1. Introduction

This Messaging & Recording Policy explains how Sentus AI handles voice calls, text messages, and other communications through our platform, including our Sophia voice assistant. We are committed to full compliance with:

Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) - Federal regulations for automated calling and text messaging
A2P 10DLC Registration - Application-to-Person messaging compliance for SMS/MMS
State Call Recording Laws - Two-party consent requirements in applicable jurisdictions
CAN-SPAM Act - Email marketing and commercial communication regulations
TRACED Act - Caller ID authentication and anti-robocall measures

2. Voice Communications & Sophia AI Assistant

2.1 How Sophia Handles Calls

Sophia, our 24/7 autonomous voice assistant, answers incoming calls to your property management business. Here's how it works:

Inbound Calls Only: Sophia receives calls placed to your business phone numbers
Call Greeting & Disclosure: Every call begins with identification and recording notice
Natural Language Processing: Sophia supports tenant requests across the languages configured for your environment
Maintenance Triage: Automatic classification of urgency and issue type
Human Escalation: Critical situations are immediately transferred to designated personnel

2.2 Call Recording Notice

Every call is preceded by clear disclosure:

"Thank you for calling [Your Property Name]. This is Sophia, your AI assistant. This call may be recorded for quality assurance, training, and compliance purposes. How may I help you today?"

By continuing the call after this notice, the caller consents to recording in accordance with applicable law.

2.3 Two-Party Consent States

In jurisdictions requiring all-party consent (California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Washington), we ensure:

Explicit verbal consent disclosure at call start
Beep tone notification every 15 seconds (where required)
Option to decline recording (call will not be processed)
Documentation of consent timestamp in call logs

3. Outbound Communications

3.1 TCPA Compliance for Automated Calls

Sentus AI does not initiate outbound calls to consumers without explicit prior express written consent. When customers configure outbound call features:

Written Consent Required: Documented opt-in from each recipient
Clear Disclosure: Notice that calls may be made using automated technology
Easy Opt-Out: Recipients can revoke consent at any time
Do Not Call Registry: Automatic compliance with federal and state registries
Time-of-Day Restrictions: No calls before 8 AM or after 9 PM (local time)

3.2 Outbound Call Categories

When enabled by customers, Sentus AI may facilitate these call types:

Transactional Calls: Lease confirmations, maintenance updates, payment receipts (TCPA-exempt)
Emergency Notifications: Building emergencies, urgent safety issues (TCPA-exempt)
Appointment Reminders: Maintenance schedules, inspections (with consent)
Marketing Calls: Only with explicit written consent and full TCPA compliance

4. Text Messaging (SMS/MMS)

4.1 A2P 10DLC Registration

All SMS communications through Sentus AI use registered A2P (Application-to-Person) 10-digit long code numbers with:

Carrier Registration: Full vetting with AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon
Brand Trust Score: Verified business identity and use case
Campaign Registration: Each message type approved by carriers
Throughput Limits: Respectful sending rates to prevent spam classification

4.2 Text Message Consent

Before sending SMS messages to tenants or prospects, we require:

Opt-In Mechanism: Web form, written lease agreement, or verbal consent (documented)
Clear Terms: Disclosure of message frequency, data rates, and opt-out instructions
Opt-Out Honored: "STOP" command immediately unsubscribes the number
Help Command: "HELP" provides customer support contact information

4.3 Sample Consent Language

"By providing your phone number, you consent to receive automated text messages from [Property Name] and Sentus AI for appointment reminders, maintenance updates, and property communications. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to unsubscribe or HELP for assistance."

