All you need to know about applying for a Sender ID

What are the rules around applying for a Sender ID and why does it get rejected?

Different countries have different regulations. Where this becomes quite relevant is that in some countries we need to register a Sender ID on your behalf before your messages will reach your contacts. In other countries, you can choose whether or not you want your messages to come from a Sender ID or a repliable number and you easily can apply for your Sender ID from within our Web App. Some countries just don’t allow Sender IDs at all (like South Africa).

What are some of the restrictions on Sender IDs?

We’ve put together a list of countries here where we would need to register a Sender ID on your behalf. In some cases, we may need to send you a form to complete, which we would then send directly to the relevant networks. We would be alerted when the Sender ID was approved and revert back as soon as possible.

There are also restrictions based on any brand name requests, where we would need proof that you, or your BulkSMS account, is related to or has a relationship with the brand name. We won’t, for example, be able to issue a Sender ID of Apple or Microsoft to anyone who is not affiliated with that brand.

We also have customers who are applying for Sender IDs with unsupported characters. A Sender ID can be alphanumeric, but no more than 11 characters. We won’t be able to approve a Sender ID with any Unicode characters or if applying for a numeric Sender ID, it needs to be an existing mobile number that can be verified and linked to the relevant BulkSMS account.

A Sender ID request like 12345 will be rejected because it is too short to be a mobile number, and a Sender ID like h@pp1ne$$ will be rejected because it contains characters that are not part of the alphanumeric character set.

How do I apply for a Sender ID?

In our Web App, you would currently go to Message Settings (under the Settings drop down) and click on Sender IDs, and then click Request Sender ID.

We will let you know within 1 working day whether or not your Sender ID has been approved or rejected, or if there is any further information that we need from you. Please note that when we need to apply to the network on your behalf, the networks will determine whether or not the Sender ID is approved, and their approval process can be quite lengthy.

If you’re unsure of what the rules are when it comes to Sender IDs in your country, or would like more information, please contact us.