Short Message Service:Register a SenderID

SenderID overview

A SenderID is a combination of letters and digits, such as an abbreviated company name or brand identifier, that identifies the sender of an International SMS message. A registered SenderID provides the following benefits:

• Compliance verification — Verifies that the sender identity is authentic and legitimate, and prevents spam abuse.

• Improved delivery rate — Carriers use the SenderID to determine whether an SMS message comes from a trusted source, which reduces the risk of interception.

• Sender recognition — Recipients see the sender identifier instead of only a phone number, which improves brand recognition.

How registration works

SenderID registration requirements vary by country or region and by local carrier, and the required materials and forms can be complex. International SMS separates information entry from registration material preparation. You enter only the required information, and the International SMS platform collects the registration requirements, renders the content automatically, and formats the information. This approach saves registration time and improves registration accuracy.

Registration requirements

Follow these steps to view the registration and compliance requirements for the destination country or region.

1. Click International SMS registration rules and find the destination country or region on the page.

   Note

   This table is for reference only and is continuously updated. The rules of the destination country or region prevail.

   This topic uses Afghanistan as an example to show how to determine whether SenderID registration is required.

   

2. Go to the country or region configuration product page and view the SenderID registration field. Yes indicates that SenderID registration is required for SMS messages sent to this country or region. No indicates that registration is not required.

   

Compliance risks

Before you register and use a SenderID, note the following risks:

• Unregistered SenderID — If you use an unregistered SenderID in a country where registration is mandatory, 100% of your SMS messages are blocked.

• Content mismatch — If you send SMS message content that does not match the registered sample type, the carrier may block the SenderID. An example is sending marketing messages with a SenderID registered for notifications.

Billing

For some countries or regions, using a dedicated SenderID incurs a SenderID registration fee and a monthly fee in addition to the SMS sending fees.

Whether fees apply and the exact amounts depend on the destination country or region and the local carrier. The amounts displayed in the console prevail. For billing rules and deduction methods, see SenderID billing rules.

Registration procedure

1. Log on to the International SMS console. In the left-side navigation pane (the console navigation bar), choose Go Globe > Before Sending > SenderID.

2. On the Registration tab, click Register Sender ID and complete the registration form.

   The Basic Information required for SenderID registration varies by country or region. Follow the prompts in the console when you enter the information.

   Important

   To help the carrier review your submission, enter the following information in English.

   1. Select Destination Country/Region for the SMS messages.

      After you select a country or region, the console displays the estimated registration time and relevant notes. Read them carefully.

      

      Some countries or regions impose regulatory requirements for SMS compliance and user privacy protection, and therefore do not support online registration in the Short Message Service console. After you select Destination Country/Region, follow the instructions in the console pop-up.

      • Paid SenderID required — This pop-up indicates that the selected country or region requires a paid SenderID.

      • Self-registration required — This pop-up indicates that the selected country or region cannot be registered through Alibaba Cloud. Follow the pop-up instructions to complete the registration yourself. After the registration succeeds, contact your account manager for configuration.

   2. Complete the Basic Information fields. The required basic information varies based on the selected Destination Country/Region. Select and complete all required fields accurately.

      The carrier reviews the information that you submit, such as the brand and URL, to determine the applicable SMS sending requirements, such as local or international channels. You can send SMS messages only based on the submitted information and in accordance with the carrier requirements.

      

   3. Name the SenderID and enter sample SMS messages.

      • SenderID — Enter a SenderID. The name must be related to your company name or brand name. Letters, digits, and symbols are supported. A combination of letters and digits can contain up to 11 characters, and a numeric-only SenderID can contain up to 15 digits. Chinese characters and other languages are not supported.

      • Sample message — Enter a sample of the SMS message content that you want to send. The sample message can be in any language.

        To add multiple SenderIDs, click the add icon . You can add up to 20 SenderIDs.

      To add multiple sample messages, click the add icon . You can add up to 20 sample messages for each SenderID.

   4. After you complete the information, click Submit to submit the registration.

      For some countries or regions, you must also upload application materials. Click Upload File to proceed to the next step.

   5. Upload the application materials, if required. The system automatically renders the registration files and directly opens the Add More Documents page. Confirm the basic information file and provide the required files.

      Warning

      Upload the required registration files within 30 days. If you do not upload the files within this period, the system automatically deletes the registration information.

      • Confirm basic information — Click Download File to view the rendered basic information file and confirm that the information you submitted is correct. If the information is incorrect, regenerate the file.

      • Upload and provide materials — In the Other Documents section, upload the files required for registration. Each file can be up to 5 MB. If a letter of authorization is required, follow the instructions on the console page to download it, sign and stamp it, and then upload it.

      Important

      Read all console instructions and comply with the restrictions on file format, size, and order to avoid review rejection.

3. Click Submit to complete the SenderID registration.

   After you submit the registration, the carrier reviews it. You can view the review result on the SenderID list page. After a SenderID is approved, you can use it to send SMS messages. If the approval result includes carrier requirements or restrictions, such as applicable channels or accounts, you must comply with them.

Common rejection reasons

If the carrier rejects your SenderID registration, check your submission against the following common causes.

Cancel a SenderID

(Recommended) Cancel a SenderID that you no longer use. Once a SenderID is registered, countries or regions that impose fees charge a monthly fee whether or not you actively use the SenderID to send SMS messages. Timely cancellation avoids unnecessary charges.

To cancel a SenderID, submit a ticket to customer service 30 days in advance and request the cancellation.