Aloware has updated how it enforces Do Not Contact (DNC) and SMS opt-out, moving both from the phone number level to the contact level.
If your team does outbound calling or texting, this change affects how opt-outs are honored across every phone number saved on a contact.
Why this matters
Opt-out and DNC rules are the front line of TCPA compliance. When a contact tells you to STOP, that intent has to be honored everywhere you might reach them, not just on the one number that replied.
Aloware previously enforced SMS opt-out at the phone number level. If a contact replied STOP on one number, other numbers on the same contact could still receive texts. Compliance flags also lived on the contact record, so deleting and re-importing a contact reset them. Both gaps exposed you to risk.
This update closes those gaps. DNC and SMS opt-out now apply to the whole contact, the two states follow clear rules for how one affects the other, and the status is saved permanently. It is not lost when a contact is deleted, re-imported, or synced from another tool like HubSpot.
The two compliance states
Aloware enforces two separate states. They are distinct, and the rules between them run one direction only.
Do Not Contact (DNC)
Do Not Contact (DNC) is the stricter state. It blocks both calls and texts to a contact.
It applies to every number, line, and agent on the contact.
An admin sets it manually.
Setting it also blocks texts, so SMS opt-out turns on at the same time.
It clears only when an admin removes it, on an account with a signed waiver and a written reason.
Removing it does not turn SMS back on.
SMS opt-out
SMS opt-out is the lighter state. It blocks texts but still allows calls.
It applies to every number on the contact.
It turns on automatically when any number on the contact replies STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE. An admin can also set it manually.
It never blocks calls and never turns on DNC.
It clears when the contact replies START, which turns texts back on only.
The key rule that ties them together: setting DNC always blocks texts too, but a text opt-out never blocks calls. The table below shows the effect of each action.
If this happens | The contact's DNC status | The contact's SMS opt-out status |
Admin sets DNC | All calls and texts are now blocked | All texts are now blocked automatically |
Contact replies STOP | No change; calls still allowed | All texts are now blocked, on every number |
Admin sets SMS opt-out manually | No change; calls still allowed | All texts are now blocked |
Admin removes DNC (un-DNC) | Calls are allowed again | Still blocked; contact must reply START to receive texts |
Contact replies START | No change | Texts are allowed again |
What changed with this release
Three behaviors changed with this release, and each one closes a specific compliance gap.
One number opting out now covers the whole contact.
Before, only the number that replied STOP was blocked, so other numbers on the same contact could still receive texts.
Now, when any number replies STOP, the entire contact is opted out and all of their numbers are blocked. The contact screen shows which number triggered it, the reason, and the time.
Status now survives deleting and re-adding a contact.
Before, the status was stored on the contact record, so deleting and re-adding the contact cleared it.
Now, Aloware saves each number's status in a separate, permanent record and checks it before any call, text, or automated sequence. If the same number is added back, its status is restored automatically.
When the update launched, Aloware added all previously opted-out and DNC numbers to this record, so no existing opt-outs were lost.
Removing a DNC mark is now safe and tracked.
Before, there was no controlled way to remove DNC.
Now, removing it requires an admin request made through Customer Support. Aloware permanently records who removed it, why, and when. Removing DNC does not turn texts back on.
What agents see
Both states appear on the contact record so agents know the status before acting.
A DNC contact shows a DNC indicator, with both call and SMS blocked, and opt-out shown as active because DNC cascades to it.
An SMS opted-out contact shows the opt-out indicator, with SMS blocked and calls available, plus the opt-out reason and the number that triggered it.
If an agent tries a blocked action, Aloware stops it and names the compliance state preventing it.
How this works with HubSpot
DNC and opt-out status sync to HubSpot one way only. Aloware sends the status to HubSpot and is the master record for it. Changes made directly in HubSpot do not flow back and cannot override what Aloware holds.
When HubSpot syncs a contact back into Aloware and that number already has a saved status, Aloware restores it automatically. A sync from HubSpot cannot erase an existing DNC or opt-out status.
What admins and agents need to know
Most of this needs no action from you. Two things are worth knowing:
Opt-out enforcement is automatic. There is nothing to set up, and agents do not change how they work. Aloware enforces opt-out across every number that belongs to a DNC or opted-out contact.
Removing a DNC mark goes through Customer Support. If your account needs to un-DNC a contact, reach out to Customer Support for assistance.
What is not included in this release
This release does not cover the following:
Two-way HubSpot sync. HubSpot does not send compliance status back to Aloware; Aloware stays the master record.
Un-DNC in the mobile app.
Cross-account DNC and opt-out sync.
Federal or state DNC registry integration at the carrier level.
Multilingual STOP keyword detection beyond the carrier-supported set.
Important note: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult your legal counsel for guidance specific to your business.