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Alphanumeric Sender IDs

Alphanumeric Sender IDs are custom sender names you sometimes see when receiving an SMS, in form of a company name or brandname, instead of a phone number. This article explains how to set this up, as well as the requirements.

Written by Christoffer

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​Settings

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How to set up Alphanumeric Sender IDs

  1. Navigate to the left hand menu and click on Settings > Phone numbers.

  2. Click on the Create button in the top right corner.

  3. From the drop down select Create SMS sender ID.

  4. Click Request alphanumeric number.
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    NB: if you want to use a phone number as a sender, please select Verify phone number. An Alphanumeric Sender ID consisting of numbers only will not be approved, as it is considered a phone number.
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Alphanumeric Sender ID requirements:

  • Contains 3–11 characters

  • Use letters (A-Z, a-z) and numbers (0-9) only

  • Does not include special characters, symbols, or spaces

  • Avoids generic terms (e.g., “INFO” or “Dentist”), as many carriers treat these as spam

  • Is a company or brand name, not a personal name

  • If sent in name of a third-party, provide a signed LOA* to our support team for approval

Even where technically supported by GSM standards, many mobile operators filter certain characters to prevent spoofing or impersonation.

Special characters, symbols, and spaces are typically not allowed and may result in your Sender ID being rejected or overwritten.

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Country and carrier support

Support for Alphanumeric Sender IDs depends on the terminating mobile carrier. Not all countries, or providers within a country, support them.

If a country or provider does not support alphanumeric Sender IDs, your message may be rejected or delivered with a different sender.

* We can provide a template for the LOA in situations where you represent a third-party.
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