot reply to the SMS, so there are no reply keywords, no STOP replies and no SMS inbox. If you want a response, include a link, a phone number or a wa.me WhatsApp link. Do not expect customers to text back to the same sender ID.

A third mistake is ignoring DND rules for promotional SMS. Promotional messages must go only to numbers not on the DND registry and within TRAI-permitted hours. Also avoid buying lists or messaging people who never opted in. Good engagement keeps your sender reputation healthy, while spam complaints can hurt deliverability and your WhatsApp quality rating too.

• Do not use service templates for promotional content
• Register every template before sending
• Do not expect replies to the SMS sender ID
• Respect DND and TRAI-permitted hours for promotions
• Message only opted-in contacts and avoid bought lists

Frequently asked questions