> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.politicalcomms.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Sending speed and carrier limits

> How fast you can send, the limits each carrier sets, what happens at the AT&T limit, and how to finish a large send sooner.

## How fast can I send?

The platform sends as fast as each carrier accepts messages. Most carriers take everything you send at full speed. A few set limits of their own, and those are listed below. For the platform's overall sending capacity, see [Platform features](/help/platform-features).

## What are the limits for each sender type?

| Sender type | Limit |
| - | - |
| 10DLC to AT\&T | A per-minute limit set for each registered campaign by the carrier registry, counted in message parts. A text that fits in one part (up to 160 standard characters, fewer with emoji or special characters) counts once, and a longer text that splits into 2 or 3 parts counts 2 or 3 times. A picture message counts once against a separate picture message limit. Commonly 4,500 text message parts or 2,400 picture messages per minute for political campaigns, and lower for some campaign types and vetting scores. |
| 10DLC to T-Mobile | A daily limit per brand, for brands that have one on file. Political brands verified through Campaign Verify do not have one today. |
| 10DLC to Verizon and other carriers | No published per-campaign limit. |
| Toll-free | About 20 messages per second per number. |
| Short code | About 1,000 messages per second per number, with no per-minute carrier limit. |

The carriers set these numbers, and they can change.

## What happens when my send reaches the AT\&T limit?

Recipients on other carriers keep sending at full speed. AT\&T recipients are sent as the limit allows. The project is not paused. While it is at the limit, the dashboard shows **At AT\&T carrier limit** with an estimated time until your AT\&T recipients are delivered.

## How long will AT\&T take?

Multiply the number of AT\&T recipients by the number of parts in your text, then divide by the per-minute limit. The estimate on the dashboard and in the Start dialog already accounts for your message length.

For example, suppose you send to a 1,000,000 recipient audience and about a third are on AT\&T. That is roughly 330,000 AT\&T recipients. With a one-part text and a limit of 4,500 per minute, they take about 73 minutes. With a two-part text, the same audience uses 660,000 parts and takes about 147 minutes. A text that fits in one part reaches AT\&T recipients up to three times faster than a three-part text.

## What is the sending window and how does it affect AT\&T?

Messages send between 8:00 AM and 10:00 PM in your recipients' time zone. That zone is determined from the most common area code in your audience, not from the time zone you schedule in.

Before you start a project, the Start dialog shows about when the last AT\&T recipient will be reached. If the sending window will close first, it warns you and shows how many recipients will wait. Recipients not reached by the close wait until you start the project again the next morning. As the close approaches, the platform hands over less AT\&T traffic, so AT\&T messages do not arrive after the window closes.

## How can I send faster?

* **Keep your text within one part where you can.** This is the cheapest option. The message editor shows the character count, and a notice tells you when a text runs to more than one message part.
* **Start earlier in the day.** If the AT\&T portion can finish before the window closes, nothing waits until the next morning.
* **Use a short code.** A short code has no per-minute carrier limit. Provisioning takes roughly 8 to 12 weeks. For current pricing, [contact support](/help/technical-support).
* **Add a 10DLC campaign.** Each campaign has its own AT\&T limit, but carriers can reject a campaign that duplicates an existing one. [Contact support](/help/technical-support) and we will check whether a second campaign is appropriate for your use case.

## Can I check this through the API?

Yes. `GET /campaigns/{id}/throughput` and `GET /projects/{id}/throughput` return the carrier limits and estimates. See [Carrier throughput limits](/api-reference/best-practices#carrier-throughput-limits).