Acceptable use policy: alerts only, nothing else
Welco carries alerts from systems to the staff who look after them, in Canada and every other country we serve. That is the only use we allow. This policy lists what you can send, who you can text, what is never allowed and what we do when the rules are broken.
Why the rules are strict
Mobile networks trust Welco numbers because they carry alerts and nothing else. One account sending spam can get texts blocked for everyone, including teams waiting on a pump or server alarm.
No marketing sender ever shares a Welco number. Keeping it that way protects every customer. In Canada, commercial electronic messages also fall under CASL, the federal anti-spam law. This policy is part of our terms of service.
What Welco may be used for
- Alerts from machines, software and systems you run or look after: alarms, faults, outages, readings out of range and status changes.
- Notices of urgent voicemail on a line your team covers, with a link to listen.
- Texts to your own staff, contractors and on-call teams whose phones confirmed with YES.
No spam and no marketing of any kind
Welco must never be used to sell, advertise or announce anything. Bulk or unwanted texts of any kind count as spam. That includes:
- Offers, discounts, coupons, sales, newsletters or product news.
- Event invitations, surveys, fundraising or political messages.
- Lead follow-ups, sales outreach or messages that ask the reader to buy something.
No texting the public
Only staff who look after your systems may receive Welco texts. You may not invite or text:
- Customers, clients, members, patients, students, parents, tenants or residents.
- Leads, prospects or anyone from a bought, rented or shared contact list.
- Anyone who has not confirmed their own phone with YES, or who has replied STOP.
Content that is never allowed
Welco holds any text that matches a word or phrase on our blocked words list, and sends nothing. Trying to get around the list counts as a breach.
- Anything illegal, or anything that helps someone break the law.
- Fraud, scams, phishing, fake alerts or links to malware.
- Hate speech, threats, harassment or content meant to scare or abuse someone.
- Sexual or adult content.
- Content about illegal drugs, gambling, or the sale of alcohol, tobacco, vaping products, cannabis or firearms.
- Loans, debt relief, credit repair, crypto or get-rich offers.
- Passwords, full card numbers, bank details or government ID numbers inside an alert.
- Content that copies another person or company, or hides who is really sending it.
Using the service fairly
- Don't try to get around business verification, approved senders, phone confirmation or sending limits.
- Don't remove or disguise the
Welco:start or the STOP line that carriers require on every text. - Don't share your account with another business or resell Welco.
- Don't send mail on purpose to flood or overload the service, or test it in ways that could harm other users.
- Don't use Welco as your only way to learn of a fire, a medical emergency or a threat to life.
What happens if the rules are broken
We look into reports and patterns that suggest misuse. Depending on what we find, we may hold or refuse texts, remove an approved sender, pause sending, or suspend or close the account. Serious cases, such as fraud, may be reported to the authorities, and mobile networks may block numbers on their own.
Three written warnings, then the account closes
Every breach earns a written warning, sent by email to the account owner. The warning says what was sent and which rule it broke.
The third written warning closes the account automatically. Alerts stop for every phone on it.
Fraud, phishing, illegal content or an order from a mobile network or regulator can suspend an account at once, with no warning first.
No refunds for violations
An account warned, paused or closed for breaking this policy gets no refund. Plan fees, unused credits and credit packs are all kept. Our terms of service set out the billing rules.
Report misuse
If you get a Welco text you did not agree to, reply STOP and then tell us at hello@welco.ai. Include the date and the text if you can. You can also reach us through the contact page. How consent should work is set out on our SMS compliance page.
Frequently asked questions
Can outside contractors get Welco alerts?
What counts as marketing under the Welco policy?
Does a single breach close our Welco account?
Can an alert text include a client's name or account number?
Not sure if your alerts fit the rules
Describe what your system sends and we will tell you before you sign up.