5. Call and Message Recording

5.1 What We Record

Voice Recordings: Full audio of inbound and outbound calls
Call Transcripts: Automatic speech-to-text transcription
Metadata: Date, time, duration, caller ID, call disposition
SMS Content: Message text, timestamps, delivery status
Sentiment Analysis: Automated emotional tone assessment

5.2 Recording Retention

Voice Recordings: 90 days (configurable up to 7 years for compliance)
Call Transcripts: 3 years (for legal protection and quality assurance)
SMS Messages: 3 years (regulatory compliance)
Call Metadata: 5 years (business records retention)

5.3 Purpose of Recording

Recordings and transcripts are used for:

Quality assurance and customer service improvement
AI model training and accuracy enhancement (anonymized)
Dispute resolution and legal protection
Fair housing compliance audits
Regulatory compliance documentation
Training property management staff

6. Data Security for Communications

Encryption in Transit: TLS 1.3 for all call signaling and messaging
Encrypted Storage: AES-256 encryption for recorded audio and transcripts
Access Controls: Role-based permissions for playback and review
Audit Logging: Every access to recordings is logged with user ID and timestamp
Secure Deletion: Permanent, irrecoverable deletion after retention period

7. Third-Party Communication Providers

Sentus AI partners with certified, TCPA-compliant communication providers to deliver voice calling, SMS, and email. The current list of communication providers, what they process, and links to their privacy documentation is maintained on our Sub-Processors page.

All providers have executed Data Processing Addendums.

8. Caller ID and STIR/SHAKEN

To combat caller ID spoofing and ensure trust:

Verified Caller ID: Outbound calls display your registered business number
STIR/SHAKEN Protocol: Full implementation of caller ID authentication
Attestation Level A: Full attestation for your business phone numbers
No Spoofing: We never mask or falsify caller ID information

9. User Rights and Control

9.1 Access to Recordings

As a customer, you have the right to:

Access and download your call recordings and transcripts
Search and filter communications by date, caller, or keyword
Export data in standard formats (MP3, WAV, PDF, CSV)
Request deletion of specific recordings (subject to legal retention requirements)

9.2 Tenant and Caller Rights

Individuals who call or receive messages can:

Request a copy of their call recordings (subject to identity verification)
Opt out of future communications at any time
Request deletion of their data (subject to legal holds)
File complaints about unwanted communications

10. International Communications

For communications involving international parties:

GDPR Compliance: Full compliance for EU callers and message recipients
Local Recording Laws: Adherence to destination country consent requirements
Data Transfer Safeguards: Standard Contractual Clauses for international data flows
Language Support: multilingual support for voice and text communications

11. Complaint and Do Not Contact Process

11.1 How to Opt Out

Recipients can stop communications by:

Text "STOP": Immediately unsubscribes from SMS messages
Verbal Request: Tell Sophia during a call to remove you from contact lists
Written Request: Email or written notice to property management company
Do Not Call Registry: Register at www.donotcall.gov (honored automatically)

11.2 Opt-Out Processing

Immediate processing (within 24 hours maximum)
Confirmation message sent to requester
Permanent suppression list maintenance
Annual opt-out list scrubbing against active contact lists

12. Compliance Monitoring

Sentus AI maintains comprehensive compliance programs:

Quarterly TCPA Audits: External legal review of communication practices
Carrier Compliance Monitoring: Real-time alerts for deliverability issues
Staff Training: Regular TCPA and recording law training for support teams
Policy Updates: Continuous monitoring of regulatory changes

13. Violations and Enforcement

If you believe Sentus AI or one of our customers has violated this policy:

Report to Us: [email protected]
FCC Complaints: File at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov
State Attorneys General: Contact your state consumer protection office
Private Right of Action: TCPA allows $500-$1,500 per violation in damages

14. Updates to This Policy

This policy may be updated to reflect:

Changes in communications technology and practices
New regulatory requirements or FCC rulings
Customer feedback and industry best practices
Enhanced privacy or security measures

Material changes will be communicated via email, in-app notification, and website posting at least 30 days before taking effect.

15. Contact Information

For questions about this Messaging & Recording Policy:

Compliance Team: [email protected]
Privacy Team: [email protected]
Customer Support: Available through your account portal
Phone: +1 (855) 373-6887

Last Updated: January 1, 2026

Effective Date: January 1, 2026

This policy is subject to change. We encourage regular review for updates.